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28 mm lens suggestions


The Wizard

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I normally don't shoot with a 28mm on my film leicas but now with my new M8 if feel like it is needed with the 1.3 sensor adjustment. I have spent some good money on my other lenses but don't feel like spending another bundle on a 28mm but want good results. Does anyone have any suggestions on what works well on the M8?

 

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In a nutshell:

- Summicron 28/2 v1 or v2. Superb lens but expensive.

- Elmarit-M 28/2.8 asph v1. Excellent lens. Perfect match with the M8. No experience with v2.

- M-Rokkor 28/2.8. Very good lens, even smaller than the Elmarit asph above, but the bayonet must be modified or replaced to trigger 28mm framelines and some copies have white spots on the black coating of the innards of the lens.

- Zeiss 28/2.8. Very good lens i've been told but l have no experience with it.

- Voigtlander 28/1.9. Very good lens i've been told but l have no experience with it.

- Voigtlander 28/2. Very good lens but too much focus shift on rangefinders. Cannot recommend it for this reason.

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No such lens. They do a 28mm Skopar which I've heard is excellent. I have a 25mm F4 'Snapshot' Skopar which is a really lovely lens, a great 'street' lens on my lllf or M2.

I see a color skopar 25mm f4 p lens at b&h used for 349.95. They rate it a 9 out of 10. Do you generally just use the 28mm frame lines?

 

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voigtander 28m 3.5 LTM mount is very high contrast low resolution lens,28mm 1.9 is low contrast lens,voigtlander 28mm 2 has focus shift,zeiss zm 28 is good but its very clinic leica 28mm elmarit is good but contast is high,minolta have some tech issues,konica is good but flat the only winner leica 28 cron or lux,lux is very expensive so 28 cron second hand in good condition is the best

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  • 2 months later...

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Hi

I’ve recently purchased a Elmarit 28mm series III to use on my M8 and M6, when used with the hood it does block a portion of the finder but not too much to cause a problem but the images I’m getting from it are fantastic. If you get one try to get one that has been 6 bit coded for better compatibility with the M8.

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Yes, the v. 3 was always my favorite and what I also used on the M8. But the tiny ASPH version was introduced right alongside the M8 in 2006, to replicate the small size and "feel" of the regular 35mm Summicrons while giving pretty much the same field of view with the M8 crop (effective "37mm").

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  • 5 weeks later...

I acquired an Elmarit 28mm version I a couple of months ago.  Absolutely love it when paired with the M8.  It does have a very distinct 'look' when compared to my other glass.  Actually, I have had friends comment more on images with that lens than with the others.  It wasn't inexpensive, but well worth the ~ $670 USD I paid.  Definitely deserves a look in my opinion.

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I acquired an Elmarit 28mm version I a couple of months ago.  Absolutely love it when paired with the M8.  It does have a very distinct 'look' when compared to my other glass.  Actually, I have had friends comment more on images with that lens than with the others.  It wasn't inexpensive, but well worth the ~ $670 USD I paid.  Definitely deserves a look in my opinion.

 

That's interesting, because for a couple of decades the version 1 (symmetrical design with deep rear elements, required special deep rear cap) was a major collector's item. Topped out at around $3000 around 1990. I guess its downsides (will break the metering arm in an M5/CL, blocks metering with the M6 etc., produces red edges on FF Leica digitals (cropped away with the M8, of course)) have brought its price back in line, finally.

 

It was the first M lens I actually owned, and I also paid about $650 (that's 1980 $), before the collectors "discovered" it.

 

28mm Elmarit for M versions

 

v.1 - 1965: described above - https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/28mm_f/2.8_Elmarit_I

v.2 - 1972: retrofocus design for use with M5/CL - less protrusion into camera - https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/28mm_f/2.8_Elmarit_II

v.3 - 1980: better performace than v.2 but BIG and blocks finder corner - earliest version that can take 6-bit coding - https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/28mm_f/2.8_Elmarit-M_III

v.4 - 1990: reduction in size for built-in 28 lines, equal to v.3 but with more contrast - https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/28mm_f/2.8_Elmarit-M_IV

v.5 - 2006: Tiny ASPH - https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/28mm_f/2.8_ASPH_Elmarit-M

 

I currently have the v.2 - somewhat fuzzy corners until f/8 (but not an issue on M8s), otherwise a nice "Mandler" look that is very "humane" compared to the ASPHs which I find harsh. And as Brent says, sub-$1000 price sometimes.

 

I have used the C/V f/1.9 - very "dreamy" at f/1.9, but better resolution and "feel" IMHO than the f/2 version. I preferred the v.3 Leica as already mentioned.

 

Specific issues to remember for 28s on the M8 - they need IR filters for good color work, which result in green edges unless 6-bit coded. So it's a juggling act to find a lens that can be coded and has an available filter size (v.2 takes out-moded 48mm filters), or accept color drift or IR purple, or shoot B&W.

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adan, thank you for the informative post!  I stand corrected, based on that information, that mine is actually a Version 2.  I had searched previously trying to find information when I acquired the lens, but missed that site altogether.

 

Appreciate the 'new' resource!

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I've got a Voigtlander 25mm f4, and a Leica 28mm f2.

 

Both are great, for the longest while I preferred the Voigtlander, but now on to the Leica as the fave. Both were purchased new about 7-10 years or so ago.

 

The Voigtlander I coded myself, as per the "coding chart".

 

I don't usually shoot at F2, but it's nice to have that option.

 

Both have IR cut filters, and lens hoods.

 

For the price, the Voigtlander is hard to beat... I think that it is discontinued, though?

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..don't feel like spending another bundle on a 28mm but want good results...

 

Here you go:  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1217512-REG/leica_11677_elmarit_m_28mm_f_2_8_asph.html

 

The 28 Elmarit ASPH is priced reasonably in the M lens scheme of things and it offers a ton of value in terms of image quality, performance, reliability and build quality. 

Edited by Herr Barnack
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I see a color skopar 25mm f4 p lens at b&h used for 349.95. They rate it a 9 out of 10. Do you generally just use the 28mm frame lines?

 

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My lens came with the 25mm optical finder and I use it on my lllf. You could use the 28mm frame I guess once you get used to how much wider the lens is in practice.

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Here you go:  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1217512-REG/leica_11677_elmarit_m_28mm_f_2_8_asph.html

 

The 28 Elmarit ASPH is priced reasonably in the M lens scheme of things and it offers a ton of value in terms of image quality, performance, reliability and build quality. 

 

Elmarit-M 28mm Asph. :)

 

The best surprise from Leica (released for M8 at reasonable price/size) to "replace" the very good and nice Elmarit-M 28mm "Four" more expensive by then.

 

From my "dozen" (accumulated in decades time) of 28mm for M, this last one is my best/prefered now.

Even if I appreciate also from time to time to be able to use f/2 of the Summicron-M 28mm Asph., I use this latter far less now.

 

New M has so good files at high ISO that f/2 or f/2.8 means no big difference in real life use ( got rid of "bokeh things" some time ago :rolleyes:).

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No such lens. They do a 28mm Skopar which I've heard is excellent. I have a 25mm F4 'Snapshot' Skopar which is a really lovely lens, a great 'street' lens on my lllf or M2.

 

My 25 4.0 is a paperweight.    Seemed to work on film, then digital came along,  decentering is obvious.

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