Summicron or Elmarit 28mm

[erniethemilk]

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Summicron 28mm f2 or Elmarit 28mm f2.8?

Theres a chunk of difference in cost between them and although I have a small TT Artisans 28mm 5.6, I do prefer the look and feel of my 35 Summicron (latest version) to it. I also like the fact it’s 6 bit coded so when I attach it to the camera I don’t have to think about lens profiles 😂

I absolutely love my 35 ‘cron, so I’m thinking if the 28mm cron offers similar looks, performance, feel and the Elmarit 28mm offers something else I’ll go with the ‘cron. 
 

Anyone have experience of both and care to comment. 

[stephan54]

I started out with a Elmarit 28asph and a Summilux 50asph. Although the Elmarit was performing well (size, detail and colour) I preferred how the Summilux rendererd colours. According to quite some user reviews the Summicron 28 v2 would render more in line with the Summilux. Did some side by side shooting (Elmarit and Summicron) and found the rendering of the Summicron more to my liking. Thus I traded in the Elmarit for the Summicron and have not regretted switching. To be fair: many users are very satisfied with their Elmarits and rightly so.

Edited July 1, 2022 by stephan54

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[Tom Johnston]

I've had the pleasure of having and using several iterations of Elmarit and Summicron 28s and 35s, and 50s, each one rendering beautifully with subtle improvements with each new release. Wish I still had each of them, but my current Summicron 28asph v1 and 35asph v1 are both lenses I've said I'll never sell. I just plain love the way each of these lenses draw.

[Huss]

I have the Summicron 28 Asph v2, and just sold the 28 Elmarit Asph v1.  Both are super, and I'm still not sure I should have done this, apart from getting one more stop of light. Which is handy as I'm a film shooter primarily.

For all that people say how they love how a Cron renders, or an Elmarit is contrasty (or not), I'll bet if a subject was shot at the same time using the same camera with both lenses at the same aperture... and the viewer was not told which lens was used for which image... they would not be able to identify it.

[RayD28]

I’d at least try a 28mm 2.8 asph. Either version.  They are labeled contrasty but your 35 has a lot of contrast, too. 
 

I have a 28mm 2.0 v1 and it sits in the closet a lot while my 28mm asph v2 is my second most used lens.  I love it’s size.  
 

If you are shooting film the extra stop can be important.  But how often is it important?  
 

Cost is a factor but I don’t believe a 2.8 non-asph is much cheaper than an asph. 

My two cents. 

[genji]

I had the Summicron 28mm ASPH v1 and liked it a lot. But I was using it mainly for stopped down zone focusing so when I got a Summilux 28mm ASPH, I decided to replace the Summicron with an Elmarit 28mm ASPH v2. If I was only allowed one 28mm lens, I’d definitely get the Summicron 28mm ASPH v2.