Tony C. Posted January 2, 2007 Share #1 Posted January 2, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) OK, I've made a good deal of progress over the past few days, thanks in large part to the helpful suggestions and insights which many of you have offered in response to my previous queries. I have a black M8 on order, and it is supposed to arrive within two weeks (I know– I'm not holding my breath). I've also secured an older version of the Noctilux, thereby avoiding the built-in lens hood which I really don't want. So, it's time to refine my decision on a second lens, which leads to the current question: which of the 28mm lenses should I opt for? I don't mind spending the extra money on the 2.0 ASPH, but would like to hear the opinion of those who have compared it with other 28mm lenses. Are there, for example, any advantages other than speed? Any disadvantages? I'd also be happy to listen to those who might recommend a 24mm over a 28mm. Thanks in advance, and a happy new year to all! Tony C. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 2, 2007 Posted January 2, 2007 Hi Tony C., Take a look here 28mm 2.0 ASPH or 2.8 for M8?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest Olof Posted January 2, 2007 Share #2 Posted January 2, 2007 The 2.0 28mm is the best lens Leica has at the moment, ist quality is even better than the quality of the 2.0 50mm (which was of centurys the best Lens in the word). I would go for 2.0. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macusque Posted January 2, 2007 Share #3 Posted January 2, 2007 I can't comment on the new 28/2.8 Asph, but I just bought a used 28 Summicron asph and it is just amazing. Excellent sharpness corner to corner even at f/2 (!), nice bokeh and low distortion. I have still to make a "scientific" comparison between my old 28/2.8 (latest version pre-asph), but while the Elmarit is great, it seems so far that the Summicron is even better. And of course 1 stop faster As for the 24, I'm selling mine because although it is amazingly sharp (only slightly worse than the 28 Summicron), I prefer the 28mm focal lenght on the M8 and I like the cleaner view of the 28/90 framelines more than the "crowded" view of the 24/35 ones. I'm also buying the 1.25x magnifier which Guy said to be usable with the 28mm framelines, but obviously not with the 24 framelines. Anything wider than 24 would need an external finder anyway, so if you skip the 24 you can keep always on the 1.25x (of great help with the Noctilux or with longer lenses) and the external finder for a wider lens (21 or 15 CV for example). Btw Tony, as you I opted for an older Noctilux but I just sold it and bought a 50 Summilux asph. The Noctilux has a slightly creamer look, although sometimes its bokeh is odd... but overall I don't miss it, as I prefer the compactness, fast focus and higher sharpness of the new 50 asph. f/1.4 with the M8 is also fast enough for my taste. The only thing I need to investigate more is the Summilux bokeh, which is very pleasing behind the subject but not so much in front of it. In other words, great background and less great foreground. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted January 2, 2007 Share #4 Posted January 2, 2007 I can't comment on the new 28/2.8 Asph, but I just bought a used 28 Summicron asph and it is just amazing. Excellent sharpness corner to corner even at f/2 (!), nice bokeh and low distortion. I have still to make a "scientific" comparison between my old 28/2.8 (latest version pre-asph), but while the Elmarit is great, it seems so far that the Summicron is even better. And of course 1 stop faster As for the 24, I'm selling mine because although it is amazingly sharp (only slightly worse than the 28 Summicron), I prefer the 28mm focal lenght on the M8 and I like the cleaner view of the 28/90 framelines more than the "crowded" view of the 24/35 ones. I'm also buying the 1.25x magnifier which Guy said to be usable with the 28mm framelines, but obviously not with the 24 framelines. Anything wider than 24 would need an external finder anyway, so if you skip the 24 you can keep always on the 1.25x (of great help with the Noctilux or with longer lenses) and the external finder for a wider lens (21 or 15 CV for example). Btw Tony, as you I opted for an older Noctilux but I just sold it and bought a 50 Summilux asph. The Noctilux has a slightly creamer look, although sometimes its bokeh is odd... but overall I don't miss it, as I prefer the compactness, fast focus and higher sharpness of the new 50 asph. f/1.4 with the M8 is also fast enough for my taste. The only thing I need to investigate more is the Summilux bokeh, which is very pleasing behind the subject but not so much in front of it. In other words, great background and less great foreground. Want to add something here after having the M8 for a little bit. i also am new to the M line so i hold no favorites in my heart as they say, so for the newbie in me on this system. After having a slew of the M lenses , I bought more than i should have but anyway to me the 28mm focal length is the lens on the body all the time. i use it as the body cap. Now i bought the F2 version simply because if this is the go too lens than i wanted to be fast for any spur of the moment shots. Now The 28 -90 frame lines is certainly the cleanest of the three and also with the 1.25 without eye glasses i can clearly see and work with the 28mm. The 24mm i had to look around to find the frame lines and was a little uncomfortable. but from 28mm to 90 I can simply keep the magnifer on and work like this, I sold my 24mm also but i do have the 21mm which i can use 2 ways take the magnifer off and use the full frame and get a little extra or a external finder which i bought a Voightlanter 28mm external finder which is small and works very nicely than i could still keep the magnifer on and focus and than compose with the external. I like the the later setup better because i don't have to take the magnifer off. Also the F2 is a very very nice lens and has a nice look to it but i have not compared it to the 2.8 versions old or new. But this seems to be my modeof operation, the other body sports the 35 1.4 or 50 1.4 in the bag so if I needed