Elmarit 28 mm 2.8 + M9 ?

[Laica]

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I am about to buy an Elmarit 28 mm 2.8 build around 1982 for my M9 in mint condition.

What are reasonable prices for this lens ?

and are there any experiences with this lens on the M9 by fellow forum members ?

 

much appreciated

[jaapv]

Yes an excellent lens with very good results, especially versions III and IV. I have a version III and am happy. I would put prices, depending on version and condition between 600 and 1000 Euro.

[borowiec]

I have the second version of this lens which I bought new in 1980 and I've been very happy with it. After setting it aside for over two decades when I switched to medium format, I used it as my principal lens on my M8 for almost a year. I borrowed the newest 28/2.8 ASPH from my local dealer and shot a comparison test and discovered, to my great surprise and joy, that my old lens was sharper than the current version at the f-stops that matter to me, i.e. at 5.6, 8, and 11. However, it was significantly softer in the corners when used wide open or at f 4.0. As I never shoot wide open, this wasn't a problem for me.

 

When I got my M9 I tested the lens again as I was worried that there might be softness in the corners that would show up on the full-size format, but in fact it's perfectly sharp at those medium f-stops even on the M9.

 

Andrew Borowiec

[adan]

I think the v.3 28mm (build 1979-1992) is the best 28 ever made for Leica M - sharp, with that Mandler richness of color and subtle contrast. Better corner performance than Andrew's v.2, which as he notes is soft.

 

It does have the drawback of also being the biggest 28 ever made for the Leica M, so it intrudes into the finder more than others. (It was designed and introduced when bodies did not include 28 framelines,and accesory finders were used for 28mm, so finder blockage was not a perceived issue).

 

It will require corrections for corner effects on a digital camera - either 6-bit coding or manual selection from the M9's menu. Even on the M8 it showed some cyan drift in the corners unless coded.

 

I haven't used one on an M9 yet - I've had other lens priorities - but imagine I'll have to get another eventually.

 

Prices have climbed since the M9 debut, unfortunately. I'd love to find one for $825 (€600) - but everything I've seen recently was $1100-$1500 (€850-1200). But maybe there are variations by country.

[jaapv]

Actually I bought a very nice V3 on this forum for 700 Euro iirc not too long ago

[Laica]

Thank you for your quick replies !

I have no experience in checking the quality of the lens by hand.

Guess checking all the apertures and using a lamp to look for scratches and fungus ?

I was also considering a 35 mm. But I think a 28 mm suits my 50 summi better.

[jbhthescots]

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I got this secondhand 28m Elmarit IV for just $650 locally on Craigslist - and this was my first shot with it.

 

Downtown Seattle Library - and with the innovative all-glass design, created by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus of the Dutch firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), on sunny days the lights and shadows cast inside can be spectacular.

 

Leica M9 + 28mm Elmarit IV


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[michael_b_elmer]

Laica, you are lucky to find this lens in mint condition. Study prices on the big dealers' websites. For a mint 6-bit coded 28 v3 a reasonable price would in Europe probably be 1000 - 1500 €, depending on the condition and whether the sunshade is included.

 

Without 6-bit coding, a mint 28 v3 would in Europe probably lie between 700 and 1000 €, and if you are buying from a dealer I would consider asking him to give me a price with 6-bit coding included and later delivery after the coding. That would have the advantage that the dealer must send the lens to Leica for coding and bear the costs for the CLA or repairs that Leica would make at the same time.

 

With regard to buying lenses, you can get a lot of info by using your nose to smell whether the "perfume" of the lens is normal and your eyes and a lamp to see through the lens to find optical errors. However, the best precaution will always be to buy from a reputable dealer.

 

Good luck with this lens - you will not regret buying it.

[russell]

I bought one of these v3 28mm Elmarits. On the M8 it's been great. Really some of the nicest rendering I've seen on the Leica.

But it's really a bit big (and slow) so it gets left at home more than I'd like.

[garygsandhu]

My v4 vignettes less at 2.8 than my cron asph at 2.8 on M9; otherwise cron is better

[viooh]

I'm another happy owner of a V3, which I had a chance to buy at a reasonable price (<700 €). It works fine on the M9, but corners stay somewhat soft unless the lens is stopped down a bit - which suits me fine, as I'm not using it wide open. Wide open, there's also visible vignetting with the M9. There is always room for improvement, and I guess V4 and asph are better in this regard - hearsay, I can't try for myself.

 

In my experience, there are no red corner issues with V3 as long as the manual lens selection is at the correct setting for this lens, or the lens is coded.