the new 28 f2.8 Elmarit asph

[wbesz]

Lots about the new Tri-Elmar (for the M8) to be released at Photokina, but I am most interested in the appearance of 28 f2.8 asph.

This is an ideal size for indoors, candid street shooting, landscape, and even photojournalism use.
Low cost (I read 1300 Euros somewhere), and most of all a small lens, which means I can finally fit the whole M7 with lens into my pocket.

I hope this little lens is stocked in the stores soon!

[rob_x2004]

Wheres the pic, much smaller than the f/2? The 'old' or previous? 28 f/2.8 was about 1800 even on ebay wasn't it, so what gives?
Regards

[wbesz]

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=27856

[k_g_wolf]

> William


thx for this link.

With this compact 28 mm lens, the M8 will look exactly like the old LEICA M with a compact 35 mm lens. Great idea actually.

They always manage to get you to a state where you want more ...


Best

[vic vic]

looks cool indeed, but not dramatically smaller than the summicron. add to it lens hood and ....
but still, cool :-)))))

[albertwang]

Okay it doesn't look much smaller than the summi, but I suspect it's a lot cheaper!

[wparsonsgisnet]

I have heard that this new 28mm lens will be a lot cheaper than the prices we have come to expect for Leica lenses, especially asph lenses.

[Seb V]

If it's too cheap, many existing Leica owners probably won't want it. Plus a lower price point might let the riff raff in. I rue the day the likes of Nikon owners tread the hallowed corridors of this forum, proudly sporting their economy 28 Elmarits. .

[albertwang]

Originally Posted by Seb V

If it's too cheap, many existing Leica owners probably won't want it. Plus a lower price point might let the riff raff in. I rue the day the likes of Nikon owners tread the hallowed corridors of this forum, proudly sporting their economy 28 Elmarits. .

If it's too cheap, I will be the first in line to get it. I don't care for the so-called elitism that Leicafanboys taint their hands with. Geewhiz, if it's free, I take it too.

[Seb V]

Ahem....someone call security, they've already arrived.

[lct]

Great idea indeed, some of us had been asking for this lens for a long time.
I would not say that EUR 1300 is 'cheap' compared to, say, the Elmar 50/2.8 for instance but anyway i've never seen a bad Leica lens so far.
My last 'cheap' lens was the Summicron-C 40/2 for the Leica CL and it's become one of my favourite on the R-D1 more than 20 years later.
This new 28/2.8 and a Summicron 50 should make a great combo for M8 users on a budget IMHO.

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by lct

[...] My last 'cheap' lens was the Summicron-C 40/2 for the Leica CL and it's become one of my favourite on the R-D1 more than 20 years later. [...]

Why on Earth a man of good taste such as yourself puts those glorious optics on a Japanese - and digital on top of it all - piece of **** has been beyond me ever since I "met" you here six months ago!

[lct]

Because that piece of **** makes better pictures (with Leica lenses of course) than any of my M bodies.
I like it so much that i could well refrain from buying the M8, go figure.
It's like Duchable and Corboz you see.
The most famous is not always the best for me.

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by lct

Because that piece of **** makes better pictures (with Leica lenses of course) than any of my M bodies.
I like it so much that i could well refrain from buying the M8, go figure.
It's like Duchable and Corboz you see.
The most famous is not always the best for me.

Though I disagree, superb as always. That's why I love you!

Despite.

[wbesz]

I forgot to mention that I would (of course) expect this little asph lens to have similar performance
as the well regarded Summicron asph version, ..just missing the f2.0 position.

A good combination would be this 28 and a 50 lens when travelling light .

[rosuna]

In my opinion, there are three types of M lenses, regarding digital medium:

1. Lenses designed in the digital age:

50/1,4 ASPH (2004)
75/2 ASPH (2005)
28/2,8 ASPH (2006)

2. Modern ASPH lenses (pre-digital):

35/1,4 ASPH (1994)
21/2,8 ASPH (1997)
24/2,8 ASPH (1998)
90/2 ASPH (1998)
28/2 ASPH (2000)
35/2 ASPH (2000)
Tri-Elmar ASPH (2000)

3. Classic (Mandler) lenses:

50/1 (1976)
50/2 (1979)
75/1,4 (1980)

I am not sure of the "digital" performance of wide-angle lenses of the groups 2 and 3. Leica tries to "correct" the images from these lenses using codes and internal processing, but it is likely a revision of the wide-angle pre-digital lenses... Can these lenses be improved in some way for digital capture?

R.

[lct]

From my experience with the R-D1 i feel that the 'classic' lenses i use need less correction for digital purpose for they are less contrasty than the asph ones.
The modern lenses are so contrasty that i must set the black and white point settings to a very low level to avoid blown highlights.
It is not difficult at all but 'classic' lenses need less correction from this standpoint.
Vignetting is not significantly different and proves easy to adjust with the Epson raw converter or Photoshop.

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by lct

From my experience with the R-D1 i feel that the 'classic' lenses i use need less correction for digital purpose for they are less contrasty than the asph ones.
The modern lenses are so contrasty that i must set the black and white point settings to a very low level to avoid blown highlights.
It is not difficult at all but 'classic' lenses need less correction from this standpoint.
Vignetting is not significantly different and proves easy to adjust with the Epson raw converter or Photoshop.

Yes, Sean Reid specifically refers to this issue in his review of wide-angles for the RD-1.

[rosuna]

Leica and the digital technology...

Photokina 1996: the new R8 is presented. It is ready for use with a digital module.

1998: the S1 studio camera is presented, with a CCD and mount for R and M lenses (and others).

June of 2003: the digital modul R project is presented (with computer-designed mock-ups).

February of 2004: Epson presents at the PMA the R-D1 prototype.

February of 2004: Leica presents a bond-based loan for financing the DMR and M Digital projects. They acknowledge the M Digital development.

November of 2004: the DMR is delayed until June of 2005.

November of 2004: Epson ships the R-D1 camera.

Therefore, Leica thinks on digital medium from the second half of the 90's. I am not sure about the "digital tweaks" introduced in the design of the lenses, and from which date...

[lct]

Originally Posted by rosuna

...I am not sure about the "digital tweaks" introduced in the design of the lenses...

Neither am I.
I can't imagine Leica reducing lens contrast to fit the dynamic range of current digital sensors.