Lens advice needed for new M8 owner!

[bankbank]

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Hi all,

new owner of a fairly new M8 with 3600 shutter actuations, and need some advice between the Summarit 35 f/2.4 Asph and the Elmarit 28 f/2.8 Version 3. Both are used, but in great shape and similarly priced where I am at.

 

A little background; I am impartial to 28 and 35 focal lengths, in this case more like 37 and 47. I like both focal lengths, and don't mind one or the other. What I am concerned about is the difference in terms of quality and the "Leica" look, micro contrady and what not. I'm on a budget so don't want to sell my car to get a 'higher end' ends. Thanks for looking out! and enjoy shooting.

 

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[Ko.Fe.]

I have used Summarit-M 35 on M8 and 28 2.8 III on M-E. They are very good and Leica optically. On M8 28mm frame lines seems to be less cluttered comparing to 35 framelines. 

Regarding prices, Elmarit-M of this versoin is worth of under 1K$ used, Summarit-M of this version is worth of above 1K$ used. Elmarit-M is huge lens and focus tab is plastic.

 

Rangefinder lenses. 

 

On my copy it was cracked, but no issues.

Check Elmarit-M for optical elements separations. Some copies have it.

 

Check for IR-cut filters sizes if available. Summarit-M 35 2.5 which I have is using 39mm filters and it is not a problem to get IR-cut filter for it.

 

BTW, Industar-69 half-frame scale focus lens is sold for few dollars and it is surprisingly good 28mm lens on M8. 

 

[Rus]

Congratulations on your new acquisition! I started with an M8 and the summicron c 40/2 which I modified to bring up the 35mm frameline. It worked very well for me.

 

But I don't think there is any consensus yet as to what exactly constitute a Leica look? In general the more modern lenses tend to have better coatings and render with more micro contrast. If that's what you prefer then I'd say just go for the more modern designs

[Ko.Fe.]

28 2.8 III Elmarit-M is known for its special rendering. It is not very modern, nor it is old, but rendering is distinguishable and specific on BW film and it is still present on digital in color.

 

 

 

Summarit-M 35 is very good blend of classic and modern flavor in rendering, micro contrast is well present on BW film and on digital in color it is very sharp, but not clinically, colors are well saturated and it gives sometimes 3-D look. It gives slightly more distortions comparing to some other 35 RF lenses, IMO.

 

 

It is hard to describe what is Leica look on digital M, but after I run side by side Color Skopar 35 2.5 and Summarit-M 35 2.5, I have absolutely no regrets to pay three times more for Leica lens. Well, same was on film M with these two lenses. With Summarit I simply don't have prints I'm not happy with, with Skopar most of the time it was flat, kind of missing something in the rendering. And same on digital M.

[wda]

My preference would be a Summarit lens. It would already be coded.

[otto.f]

The M8 has got quite a lot of bite for it's 10Mb and along the line from M9 to M10 where dynamic range becomes broader the images get a bit softer. So I would go for on older lens and not for a Summarit 35 or 50 because their contrast can be a bit harsh. Besides, my experience with 28 on the M8 was that I really liked the angle. It made a good combination with a 50, which is a bit of a 65.

[a.noctilux]

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I would take it with one question which one is the planned next lens.

 

If it's 50mm, then take 28mm now.

If it's 21mm or 75/90mm, then 35mm now.

 

Leica lens newer or older is good enough (for me) on M8/M9/M10 .

[lct]

Bit curious that you don’t have a favorite focal length but in this case i would prefer a Summarit 35/2.4 or 35/2.5 which is smaller than the 28/2.8 v3 and will block less your viewfinder. Also 35mm framelines are only paired with 24mm on the M8 and will feel more comfortable than 28/90 with 90mm in the middle. Leica look? Was not the same in the seventies and 30 years later. If you want to compare closer lenses, i would suggest an Elmarit 28/2.8 asph which is smaller, sharper and can be had for more or less the same money as your Summarit 35.

[bankbank]

Thanks for the replies, I've had the camera for a few days now, so I must admit I'm really anxious to get my hands on a lens but I'm trying to do a lot of research as possible, and many of these lenses you can't actually go and 'test' like Canon/Nikon gear in camera stores. So far, I am also leaning towards the Summarit 35 2.4, as it's also lighter and smaller, which is great for me, because I hate carrying heavy loads on trips... but I also hear so many good things about the Elmarit 28 v3 as well. So I'm torn.

 

I had the fuji x100t, which I really liked, but sold it a while ago for a Sony A7RII, which I did not like at all. The pictures were great, but the overall experience with the camera was not so fun, and it felt like a computer more than a camera. On a recent trip with my father, I had the chance to play around with his M6, and that's when my foray into Leica started. He developed the flim, and wow, the pictures were so nice, I thought I had to have one. Not a film guy, so had to be either the M8 or M9. So I sold the A7RII and FE 55 1.8 to fund my Leica purchase. M9 was double the price of the M8 i found, so the choice was obvious.

[michaelwj]

Why not get the 35 Voigtlander color? It's smaller, cheaper and lighter than the 35 summarit. It give you a quick and cheap base to decide it it is the focal length you desire.

 

I'm a bit surprised that you don't have a focal length in mind. The two lenses you mention are apples and oranges in their look, era, focal length, etc...

[jaques]

if you are on a budget then some of the Voigtlander lenses are excellent value. I used the 28mm f2 Ultron on my old m8 before I sold it and the image quality was very good. These are shots from that set up:

 

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crop detail:

 

 

 

 

The Nokton 50 1.5 is also excellent- even the older version- as good as or better than pre-asph summilux- this shot is from the M9

 

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Summitar-M-35 2.5 is even smaller and lighter than 2.4 and it is also ASPH. It is second on the left on picture I provided. Elmarit-M 28 2.8 III is the second on the right at the same picture, it is not small lens for travel...

[a.noctilux]

Summitar-M-35 2.5 is even smaller and lighter than 2.4 and it is also ASPH. It is second on the left on picture I provided. Elmarit-M 28 2.8 III is the second on the right at the same picture, it is not small lens for travel...

 

You mean Summarit-M 2.5/35mm (not Summitar-M ).

[bankbank]

summarit 35mm f/2.4 asph on its way!

[lct]

Congrats