Searching for reasonably priced 28mm lens for Leica M8.2

[MikeMyers]

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I've been searching for a reasonably priced (under $500) lens for my Leica M8.2 camera.  Used is fine.  While 50 and 35mm lenses are readily available at prices ranging from bargain to ouch, that's not the case with 28mm.   I do have a 35mm lens which acts more or less like a 50 on that camera. I was thinking a 28 might be closest to what I want.  I found a 7Artisans 28mm lens, new, from KEH at the pricing I'm looking for, but I was hoping to get something better.  My experiences with 7Artisans lenses include blurry corners, and strange effects if bright light sources are in the picture area. The review I read confirmed this.   I bought the 35 7Artisans some time ago, and since the M8 isn't a full frame camera, the blurry corners may not be that big an issue.  The 35 did work fine for my main objective at the time, shooting in infrared.

Any advice on a lens that I've missed?  It doesn't need to be fast, f/2.8 would be fine.  I don't expect to be using the M8.2 all that much either.  It's just that even though I have the much better M10, I still enjoy using the old camera every so often.  Maybe I'll come to my senses, and give up on this idea, but I thought I'd post here, and maybe find something I missed during my searches.

Edited October 17, 2022 by MikeMyers

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[earleygallery]

Try a 28mm Voigtlander Skopar, you should be able to find a used one for your budget.

[Guest]

Have a look at a used Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Biogon ZM or a Voitlander 28mm.

I bought my Zeiss new and I love the lens. 

[BradS]

As others have mentioned, the CV 28mm Color-Skopar, at something like $400 brand new, is well withing your budget.

A 28mm Color-Skopar was my first M-mount lens. It is a great little, very much under appreciated, lens if you can abide with the ergonomics.

Edited October 17, 2022 by BradS

[Kl@usW.]

vor 19 Minuten schrieb OThomas:

Have a look at a used Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Biogon ZM or a Voitlander 28mm.

I bought my Zeiss new and I love the lens. 

I had the same problem with a 28mm for my Barnacks.   In the end I bought a 28mm Skopar LTM which had haze ( they all have haze, at least the LTMs ) and had it serviced. For the price you have to pay, a new Zeiss 28 ZM might be the logical and better choice. The Zeiss has got an excellent reputation. But: with a used Elmarit 28mm asph you are on the safe side. I own three 28 lenses, the M-Summaron 5,6/28; the asph and the VC Skopar in LTM.   Clearly the Elmarit 28mm is the best value for money imo if you want just one lens in that fl. The Summaron is amazing for it´s size, but 5,6 on the wide side may not be the best choice on a M 8. 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Kl@usW.

[MikeMyers]

2 hours ago, BradS said:

As others have mentioned, the CV 28mm Color-Skopar, at something like $400 brand new, is well withing your budget.

A 28mm Color-Skopar was my first M-mount lens. It is a great little, very much under appreciated, lens if you can abide with the ergonomics.

This seems like the perfect lens for what I'm looking for.

As an aside, I already have the 25mm Voigtlander Color-Skopar, but while wearing my glasses, I can't see the appropriate frame lines in the M8.2 viewfinder.  At 25mm, I think anything within the viewfinder will be included in my image.  (I've also got a 15mm Voigtlander, but with the M8 that would make for a 21mm lens, which is far too wide for regular use.). I'll think about this between now and tomorrow, and probably order the 28.  

I hope none of you ask what kind of fool is still buying lenses for his M8.2, when the person already has an M10, but I enjoy using the M8.2 also, and it's the only camera I've got that can capture good B&W infrared photographs.  

[MikeMyers]

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It came down to a choice between the 28mm Color-Skopar (B&H has both a new one, and a used one) and the one described below:

20 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Absolitely the price/performance queen of 28mm out there for M mount, the Voigtlander 28mm f/2.0 Ultron Vintage Aspherical VM Type II.
Amazing wide open, amazing stopped down. As reasonably priced as it gets for a new copy, even more for used.
The thread is here.

Stephen Handy had one used copy of the second choice, and after reading the thread that is linked to, that's what I bought.  It will work on both my M8.2 and also on my M10.  If it's as good as people say it is, I expect to be very pleased.

[MikeMyers]

I just finished reading this:

     https://www.leicalensesfornormalpeople.com/2021/07/10/voigtlander-ultron-vintage-28mm-f-2-asph-vm-type-ii/

 

I guess I'll find out for myself in a few days.

Thanks to all of you, and the earlier link.  I was all set to buy the less expensive Color Skopar, used, from B&H.  The lens I bought sounds much more intriguing.

[Jeff S]

6 hours ago, MikeMyers said:

It came down to a choice between the 28mm Color-Skopar (B&H has both a new one, and a used one) and the one described below:

Stephen Handy had one used copy of the second choice, and after reading the thread that is linked to, that's what I bought.  It will work on both my M8.2 and also on my M10.  If it's as good as people say it is, I expect to be very pleased.

Stephen Gandy… CameraQuest

Jeff

[MikeMyers]

Yes!!!!!!    Blame my keyboard.  I did type it correctly, but Apple had other ideas.    😞

[dpitt]

Edit: just saw this thread is older than I thought. 

A bit rare, but very nice is the Minolta Rokkor 28mm F2.8 (made for the CLE along with the 40 C and 90 C equivalents). Leica did not release a 28 Elmarit-C.

Otherwise, you might rethink your budget and buy a very fine lens like the Elmarit 1:2.8/28 ASPH, which was my favorite “35” on the M8. It will also do your M10 justice as a true 28 and will probably be the cheapest in the long run. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by dpitt

[mort linder]

no one has mentioned a 28mm f3.5 screw mount canon lens . i have a 28mm elmarit that i have been using on my m8 , but i recently got an m240

and i have been using the canon lens with that camera . it is the newer f3.5 lens , and it seems to be excellent . i think the filter size is 39.5 , but i have

been able to use a 39 mm filter by wrapping a couple of laps of cut electrical tape around the threads .

[CGarrard]

Check out the Konica M-Hexanon 28mm f/2.8 (46mm filter thread). 

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[Ernstk]

On 10/19/2022 at 12:32 AM, MikeMyers said:

I just finished reading this:

     https://www.leicalensesfornormalpeople.com/2021/07/10/voigtlander-ultron-vintage-28mm-f-2-asph-vm-type-ii/

 

I guess I'll find out for myself in a few days.

Thanks to all of you, and the earlier link.  I was all set to buy the less expensive Color Skopar, used, from B&H.  The lens I bought sounds much more intriguing.

Are you planning to share your thoughts on the lens? It's been a few months now.

Ernst

[Almizilero]

Am 19.10.2022 um 01:32 schrieb MikeMyers:

I just finished reading this:

     https://www.leicalensesfornormalpeople.com/2021/07/10/voigtlander-ultron-vintage-28mm-f-2-asph-vm-type-ii/

 

I guess I'll find out for myself in a few days.

Thanks to all of you, and the earlier link.  I was all set to buy the less expensive Color Skopar, used, from B&H.  The lens I bought sounds much more intriguing.

A fun read, but they get a rather important detail wrong. The goat p...s version is just a variant of the new ASPH Ultron. It comes in the Variants I and II.
Variant II comes in black or silver with a standard focussing tab.
Variant I is black and silver and attempts a classic look via the goat p...s focussing post.

The old, non-ASPH version actually has a focussing tab as well.

ASPH-Version in 3 looks: https://www.voigtlaender.de/objektive/vm/28-mm-f-20-ultron/
Old version: https://www.kenrockwell.com/voigtlander/28mm-f2.htm