Buying a 28mm summicron

[Nick De Marco]

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Yesterday I bought the most expensive lens I have bought in my life, a 28mm Summicron-M Aspherical. It was mint used, latest version, but still cost - I am ashamed to say - just short of £2k.

 

I still feel somewhat ashamed buying such an expensive lens, and have promised myself after what has been a binge of rangefinder connected buying, including picking up a lovely used M8.2 very recently, that this is now it. I have a New Year's Resolution

 

I will probably sell the Zeiss Biogon 28 and old Ultron 1.9 s8, as well as some other gear, to make me feel I repented a bit, in the new year too.

 

I find it hard to justify spending so much money on a lens, but I have to admit I love the lens very much. I have been shooting at f2 a lot already on the M8, and did some black and white film photography today in the snow, just developed the negs... The lens is wonderous. And I can tell myself that if I ever decide I want, or have, to sell it, it will hold a lot of value.

 

I am a big believer that it is not the equipment that matters, but the eye of the photographer, but that doesn't mean that there is equipment that compliments even more beautifully your shooting style than what you may have used before. I also think many of us, on these fora, obsess far too much about equipment and far too little about the important part, the photos taken with it.

 

But there is still no denying that the 28/2 summicron is one of the most fantastic tools a rangefinder photographer, who prefers shooting medium wide, can dream of. As guilty as it makes me feel, I can't regret it.

 

I shall put the lens to good use, I have no doubt. It will be a regular feature of my Rangefinder Chronicles, and the projects I am planning in 2011. And if anyone decides they can afford it, and can put up with the guilt. I cannot recommend the lens enough.

 

I'm sorry for the self-indulgent GAS post. It's carthatic for me at least. But having had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Leica culture - loving the equipment (or much of it) but hating its fetishism above the photography it can produce - I have to accept I have finally succumbed to the conclusion that some of those lenses really are worth the hype.

[carstenw]

Congratulations on the 28 Cron, and don't feel guilty about it in the least: it is a tool, but one of the best. I own one myself, great lens. At the time I bought it, I felt that any other choice would have implied some measure of compromise, and decided to extend a bank loan to cover the difference. Very worth it! Do you have a 50 Lux ASPH to counter-balance it?

[Nick De Marco]

Thanks Carsten

I don't have the lux aspherical - the 28/2 is the only aspherical I have

But I do have a version 4 50 summicron-M which I find perfect, and a pre-aspherical 1st versions 50 lux, which is good for when you want that very luxy old look

[Ecaton]

Congratulations, great choice. Sure, it costs a lot, but will last for a lifetime and keep its value if not even appreciate. So no reason to regret the purchase.

[farnz]

Congratulations, Nick. I've had a love affair with this lens for the past 3 years and it would be the last lens to leave my possession after the 50 Summilux asph. I was completely smitten at first sight by its exquisite micro-contrast and subtle edge transition and continue to be.

 

Pete.

[Jeff S]

... it would be the last lens to leave my possession after the 50 Summilux asph.

 

Ditto.

 

Better get out that wallet again, Nick.

 

Jeff

[egrossman]

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Does anyone have a B+W UV filter recommendation for the Summicron? The thin filters apparently don't come in 46mm diameter and I'm concerned the standard F-Pro model isn't compatible with wide lenses such as this. It's an expensive lens and I'd rather protect the front element than not!

 

Thanks.

[Jeff S]

Does anyone have a B+W UV filter recommendation for the Summicron? The thin filters apparently don't come in 46mm diameter and I'm concerned the standard F-Pro model isn't compatible with wide lenses such as this. It's an expensive lens and I'd rather protect the front element than not!

 

Thanks.

 

Seems like a lot of options here...B&W 46 UV But, unless you're using an M8 (requiring UV/IR), the hood would seem to offer sufficient protection. I never remove my 35 Summilux asph hood (earlier version) on this lens (more compact than the original 28 Summicron hood).

 

Jeff

[egrossman]

Thanks Jeff. I've been told by others on this forum that the 28mm flares so little that the hood is a little redundant except in the most extreme situations. It would be nice to able to use the lens without the hood but protect the element. I've also been told that the standard F-Pro filter is too thick to be compatible with wide angle lenses like the 28mm which is why I haven't bought one yet.

