Leica 28mm Summilux Asph shots

[mmradman]

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thanks Jono

 

yes it's hard to say in small size, I was wondering if I change some day my 24 Summilux for that 28 but now I don't know what to do :-)

 

Not much until 28Lux hits retail, enjoy 24!

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[dave.gt]

Jono, it has been a long time since we last talked. What a wonderful way to revisit with you and thank you for sharing these wonderful images. Just recently, I discovered how well the 28mm pov works on my M3 so I published a private photo essay on solace and solitude.

 

Dare I say that this lens is amazing and your skills show me the possible future for a lens! You are a blessed man to enjoy this sort of thing and share with us!!!

[jedi996sps]

Hi Jono - Hope you and the chicken are well. I too sold my 28cron a while back, partly to fund the purchase of the M240. I had better get in the que for the 28lux.... although i did notice that you did not mention the footprint of the lens as someone earlier had inquired after?

[sarav]

mmmh! I don't know....super sharpness, super colors....but to me bokeh is more important than razor sharpness and, from these two shots, I don't see a nice bokeh.

 

Sara

[otto.f]

I see an unknown nice bokeh for a 28

[airtime]

BTW: Does someone know, how many elements/groups this thing has? Has someone seen a picture of the lens scheme so far? Just curious

[stephen.w]

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You said that you focussed with live view -- how did you find the viewfinder blockage?

 

p.s. The gorgeous light and colours from that first shot cried out to me, even from the thumbnail.

[rscheffler]

The look of the chicken in the first image seems appropriate... as I scrolled down the page, I just happened to be eating a chicken thigh.

 

I'm also curious about the filter size. It's something I forgot to note when I saw the lens at PPE in NYC last October. For daylight use, it would seem an ND filter is mandatory if wanting to shoot wide open. But if it's another 'Series' type filter, like the 21 and 24 Luxes, it just means it will be that much more inconvenient to source one.

 

The Leica rep I had the 'pleasure' dealing with at PPE was extremely reluctant to even let me touch the lens 'because it's part of an extremely expensive limited edition set' like I was some snotty nosed school child with sticky fingers about to defile it. This somewhat distracted me from concentrating on the lens; feeling rushed to hand it back. I wasn't even allowed to put it on my camera... maybe it was a prototype and not suitable for critical evaluation, but that wasn't indicated to me... just that it was expensive and putting it on my camera might somehow ruin it. Therefore couldn't check the degree of viewfinder blockage.

 

Anyway, I own a 21 Lux and had it there with me. The 28 Lux was difficult to compare in respect to weight because the special edition version is made of stainless steel and is quite dense/heavy. The two (and 24 Lux) share obvious design similarities, and in one respect, I'm not a fan of how close together and similar the focus and aperture rings are. With gloves on, or even just by feel, it's too easy to accidentally move the wrong ring. I've added the Leica Goodies 'Steer' accessory to my 21's focusing ring, which helps a lot. I wonder if this has been a problem for Jono? As a 28 Cron owner, I'm very happy with the lens and especially appreciate the focus ring tab for presetting focus distance by feel and likely would miss it on the Lux.

[jonoslack]

Jono, all images are very nice, even at web resolution lens looks like a new Leica star.

Is there any NDA in place preventing you speaking more or these were shot with free range version of the lens (not chicken).

As a minimum could you describe lens design; size, lens hood and filter size. Of course your view on lens performance would be real music to many ears here.

 

HI There . . . I'm not quite sure what I'm allowed to say and what I'm not allowed to say! Here's some things which should be okay, but it's worth pointing out that my lens is based on the lens in the 100 year edition and the series lens may vary when, and if it is released.

 

With the hood mounted the lens blocks about 20% of the viewfinder (perhaps a little less). Certainly less than the 24 'lux. The lens has a 49mm filter thread. The lens is notably larger than the 35mm FLE, but also notably smaller than the 24 'lux - I think one must expect a bit of bulk with a well corrected fast 28.

 

I'm really pleased with the image quality (and the bokeh) - worth mentioning that the chicken pictures were taken with a winter hedge behind them - enough to induce a bit of 'nervousness' in most subjects - I'll do my best to make some better examples over the next week or so.