something longer i have that option but most folks will have one body and the 28mm seems to be the one to work off of.Of course YMMV Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott kirkpatrick Posted January 2, 2007 Share #5 Posted January 2, 2007 I can't compare, since I have the 2.8 ASPH, and am currently checking it out on film, Don't have and am not likely to have the 2.0. But check out Sean Reid's 28mm article -- I'm not giving too much away if I say he liked the Elmarit's smaller size, had reservations about its bokeh, and posted lots of pictures from both. scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_mcdermott Posted January 2, 2007 Share #6 Posted January 2, 2007 I too have yet to receive my M8 (have been told Feb. or March) and bought the 2.0 in advance to replace my 35 Summicron as my normal lens. I'm 100% pleased with its performance so far on my M6 and can't wait to use it on the M8. The most stunning thing about this lens has got to be the sharpness across the whole image field; there seems to be little to no difference from the center to the corners. The only complaint I have with it is that the lens hood is gigantic and blocks a good bit of the viewfinder window. Replacing the standard 28/2.0 hood with the one for the 35 'Lux solved the problem for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyspedden Posted January 2, 2007 Share #7 Posted January 2, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I too have yet to receive my M8 (have been told Feb. or March) and bought the 2.0 in advance to replace my 35 Summicron as my normal lens. I'm 100% pleased with its performance so far on my M6 and can't wait to use it on the M8. The most stunning thing about this lens has got to be the sharpness across the whole image field; there seems to be little to no difference from the center to the corners. The only complaint I have with it is that the lens hood is gigantic and blocks a good bit of the viewfinder window. Replacing the standard 28/2.0 hood with the one for the 35 'Lux solved the problem for me. I can vouch for all the positives that have been said about the 28 cron. I have never used the 28 elmarit so I can't do a comparison. But like Guy, the 28 cron is the body cap for my M8 and I use it constantly. My day bag is now the 21 Asph, 28 cron, 50 lux and 75 cron. Not much to miss with this one. I find I don't use the 21 very often but for some landscape work it is a valuable addition. Woody Spedden Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted January 2, 2007 Share #8 Posted January 2, 2007 Woody pick up a little CV 15mm and you can even put it in the front pocket of the Oscar , that is how small it is Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 2, 2007 Share #9 Posted January 2, 2007 With the R-D1, the new Elmarit 28 looks a bit more contrasty than the Summicron with a slightly harsher bokeh and a better flare control. Definitely not a poor man's Leica 28 IMO. 28/2 at f/2.8: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2747-afterweb.jpg 28/2.8 at f/2.8: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2745-afterweb.jpg 28/2 at f/2.8: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2747_crop01web.jpg 28/2.8 at f/2.8: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2745_crop01web.jpg 28/2 at f/2.8: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2755web.jpg 28/2.8 at f/2.8: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2756web.jpg 28/2 at f/5.6: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2748-afterweb.jpg 28/2.8 at f/5.6: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2746-afterweb.jpg 28/2 at f/5.6: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2748_crop01web.jpg 28/2.8 at f/5.6: http://tinyurl.com/rv7w/EPSN2746_crop01web.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnkuo Posted January 2, 2007 Share #10 Posted January 2, 2007 Another vote here for the 28/2.0ASPH. One stop faster and excellent performance wide open. On another note, the 21/2.8ASPH was the first lens I put on the M8, and I was stunned by the resolution of some building pictures I took. The rendering of the texture is just fabulous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 2, 2007 Share #11 Posted January 2, 2007 I can't compare, since I have the 2.8 ASPH, and am currently checking it out on film, Don't have and am not likely to have the 2.0. But check out Sean Reid's 28mm article -- I'm not giving too much away if I say he liked the Elmarit's smaller size, had reservations about its bokeh, and posted lots of pictures from both. scott Yes, that very long article covers both of those lenses side-by-side on the M8. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmaersk Posted January 2, 2007 Share #12 Posted January 2, 2007 LCT, I love the photo of the lenses. What lens / camera did you take that with? Thanks! Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jager Posted January 2, 2007 Share #13 Posted January 2, 2007 I, too, am awaiting my M8. The 35 Lux ASPH spends most of the time on my M7, so in order to retain the same effective focal length I'm intending to pick up a 28 2.8 ASPH as soon as one becomes available. If cost were no object I'd spring for the 28 Cron, but I have this voice in the back of my head which keeps nattering on about the 50 Lux ASPH (which is utterly insane, given that I have a 50 Cron and a Noctilux!), so, yeah, I'm trying to be judicious with the 28. I'll also cast my vote that anyone thinking about the 28 focal length give Sean Reid's article a look. Very informative... Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat_mcdermott Posted January 3, 2007 Share #14 Posted January 3, 2007 I'll second (or third...) the notion that Sean's comparison of the various 28s that are available in M-mount was very informative. I was on the fence as to whether or not to go with the 2.8 or 2.0 (non-Leica lenses were out of the running for me, despite the quite impressive showing of them in his tests) and his comparisons pushed me in favor of the 'Cron ... That and Popflash had a coded one at almost $500 less than the going price. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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