When my heart is ignited by the magnificence captured by a wide angle lens, the passion is like a holy fire that drives me to share – to pour out the vastness of the world and the delicate emotions under the lens to anyone who wants to witness this extraordinary perspective.
In all my years of photography, the Voigtlander 15mm/f4.5 Ultra Wide-Angle Lens is undoubtedly one of the most striking lenses I’ve encountered. It’s reputation has been so well established in the photographic world for so long that Voigtlander has now developed it into its third generation. However, the most charismatic in my mind has always been the small and exquisite first generation L39 mount lens.
The small size of this lens perfectly illustrates the spirit of Leica. It is lightweight and easy to carry, and can be easily converted to M-mount with a simple 1mm adapter ring, making it a perfect fit for my Leica camera. What’s even more surprising is that this first-generation lens also comes with a dedicated 15mm viewfinder, a thoughtful design that was not continued in subsequent products, which I appreciate.
In actual use, the image quality of this lens is impressive. The center is extremely sharp, capturing fine and crisp details. The color performance is very rich, producing a full and layered color effect. This made it easy for me to capture every vibrant moment while shooting.
However, this lens is not without its challenges. Because it is an ultra-wide angle lens, you have to pay more attention to composition and camera angle when shooting. Especially when using the Leica M3 camera, I have to rely more on my own feeling and experience to estimate the shooting distance, as there is no linkage rangefinder structure. This is a real challenge for me, but it also makes me more focused and attentive during the shooting process.
With this lens mounted on the Leica M8, this lens has an equivalent focal length of about 20mm, which is still moderate enough for me to get used to. However, when placed on the M3, it transforms into a true 15mm ultra-wide angle, and the stunning field of view was a bit too much for my heart to handle. The visual impact of this ultra-wide angle makes me passionate and expectant when shooting.
However, I also realized that the 15mm focal length may not be suitable for street photographers like me. In street photography, if the characters are too close, it is easy to appear “big head” effect; while if the distance is too far, the characters will appear too small. In addition, due to the characteristics of the ultra-wide-angle lens, the shooting of the characters will be stretched out of shape. This made it a bit difficult for me to shoot on the street, so I decided to keep it more company with the M8 and turn it into a 20mm lens for use until I could find a better way to use it.
That said, I still think the 15mm/f4.5 lens from Voigtlander is a worthy lens. Its ultra-wide focal length may not be for everyone, but there’s no chance it’ll suit your shooting style. If you really like it, you’re getting a real bargain because not only is it small, portable and affordable, it also offers such a wide angle of view. The lens is also highly traded on the second-hand market, which means you don’t have to worry about buying or selling it. Whether you want to get in or get out, it’s easy to find the right deal.
The journey of using this lens is like a drama on the stage of life, intertwining challenge and joy, frustration and fulfillment. The moments that seem impossible to capture perfectly have become the goals that I constantly pursue; and the meandering horizons under the lens are precisely the paths that I am eager to explore in my heart. Every time I put the camera down and take a break, not only to catch my breath, but also for the new round of longing for the unknown beauty in my heart, I am ready to set out again, using this 15mm (20mm leica m8) wide angle to continue to capture every moving moment of life.