 

I feel that the character of the lens is more like the 35 FLE and the 24 'lux rather than the 28 'cron (which, contrary to the opinion of the world I was never totally convinced by).

 

All the best

[algrove]

Jono

As usual, lovely images from you even if it is from chickens to Euro ski slopes.

 

Just wonder if you can comment on the difference between the 28/1.4 and the 21/1.4 other than size since I mostly want to hear about rendition.TIA.

[jonoslack]

Jono

As usual, lovely images from you even if it is from chickens to Euro ski slopes.

 

Just wonder if you can comment on the difference between the 28/1.4 and the 21/1.4 other than size since I mostly want to hear about rendition.TIA.

 

Hi there Lou

thanks for the kind words - sorry about the glib subjects!

 

I've never had the 21 f1.4 (I've never even touched one) so I can't comment there, I did have the 24 'lux for some time though - my feeling is that they are (together with the 35 FLE) in the same family, and that the rendering is fairly similar.

 

I'm going to try and post some more pictures over the next week or so, but the weather here is universally flat and grey right now, and it's hard to make anything nice under such conditions!.

 

In the meantime here's another alpine shot - tricky lighting and pretty much no modifications.

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[jonoslack]

Here's one indoors at F1.4

 

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Matty thinks 0.7m is too close

Edited March 19, 2015 by jonoslack

[chrism]

It's always true: Jono disappears from the forums for a while and then comes back and reports on the new goodies he's been playing with! Lucky so and so - and intriguing photos.

 

Chris

[Rick]

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Hi Jono,

 

I don't own any chickens. But, I sure will consider this lens if I get any. This lens seems like the perfect lens for wide open (bokeh) bum shots of chickens. Well done. I bet Leica sells a bunch of these lenses.

 

Rick

 

p.s. I love your dog Matty.

[IkarusJohn]

Maybe the lens comes with chickens.

[Doc Henry]

Jono, have you tried this lens with a new M-A or another analog M ?

Thanks

Best

Henry

[Manoleica]

Maybe the lens comes with chickens.

 

It's no yoke you egging him on

[Rick]

Jono,

How does this lens do with other barn animals? Would you recommend it for taking pictures of pig bums? Also, how does it render ordinary street bums? A lens that could cover this range of bums could be a real winner for Leica if, they could keep the price under $8K :roll eyes:

 

Rick

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Hallo,

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[jonoslack]

HI There Rick

Of Course, John is right, the lens comes with a free trio (two chickens and a cockerel) - they're despatched special delivery from Wetzlar, complete with a free barbecue (in case you don't feel like keeping them).

 

Under normal circumstances the 28 'lux focuses down to 0.7 metre, but of course, when taking pictures of bottoms it gets slightly myopic (like most of us) and will focus down to .25 of a meter (I think this covers all types of bottoms, but I've only tried chickens and . . . well, perhaps we should cast a veil over that!).

 

Doc Henry . . . No - to my shame, my beautiful M6 is 400 miles away, but I promise I'll try it when I get home!

[gpwhite]

Jono, thanks for the very nice images! Although the poultry bums have intrigued some on the forum, , I found the shot of Matty more telling for me in regards to the character of your 28 SX. Matty was in the softer lighting (and setting) that one would expect to shoot at f/1.4, whereas the foul was in some mighty sharp circumstances. I see softness around Matty's face... or is that shutter speed? I wonder how contrasty the 28 SX is?

 

I hope you have the opportunity (perhaps supported by Leica) to develop this thread further with comparisons across equally well-adjusted lenses. Like many of the shooters posting here, I have struggled back and forth across 24 SX and 28 SM that I could be pleased shooting wide open. I have tried three 24 SX, and each of them seemed a dud in comparison to what you usually read (and my pleasure with the 24 Elmarit ASPH). Likewise, I have shot two 28 SM with mixed results, over many years and bodies, that parallel your comments far up the thread... but I just purchased a silver one that is a real gem. So there must be examples of the 24 SX and 28 SM that are excellent after adjustment by Leica... it would be delightful to see your work across two of those and the factory perfecto 28 SX you are shooting now!

 

Of course, I would keep watching Jeremy Clarkson too, if that chance came up.