Leitz Elmarit 28mm f2.8

[erniethemilk]

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I’m thinking I’d quite like a 28mm to go on my M6/M10 combination. Budget at the moment is a bit tight so the ASPH version is out of reach, I was wondering if anyone shoots with the older Elmarit 28mm f2.8 and their experiences. 
 

My thinking is either one of these or the Ultron 28mm f2 but I’m erring on the side of the Elmarit. 

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[Musotographer]

7 hours ago, erniethemilk said:

I’m thinking I’d quite like a 28mm to go on my M6/M10 combination. Budget at the moment is a bit tight so the ASPH version is out of reach, I was wondering if anyone shoots with the older Elmarit 28mm f2.8 and their experiences. 
 

My thinking is either one of these or the Ultron 28mm f2 but I’m erring on the side of the Elmarit. 

There are lots of current threads on the 28s. I sold my Elmarit Asph v1and got the pre-Asph v4 instead, with some change too. Greatly prefer it.

[oekoek]

Well, I have an Elmarit 28 IV and its one of my most used lenses, I take it on my travels alongside a SUMMICRON 50 and my ME(220). I also use it a lot on my MM1 and must say I quite like it, especially for black & white, but it is also very good for colour. I have nothing to complain about its size, handling or build quality, it balance nicely on my camera's. It seems many users don't like its original hood but there plenty alternatives for that, for instance the Contax GG-1 hood. I think the Elmarit 28 IV is a fine lens, but don't know if they come much cheaper than a second hand ASPH version.

Good luck with the search.

[andyturk]

I've got the 28mm Elmarit v4, The Ultron f2, and now a Summicron v1. The Elmarit was my first 28mm lens and I shot it on my M8 for years and then later on an M10. It's sharp, relatively compact and doesn't really need the hood (in my experience). I sent the Elmarit away to be cleaned and coded, and picked up the Ultron as a temporary substitute. It is also a very nice lens, but not as razor sharp as the Leicas. Earlier this year I picked up a 28mm Summicron v1 on auction, which I love. It's got everything the Elmarit has plus a narrower depth of field at f2.

I'll probably end up selling the Elmarit and Ultron at some point, because I can't think of any situation where I'd prefer either to the Summicron (used here at f/2.0):

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[erniethemilk]

Thanks for the info. 
 

How can I distinguish the different versions of the Elmarit. I’m looking at them anywhere between around £600-1200 but not sure how to tell which version they are. 
 

[oekoek]

There are four different pre-ASPH versions of the 28 Elmarit, here is a useful link:

http://www.antiquecameras.net/leica28mmmlenses.html

Oh, it was last updated in 2012 so the prices might not be up to date but it will give you an idea about the different versions. For photography I believe the 3th and 4th versions are the most interesting. The 1th version is rather expensive due to its collectibility and the 2th is optically not as good as the 3th and the 4th. The 3th version is quite big and uses 49mm filters and the 4th is the same size as the 28 Summicron and uses 46mm filters.

Edited May 25, 2020 by oekoek

[pippy]

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4 hours ago, erniethemilk said:

...I’m looking at them anywhere between around £600-1200...

Not at all wishing you to go off at a tangent but the v1 ASPH is available within your upper range. Very different rendering from the earlier lenses and it is certainly not to everyone's taste - it seems to be a bit of a 'Marmite' thing amongst Leicaphiles - but I just thought I'd mention it.

FWIW I have the Voigtlander 28mm f2 Ultron and, whilst not up to the standard of the ASPH, it is still an excellent performer. I'm not sure whereabouts in the UK you live but if you fancy having the Ultron for a while to make comparisons send me a PM.

Philip.

[adan]

28mm Elmarit-M version III (1980s), M10, f/2.8. High resolution, moderate-contrast, Mandler/Leitz Canada color. My favorite.

Price still about as listed in oekoek's link above.

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[luigi bertolotti]

I have used  V1 V3 and V4 (and not the current asph) ; V1 is out of question - is a collectible - ; V3 is probably the best value-for-money buy, at the moment; I prefer the V4, which often is offered at prices very next to the asph... truth is that all the 28s aren't a bargain... and the Ultron can be a very valid alternative.

 

[bayernfan]

51 minutes ago, luigi bertolotti said:

I have used  V1 V3 and V4 (and not the current asph) ; V1 is out of question - is a collectible - ; V3 is probably the best value-for-money buy, at the moment; I prefer the V4, which often is offered at prices very next to the asph... truth is that all the 28s aren't a bargain... and the Ultron can be a very valid alternative.

