M9 plus Elmarit 28 2.8 ASPH -- anyone?

[andalus]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I just ordered the 28 Elmarit from B&H and am going to give it a try...and maybe sell my 24 Elmar, cause I miss the framelines and don't want to buy a viewer, and the Elmarit is faster.

 

Anyone using the 28 Elmarit ASPH and can anyone compare the performance of the 28 with the 24, aside the wider angle of view.

 

I thought about the Summicron but it's tgwice the cost, for one thing, and also by 50 Lux is my main lens on the M9.

 

Note that the 28 is the smallest of all the M lenses currently.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Mimaki]

Its a great lens, Im using it on an M9 with a 50 lux asph, it does have a slight amount of red edge.

[andalus]

more red edge than the 29 Summicron?

[andalus]

Just a quick but serious note. I hardly wanted to shell out more money for another lens, tho I may sell the 24 Elmar. But I am beginning to wonder that Leicaphiles ought not to fret much about spending savings on such fine gear now, despite the price increase this year. Why? Because I am a deep and thorough student of the economy and the Fed and the precarious situation this $ is in. I am thinking that in the next three years or so we could well have a severe devaluation in the buck, either via high inflation or a funding crisis/dollar crisis. In other words, the debts the US is racking up are going to lead to another crash, and FIAT paper currency may be ultimately doomed. Doomed against what, you may ask? I would say fine goods like Leica gear perhaps, and maybe for sure PM's like gold and silver. Most Americans don't have a clue, and have never even seen, much less held a gold 1oz Canadian Maple or a US Gold Eagle, or a Krugerrand, etc. We've all been brainwashed in recent decades into think green paper has long term value, though decades ago it really did, because it was convertible to gold, backed by gold, and even the coinage WAS part gold and/or silver. Debasement has been ongoing. Consider that the Fed was created in 1913. Since then the dollar has lost over 95 percent of its purchasing power!

[lct]

The euro is dropping and the Greek crisis will not help it to raise up in the near future IMHO.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Without getting in gold-buggery, I would agree that it is never a good idea to sell a Leica lens, and the new 24/3.4 Elmar is a fine lens, praised by Erwin Puts as one of his favorites. Its value can only increase.

 

I have both the 28 Elmarit and Summicron. The Elmarit is very compact, contrasty and sharp across the entire M9 field when stopped down to f/4.0 or more, and a great travel lens. The Summicron, while less contrasty, is a better lens overall and faster. Some prefer its "look." With its standard lens hood, it is noticeably larger.

 

scott

[delander †]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Just a quick but serious note. I hardly wanted to shell out more money for another lens, tho I may sell the 24 Elmar. But I am beginning to wonder that Leicaphiles ought not to fret much about spending savings on such fine gear now, despite the price increase this year. Why? Because I am a deep and thorough student of the economy and the Fed and the precarious situation this $ is in. I am thinking that in the next three years or so we could well have a severe devaluation in the buck, either via high inflation or a funding crisis/dollar crisis. In other words, the debts the US is racking up are going to lead to another crash, and FIAT paper currency may be ultimately doomed. Doomed against what, you may ask? I would say fine goods like Leica gear perhaps, and maybe for sure PM's like gold and silver. Most Americans don't have a clue, and have never even seen, much less held a gold 1oz Canadian Maple or a US Gold Eagle, or a Krugerrand, etc. We've all been brainwashed in recent decades into think green paper has long term value, though decades ago it really did, because it was convertible to gold, backed by gold, and even the coinage WAS part gold and/or silver. Debasement has been ongoing. Consider that the Fed was created in 1913. Since then the dollar has lost over 95 percent of its purchasing power!

 

It is the same all over the world right now, look at the Euro and the British pound and the sovereign debt that every country is in. I'm not sure that the dollar will collapse against the euro.

 

It maybe that Leica stuff holds its value well and when Leica introduced the M8 existing owners of Leica lenses were able to profit from the consequential rise in Leica lens prices. But buying new now is different although it is true that Leica keeps hiking the prices.

I have both the elmarit and summicron 28, the elmarit came first. I dont notice any differences in the images they produce. My photographic skill level is a much bigger factor. If you feel that a Leica lens will hold its value better than money, taking into account selling costs and you have the cash then get the summicron, otherwise the elmarit. Of course you can pay the rent or mortgage with a Leica lens.

 

Jeff

[Ecar]

I also have both the Elmarit and the Cron.

The Elmarit was the first lens I bought along with my M8, and likely the most used one (like many others, I now prefer 35mm with the M9). It is smaller and easier to handle than the Cron - particularly so with the respective hoods mounted. Perfect lens for travel and street work if you don't need f/2.0.

Make sure you like its rendering: it has high contrast, which may not be to your liking.

[Shootist]

Its a great lens, Im using it on an M9 with a 50 lux asph, it does have a slight amount of red edge.

 

The red edge is a M9/sensor problem that happens with ALL wide angle lenses.

[lct]

The red edge is a M9/sensor problem that happens with ALL wide angle lenses.

Really? I did not realize that.