[Jeff S]

I'd rather have the hood for better protection and not introduce another glass surface into the equation...and increase chance for flare in certain circumstances. Besides, I never think about the hood anymore; it's just there. To each his/her own.

 

Jeff

[FrozenInTime]

Only thing to beware of with the 28mm rectangular hood is that, if knocked about, it can put enough rotational force of the lens to turn and loosen the front assembly.

 

There is a replacement round hood #12466 that mitigates this, but at almost $400 it's not an easy call.

 

[Marty]

Congratulations on the 2/28 ASPH. Wow you really make it sound like it is a bad thing

 

But it begs the question why you did not choose the 2.8/28 ASPH instead. One little stop and a whole lot of money less for what is also a brilliant 28mm optic. If the speed is that important, you are in for a difficult time and more repenting if and when a 1.4/28 ASPH comes out one day

[marknorton]

The Summicron is somewhat different from the Elmarit in the way it draws. The Elmarit is a high contrast lens which is much more up-front in its presentation. I have both and prefer the Summicron though the Elmarit provides a handy more compact package on the M9.

 

As for hoods, the original Leica Summicron hood is not great and dates from a time when they could not make up their mind how hoods should be designed and the claws of the metal hoods wreak havoc with the barrel anodising.

 

I use a 46mm screw-in hood from Heavystar on ebay. These are only painted, not anodised but they are inexpensive so I regard them as disposable (via recycling of course).

[250swb]

Well done Nick, a great buy.

 

Don't grip the lens hood when mounting/dismounting the lens. I rarely use lens caps and find the ordinary B&W MRC filters work without causing vignetting, so I doubt any special thin filter is really needed. And I think the hood works fine, its quicker and easier to snap on and off than a threaded hood and does its job, but I agree it is barely needed because the lens is so resistent to flare.

 

Steve

[Falstaff]

Congratulations, you've got a lovely lens, wouldn't part with mine at all. I use a B&W filter without any issues (M7 & M9).

The hood is bulky although I believe the 35 Lux hood fits it and is much less intrusive. Others might be able to comment on this.

Falstaff

[Nick De Marco]

Thanks for making me feel better guys

I use a 46mm b&w IR cut hood, I already got for other lenses, for the M8, works fine.

I did not consider the 28 elmarit because I used to have it when I had the M8 before - it's a fine lens, and I loved the small size, but I already had the Biogon 28/2.8 which I think is as god performance wise. And what I felt I really wanted, with the M8, was an exra useable stop. Seeing as I have found f2 is very useable on the 28/cron and I have never liked shooting the M8 at high iso, this really makes a big difference to me

[ArtZ]

Nick,

 

The Summicron 28 ASPH is a wonderful lens (especially on the M8 because the crop factor).

 

I like the hood.

 

The only two things you should know about this lens:

 

1.- ALWAYS insert and remove the lens holding it close to the bayonet. NEVER inser and remove this lens holding it by the hood. The front part of this lens comes apart very easily. I had to send mine three times to Solms for this problem (even if I've never inserted or removed holding it by the hood). Some other people here have reported the same problem. It's probably the weakest point of this lens.

 

2.- Check focus at 0.7m and f/2. Yes, I know, it's not very common to use a 28mm lens at 0.7m but if focus is not correct at this distance, you will see that at other distance (in particular at infinite) the lens is not as sharp as it should be. Leica also fixed that.

 

I was a bit disappointed when I bought the lens because the lens was amazing at 2-7m but from 10m to infinite images were not so sharp. I called Leica and a technician asked me to check focus @ 0.7. When I informed him I had about 1 cm front focus @ f/2, Leica picked up the lens at my home. Now, I have about 1cm front focus @ 0.7 and f/2.4 but the lens is incredibly sharp at all distances.

 

Well, now... enjoy your new toy! Merry Christmas.

[freusen]

The hood is bulky although I believe the 35 Lux hood fits it and is much less intrusive. Others might be able to comment on this.

Falstaff

 

I use the 35mm Summilux hood on my 28mm Summicron without any problem of vignetting.

 

FrankR

[Jeff S]

Others might be able to comment on this.

 

Post #8.

 

Jeff

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Hallo,

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[cbretteville]

I use the 35mm Summilux hood on my 28mm Summicron without any problem of vignetting.

 

FrankR

 

+1

 

Enjoy the lens Nick! It is just fantastic .

Carl