Leitz Elmarit 28mm f2.8

[Loop Skywalker]

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Am 25.5.2020 um 17:38 schrieb erniethemilk:

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. 

 

V1 and V2 look very similar with their "hour-glass" shape and the long protruding rear element on V1 (V1 is a collector's item nowadays). V3 is very bulky, has E49 filter and two little metal fittings at the front to take the lens hood. With V4 they changed to E46 filter, the lens is considerably smaller than V3 and the much better performer. V5 is the ASPH. with the plastic clip-on hood (same as the 35mm Summicron-M). The latest version is also ASPH. but has a metal screw-on hood as all current M lenses.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Loop Skywalker

[lct]

1 hour ago, Loop Skywalker said:

V3 is very bulky, has E49 filter and two little metal fittings at the front to take the lens hood. With V4 they changed to E46 filter, the lens is considerably smaller than V3

Are you sure of that? Leica specs say 48mm x 53mm, 250g for v3 and 41mm x 53mm, 260g for v4. Just curious as i have no experience with either lens.

[Loop Skywalker]

Maybe the weight is similar, but V3 has E49 and protrudes much further into the viewfinder, especially when used with the lens hood. V4 is E46 and is shorter, but I do not have both lenses to compare them side by side.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Loop Skywalker

[adan]

lct, the difference is that both are 53mm wide at the mount, but the v.4 skinnies down to 48mm exterior diameter at the front (E46 + 1.0mm barrel thickness), like a ziggurat.

While the v.3 is still 51mm wide at the front (E49 + 1mm barrel) - plus the protruding 2mm metal lens-hood pins (which I call its "Frankenstein Neck Bolts" ).

https://www.google.com/search?q=frankenstein+bolts&client=firefox-b-1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi6wdzcwtbpAhWZZs0KHf27DTMQ_AUoAnoECA0QBA&biw=1728&bih=1251

And is ~7mm longer. But nonetheless lighter and less "dense" - different proportions of aluminum and brass parts in the construction. And some plastic, at least in the focus tab - the v.3 is the sister of the Canadian v.4 35mm Summicron. While the v.4 introduced the heavier, more sculpted metal focus tabs Leica still uses today.

The v.3 blocks the finder more - but at the time it was designed, Leicas (M4/M5/M4-2/CL) did not include 28 framelines, so that was irrelevant. One used (and I still prefer) a top-mounted accessory finder.

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The major design goal of the v.4 redesign (1993) was to work better with the built-in M4-P/M6 28mm framelines.

My experience is that the v.4 is not significantly sharper. Except perhaps the corners at f/2.8. It does have higher contrast (which for me is not always a plus, on slide film or digital) and thus better MTF charts. V.4 also has a signature flat front element surface.

v.4

v.3

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by adan