Leave it to other companies S-ANGULON R 21mm F4
A review and photo examples using the Leica Super-Angulon R 21mm F4 with a Leica SL Typ601.
Table of contents
Gallery
- Photo example used with Leica SL Typ601
There is no gallery selected or the gallery was deleted.
Review
1．Overview
The SUPER ANGULON R 21mm F4 is a wide-angle lens for the Leica R mount, of which around 11,000 were produced between 1971 and 1983.
There are two types of Super Angulon R mount: an old model with a maximum aperture of F3.4 and almost the same lens configuration as the M-type, and a new retrofocus type with a maximum aperture of F4. Both lenses are designed by the German company Schneider.
The F4 version is a retrofocus model with 10 elements in 8 groups, a minimum shooting distance of 20cm, and four aperture blades.
Due to the long manufacturing period, the appearance varies slightly depending on the year, but the lens configuration is the same for all lenses.
2．Usage
The SUPER ANGULON R 21mm F4 version has a minimum shooting distance of 20cm, so it can get close in line with its focal length, and its four aperture blades give it the distinctive look of Schneider.
The focus ring is in the center of the lens barrel, and the aperture ring is at the base, which is a common layout for R-mount lenses, so there are no problems with usability.
Due to the age of the design, the image has barrel distortion, which can be a little noticeable when photographing straight lines. However, the distortion is relatively straightforward, so it can be corrected using image processing software.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the SUPER ANGULON R 21mm F4, the minimum shooting distance is 0.2m, which is closer than M-mount lenses. Because it is a retrofocus lens, it is easy to use with mirrorless cameras, which is advantageous in terms of peripheral light falloff and color cast. In addition, it can be used with a CANON-EF mount SLR camera via a mount adapter.
Specification and Competitor
As introduced separately, the old Super-Angulon’s rear lens element is close to the sensor, so when used with a SLR camera, the mirror must be raised up, making it an impractical lens.
Also, when used with a mirrorless digital camera, the rear lens element gets quite close to the sensor, so there is a high possibility of color casts appearing on the edges of the image, depending on the camera using a 35mm full-frame sensor.
Compared to the 21mm Vario-Elmar 21-35mm, which has the same focal length, the Super-Angulon 21mm F4 has a superior minimum shooting distance, but the Vario-Elmar is superior in terms of overall depiction, including peripheral resolution.
| Item | SUPER ANGULON F4ver | SUPER ANGULON F3.4ver | VARIO ELMAR |
| focal length(mm) | 21 | 21 | 21-35 |
| Maximum aperture | 4 | 3.4 | 3.5-4 |
| Minimum aperture | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Lens configuration | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Leaf blade | 10 elements in 8 groups | 8 elements in 4 groups | 9 elements in 8 groups |
| Minimum distance(m) | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Lens length(mm) | 43.5 | 19 | 66.3 |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 78 | 70 | 75 |
| Filter type | 72 or Series 8.5 | Series 8 | 67 |
| Weight(g) | 420 | 228 | 500 |
| Hood | 12506 Lens cap 14145 | 14170W | 12438 |
| Lens mount | LEICA R | LEICA R | LEICA R |
| Release date | 1971 | 1964 | -2001 |
| Production numbers | -10,850 | -1530 | 3,400(~2005) |
Reference links
- All about the R-type Leica (2003 edition) / Author: Shinichi Nakamura / Edited by Asahi Sonorama Ads by Amazon
- Description of Super-Angulon-R 21/4 from Leica wiki
Update history
- 2025.1.11
- 2024.02.24
- 2022.10.04
Affiliate links
- Leica lens・Ads by Amazon
- Leica digital・Ads by Amazon
- Leica camera body・Ads by Amazon
- Leica accessory・Ads by Amazon
- Leica book・Ads by Amazon
Leave a Reply