Opinions on 28mm

[Clandrel]

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What are your opinions on 28mm Summicron on M9?

 

Best

 

C

[alexg2]

28 elmarit asph is very good for me.

[cldp]

It's my favorite lens. I own five other lenses but the 28 'cron is the one I always start with.

[innerimager]

Despite some reports of technical problems on the M9, all I ever get are beautifully rendered images that retain the signature of the 28 cron, which combines great sharpness from F2 with a lower contrast than most asph lenses, (much lower than the 28/2.8 asph) and a gorgeous bokeh. It's small size (especially without it's too large hood, there are several workable smaller alternatives, even no hood a la Jono) is a big plus. Great combo....Peter

[Shade]

I'd prefer the 35mm over 28mm. I find the 28mm abit too wide for day-to-day usage, and a deeper dof. With a 35 I can have more control on dof, and take a few steps back if I wanna go wider.

 

[sm23221]

Terrific lens with outstanding resolution even at f/2. It's light and compact. On occasion the front part of the lens may become loose but this is easily fixed by tightening a few small screws (that's my experience).

[vertekijker]

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On the M9 it is my 'stay on' lens - on the M8 that was the 24mm. I own the chrome version which has the same weight as the black version.

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Frans

[lars_bergquist]

The lens itself is probably destined to be a classic. My problem is with the angle of view. I did never get anything very useful out of it, while 35mm is my standard, and 24/25 is my most used true wide angle. All this is of course personal, as are all choices of focal lengths. 28 and 75mm were my standbys with the M8, as they corresponded to 36 and 100mm, but now I'm back to 24x36 it's 35 and 90 (but 105mm would have been even better).

 

The old man from the Age of the Berg-Elmar

[JWW]

I just sold my 28mm Summicron. It's a superb lens and was my standard on the M8 but with the M9 I was using the 35mm much more. If you like the FOV it's a great lens but having both a 28 and 35, in my case, was too close.

[chris_tribble]

28 cron asph / 50 lux asph / 90 cron asph. In my opinion they don't get much better, and teamed together you can cover pretty well anything from documentary to landscape. Where these lenses aren't sufficient for the job in hand, you're probably going to need an SLR + long telephotos. Agreed there are nuanced differences between 28/24/21 - but out of three or four thousand images taken in the last month or two, I've used the 21 no more than a couple of dozen times. Good to have, but not essential. 24? On the M9 I don't feel the need even though it's a good lens by all reports.

 

Odd lenses out? 35 - I have the mk IV cron and love it - but it's mostly used as a single lens walk about system. 135 Apo Telyt. Similarly - a lovely lens IMHO and fine to focus on the M9 - but I keep it mainly when I'm trekking when it's magic to be able to pair something so long but so compact and light with the 28 cron asph.

 

Vignetting? Red corner on the M9? Maybe for some - but never a problem for me.

 

Get one. Enjoy.

[Mauribix]

The 28cron on the M9 is back in Heaven.

That same lens was too penalized by the crop factor of the M8 IMHO.

I don't even dare talk about its optical qualities: fingerprint, colors, corners and vignetting may simply blow you away.

[Mauribix]

BTW, red corner on the M9 with the new firmware seems to be no more an issue.

[Scott Root]

The front of my 28 Summicron Asph is now loose for a second time. I sent it in the first time to get tightened for which Leica did not charge. Can a person tighten it themself, or does it require calibration in that process warranting a trip to New Jersey?

 

 

Terrific lens with outstanding resolution even at f/2. It's light and compact. On occasion the front part of the lens may become loose but this is easily fixed by tightening a few small screws (that's my experience).

[adli]

The lens itself is probably destined to be a classic. My problem is with the angle of view. I did never get anything very useful out of it, while 35mm is my standard, and 24/25 is my most used true wide angle. All this is of course personal, as are all choices of focal lengths. 28 and 75mm were my standbys with the M8, as they corresponded to 36 and 100mm, but now I'm back to 24x36 it's 35 and 90 (but 105mm would have been even better).

 

The old man from the Age of the Berg-Elmar

 

I also find the 24mm more useful on the M9. Interestingly enough, I used 28 and 75mm a lot on the M8, but on the M9 I use 35 and 75mm, not 90. The 28, I haven't touch since I got the M9.

[mat_mcdermott]

The front of my 28 Summicron Asph is now loose for a second time. I sent it in the first time to get tightened for which Leica did not charge. Can a person tighten it themself, or does it require calibration in that process warranting a trip to New Jersey?

 

You can do it yourself. Mine was loose and I sent it for repair, but it just loosens back up again. One minute every so often as soon as you notice it loose does the job. Make sure the screwdriver is well seated in the screw before turning or you'll strip the paint from the screw. When it's that small it's easy to do. I know from experience unfortunately.

[Per P.]

On the M8, which I bought last year as my first ever rangefinder, I was using 28, 50 and 90. This worked very well for my general and travel photography.

 

While waiting for the M9 I decided to go for something wider so bought a 21mm. Maybe a little hasty, but that's me.

 

As soon as I started using the M9 I found the 28 too wide so a 35 is on its way. I am in two minds whether to swap the 21 and 28 for a 24, or whether to keep them.

 

If anyone is interested in my Elmarit 28 Asph in tip-top condition then pm me.

 

Per.

[jaapv]

Which 24 are you looking at, Per? You cannot go wrong with any of them, I think.

[Per P.]

I'm happy to stay at the Elmarit Asph level. Jaap I sent you a PM with more detail.

 

Per.

[SJP]

Can't comment on the M9 as I am happy with the M8 but the 28/2 summicron ASPH is IMHO one of the best lenses made by Leica. It also works fine (and a lot wider) on my M2.

 

There are no 2nd hand 28/2 summicron ASPH lenses that I can find - maybe once in a blue moon. So the opinion had been decided by common consent.

 

qed

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[xtoph]

You can do it yourself. Mine was loose and I sent it for repair, but it just loosens back up again. One minute every so often as soon as you notice it loose does the job.

 

it was useful to hear that i am not the only one who has experienced this. i finally went and bought a tiny screwdriver, and carefully tightened down all the screws on the front barrel and on the aperture ring, and now my lens not only doesn't rattle, but no longer binds during focus from the slightest touch on the front half of the lens. it has done that from the day i got it new in box, which i assumed was a design problem--apparently not, if the screws are properly installed. guess i will have to bring the screwdriver with me everywhere i travel, now...

 

if there's anyone out there with experience doing service and/or calibration on these lenses, who can confirm that there's no affect on lens performance from the screws loosening up and being tightened down repeatedly, i'd love to hear about it.