[gpleica]

I have both of these lenses and I use the 28 a lot, though,aa as someone else noted, the 35 is my favorite lens on the m9. Note, though, that it is very difficult to see the entire frame of the 28 in the viewfinder. It is very tight. So you end up just sensing that everything you see you'll get. As for the 24, you absolutely need the accessory viewfinder or you chimp your way to framing the scene.

 

This is the first thing I've typed on my new IPad....it's a whole new world in terms of web access. No a more thumbing a message off an iPhone.

 

Geoffrey

Milford pa

[tim_n]

Has anyone else observed cyan corners with Elmarit 28 ASPH on the M9 when coded with the new firmware (1.116)? I seem to be getting this at ISO 160 and 400. I am wondering whether it is just my particular lens/camera or a general issue. Perhaps the new firmware overcorrects the red edges? With my camera and lens, seems to be strongest on right side.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Has anyone else observed cyan corners with Elmarit 28 ASPH on the M9 when coded with the new firmware (1.116)? I seem to be getting this at ISO 160 and 400. I am wondering whether it is just my particular lens/camera or a general issue. Perhaps the new firmware overcorrects the red edges? With my camera and lens, seems to be strongest on right side.

 

The corrections have to work for all kinds of light, and the effect is strongest with warm light. What sort of light do you observe this with? So far, the corrections for the 28/2.8-asph are working for me. (But I have not constructed a worst case and gone looking for it.)

 

scott

[tim_n]

I've noticed the cyan corners in both cloudy and bright sunlight. If I take the RGB sample tool in Photoshop or Lightroom and run across a uniform blue sky or a white background, the R content drops at the corners. This is why I suspected that there was over-correction in these images. I haven't tested systematically with differing illumination and targets, however. Just anecdotal at this point, and maybe just my particular camera and lens.

[Guest]

... I have both the 28 Elmarit and Summicron. The Elmarit is very compact, contrasty and sharp across the entire M9 field when stopped down to f/4.0 or more, and a great travel lens. The Summicron, while less contrasty, is a better lens overall and faster. Some prefer its "look." With its standard lens hood, it is noticeably larger.

 

scott

That is also exactly my experience. Have the 2.8A for over 2 years now on my M8 and happened to get a 2.0 at the beginning of this year.

Since then the Cron is the standard and I very occasionally use the Elmarit, when I think I might need compact, which is practically never the case.

Instead of using the the ElmaritA at all times, taking out the Cron only when I think I need 2.0, which was the original idea.

 

Very true, the hood on the Cron is quite a tent, but I never ever questioned lens hoods and protection filters, so also the UV/IR is part of the lens for me, as a UV on film.

 

The last generation lens hoods on the 1.4/24mm, that I own and on the Elmar 24mm that I saw are much prettier, but imo they're a step back from Canon's good idea of a plastic hood, that comes off as a shock absorber in case of a mishap. Come to think of it, Leica pioneered that, but not in plastic . Thinking of the various good old 50mm+35mm lens hoods on the preA lenses, that were probably the first snap-ons.

 

Got a feeling that the 2.8/28A will go this year and the 24mm stays on the M6TTL 0.58 for a long time.

 

Cheers!

[lct]

...The last generation lens hoods on the 1.4/24mm, that I own and on the Elmar 24mm that I saw are much prettier, but imo they're a step back from Canon's good idea of a plastic hood, that comes off as a shock absorber in case of a mishap. Come to think of it, Leica pioneered that, but not in plastic...

Some clip-on hoods for the Summicron 50/2 and 35/2 were in plastic in the seventees and are still so for the current 35/2 and 28/2.8 as you know.

[Fotomiguel]

I also have this lens. It's just perfect: very small and sharp. Not too expensive and very nice, especilly for landscapes. Lately I like to go (for street photography) with the M9 with the 50 cron and the 28 with a extra batterie in the pocket. No bag! I almost just use the 50mm but its very nice to have the 28mm in the pocket. (just in case)

[Guest]

Some clip-on hoods for the Summicron 50/2 and 35/2 were in plastic in the seventees and are still so for the current 35/2 and 28/2.8 as you know.

 

If I used a Elmarit 21mm on a M8 I'd be UNhappy that the (narrower) lens-hood of the 28Cron does not fit on the 21mm Elmarit.

 

Did something similar in my Canon days and was lucky it worked (after endless experimenting), putting the lens hood designed for the 1.4/24mmMkI on my lens 4/17-40mm without vignetting when used on a 1D body.

 

So the 21mm users (who were right to crave for an M9) could have the smaller tent of a lens hood when using the M8. Doesn't work though, same filter size but different outer diameter for attaching the hood.

 

THANK YOU MIGUEL! You are perfectly right: I shall really consider at length before selling my 2.8/28A. It is a jewel with it's tiny (plastic) hood and a very fine lens. But having two 28mm lenses and a tri (=28-35-50) is something I'm not proud of.

Again: it is better to patiently wait for a good concept to form in one's mind (while shooting-shooting), than to experience a bit of bitterness after having sold a very good lens. In order not to see the drawer fill and the wallet empty, I think I have enough gear. The more time to organize the less I shoot.

 

Cheers!

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M