True, the V3 can be a bargain.  The V4 still commands a lot of money compared to the V3.  I'd say the ASPH V1 is a bargain now that the ASPH V2 is out.  I've seen them sell for $1,100 USD (less than the V4!).

[lct]

Last time i used an Ultron 28/2 it had a lot of focus shift. Should i understand that it is not the case anymore? Just curious.

[Loop Skywalker]

I had the V2 Elmarit-M 2.8/ 28mm, but found it awful on my M9. Sold it and got a Konica M-Hexanon 2.8/ 28mm (seems to be a copy of the V4 Elmarit), which is a great performer. I took a lot of nice pictures with it during a stay in Barcelona. Sold it anyway to fund the V4 Elmarit.

I think the Konica is still the best bang for the buck, as you can get it for 500€-600€. If you want to stay with Leica get the V4 (pre-ASPH.), only get the V3 if money really matters, as in my opinion it's a big and ugly lens (even more if you use it with the lens hood). The ASPH. is still the smallest (like tiny) lens which is nice on the M.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Loop Skywalker

[Loop Skywalker]

Two shots with M9 and the Konica M-Hexanon 2.8/ 28mm.

 

[lct]

2 hours ago, Loop Skywalker said:

I had the V2 Elmarit-M 2.8/ 28mm, but found it awful on my M9. Sold it and got a Konica M-Hexanon 2.8/ 28mm (seems to be a copy of the V4 Elmarit), which is a great performer. [...]

Interesting thank you. Does your Konica 28/2.8 focus accurately on Leica digital rangefinders? I have no experience with it but i understand that Konica lenses are not collimated the same way as Leica's (https://www.dantestella.com/technical/flange.html#hexar) and fact is my otherwise very good M-Hexanon 50/2 cannot focus accurately in RF mode on my M bodies. Not a serious problem though as the lens can be adjusted by good workshops like Van Manen in the Netherlands. 

[Loop Skywalker]

The 28mm Konica I had was spot on with my M9, never had any issues. Never heard that the Konica lenses were any different to a Leica or any other M lens.

[adan]

1 hour ago, Loop Skywalker said:

Never heard that the Konica lenses were any different to a Leica or any other M lens.

You had to have been there.

When the KRF was introduced, and there were some focus issues with swapping lenses, the rumor was running around that Konica had used a slighly different measurement for lens flange>film plane distance. On the order of 0.20mm.

My own experience was that the KRF was just tricky to focus - low magnification (0.62x) plus a large, high-eyepoint eyepiece with which it was very easy to decenter one's eye and get a false view of whether the two RF images were aligned, especially wearing glasses. They would sometimes appear disaligned when correctly focused, or aligned when not correctly focused.

However: http://www.nemeng.com/leica/010ba.shtml

Edited May 27, 2020 by adan

[Loop Skywalker]

Good to know, though my lens was 100% fine.

[84bravo]

I have the V2 and V4. The version 4 is a great lens and very affordable. I bought it new in the 90's and recently six bit coded it with a cheap replacement mount from jinfinance. I bought the V2 because I got it very cheap. However, I wouldn't recommend that one for daily use. It's not quite as sharp as the more modern versions.

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[Kwesi]

On 5/25/2020 at 11:38 AM, erniethemilk said:

Thanks for the info. 
 

How can I distinguish the different versions of the Elmarit. I’m looking at them anywhere between around £600-1200 but not sure how to tell which version they are. 
 

Just came across the info below from the M10-P instruction manual a few minutes ago - something to note as you search

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[adan]

9 hours ago, Loop Skywalker said:

I had the V2 Elmarit-M 2.8/ 28mm, but found it awful on my M9.

Yes, the 28 Elmarit v.2 was a bit of a dog by Leitz standards. Thus the low prices (sometimes).

It was something of a rushed, emergency design, to work with the M5 metering without breaking the metering arm (see kwesi's post above, regarding the v.1 it replaced). And Dr. Mandler's first attempt at a retrofocus design in M-mount.

But it does have nice ergonomics - a belled-out lip around the front that keeps wandering fingers from showing up in the pictures when adjusting aperture while shooting. The long back-focus means it produces almost no Italian-Flag color stains, even if not 6-bit coded (which is good, since it cannot be coded - wrong type of lens flange).

And it gets quite good down around f/4-f/5.6, for documentary work. But the corners never really get sharp enough for landscapes.

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I tried one (with a 90 Tele-Elmarit v.1) on an M4-P around 1984 - and they put me off Leica lenses for 15 years

But I've also used one on the M10, and acquired some good moments......very subtle tonalities and rendering of light.