Elmarit M ASPH 24mm f2.8, any user comments?

[Smudgerer]

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I should have waited, but of course I did not. Was going to try to research the Elmarit ASPH 24mm before buying one, then a good one hove into view at an okay price and so the same old story, end of story.......I should have it in hand sometime next week. But anyway, I used to own the 24mm Elmar f3.8, liked it a lot but stupidly sold it and now I have gone for the older, slightly faster, version. So belatedly I'd love to hear comments from owners / users of the f2.8 24mm Elmarit ASPH. This "new" one is uncoded and I am unwilling to spend close to €400 and be without it for at least three months in the Leica Servicing swamp, not sure if lack of coding will be too much of a problem but would be interested in other's experiences....Cheers!

[tappan]

I have one. It is coded. It IS very sharp but not the unpleasant clinical sharp --> (if you know, you know)
It is my main lens. I have an 18 SE, 35mm FLE 'lux, 50mm lux, 50mm collapsible Summicron, 90mm Elmar macro.
No regrets. The father of Leica analytics, the late Erwin Putts stated that this lens was a masterpiece of design. That appears to have been regarding its pairing with film cameras.
I think some have tapered this very high praise back a little regarding its use with digital cameras. Don't pixel peep. Just love the experience with this very competent lens.
Best,
Mark

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[01maciel]

I also own the lens. Like some of my lenses, I use the Elmarit far too little. Under very specific lighting conditions it takes excellent pictures, the sort of Leica image we all like to see so to speak. But it is not an all-round performer imho. If I had to choose again, I would go for the Zeiss 25mm.

[charlesphoto99]

Quite possibly the best 24mm ever made. At least one of. Mine's been coded since the M8/9 days, so can't say what uncoded will bring. I use mine without the hood and with a UV filter if you want it more compact. Quite flare resistant and little to no distortion. Enjoy! 

[Luke_Miller]

Mine is coded, but I can't imagine manually selecting it will be an issue.  I find it to be a very good lens and have gotten some spectacular shots with it. I think you will be satisfied with your purchase.

[Al Brown]

I need to have mine rechecked. It was decentered when bought used and now that is fixed, but wide open it is not sharp at all (and not due to any focus mistake). Perhaps the repair folks did not put it together properly or have forgotten to collimate .

 

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Edited December 2, 2023 by Al Brown

[Al Brown]

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3 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

I am unwilling to spend close to €400 and be without it for at least three months in the Leica Servicing swamp, not sure if lack of coding will be too much of a problem

Think more in terms of 7 months minimum.

If you have a modern digital M it remembers one uncoded lens setting when such lens is mounted. So if all your other M lenses are 6-bit coded there is no need to code this one.

[Robert Blanko]

I only have the 24 Elmar and thus don't have first hand experience with the Elmarit (had the choice between Elmarit and Elmar, but chose the Elmar for my purpose).

You may do the coding easily by yourself. I did this some months ago for a Voigtländer lens. Made a paper mask, used a black marking pen, worked. Took me about 15 Minutes. You will find plenty of tutorials on the Internet.

[Smudgerer]

55 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

Think more in terms of 7 months minimum.

If you have a modern digital M it remembers one uncoded lens setting when such lens is mounted. So if all your other M lenses are 6-bit coded there is no need to code this one.

Right Al......the quote for coding was from the Leica store in France that I bought the lens from and have done a fair amount of business with, maybe this +3 months time-scale would have been for their "Express Concierge Service" for what would probably be a 10 minute job on a Wetzlar work bench!

Anyway after I realised that the coding would have likely taken up most of the warranty period on the lens, and the fact that I'd probably be using the lens mainly on film M's I turned that offer down...........and yes, I know that the M10 variants I have should remember the 24mm even though it's uncoded, but it's not such a big deal to enter it in manually if needs be. Not sure what difference the lack of coding will make anyway, guess I'll find out soon enough.

Thanks to all responses........

[Chuck Albertson]

I bought one when they were first introduced, and it's an excellent lens. Great with the MP, the M Monochrom, and more recently the SL cameras, both for stills and video. Mine isn't coded, but calling up the lens profile only takes a few seconds if you remember to do it. If you use filters, getting the lens hood on can be a bit of a struggle. It can flare with bright light sources just out of the frame (as below, with the SL2-S at ISO 32,000); shifting it just a couple of mm did away with it in subsequent shots.

 

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[fotografr]

Superb lens. Enjoy it. These were taken with the 24 Elmarit on the Monochrom.

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[otto.f]

18 hours ago, tappan said:

It IS very sharp but not the unpleasant clinical sharp

+1. I made a few of my best and popular photo’s with it. And from what I’ve seen here from the Elmar, I would not at all regret having sold it if I were you. 

[yanidel]

The best lens I have ever used on the M8. And it is also wonderful on the M10. The colors are unique and the sharpness excellent. I also love its odd design and butterfly smooth focus tab. I don't use the hood, it's not necessary in 99% of cases. 

[Stef63]

45 minutes ago, yanidel said:

The colors are unique and the sharpness excellent. I also love its odd design and butterfly smooth focus tab.

+1

My most satisfying - wider than 35mm - Leica lens.  24mm is a rather unusual focal length for a modern Leica RF, yet I find it very appealing. 

[lazyhusky]

Love the 24mm Elmarit. It is the main lens for my film M.

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[Smudgerer]

Thanks to everyone who responded about the 24mm Elmarit, not one negative comment............that has to be the first for the Forum!

So I have the lens now and it's in perfect shape, happy to have found and purchased it but I'd like to be able to mount a UV filter on it and use the hood too but both of the 55mm filters I have prevent the hood from fitting on the lens correctly, any clues as to what filter can work with the lens/lenshood?

[oekoek]

Hello,

Had the same issue, i bought the Overgaard hood, it is expensive i also had to wait for almost a year after i orderd it. But i forgot all about that and now i am very happy, it is very well done, i think. Here is a link:

https://www.overgaard.dk/Thorsten-von-Overgaard-Gallery-Store-2428-Hardware-for-Photography-Ventilated-Lens-Shade-for-Leica-24mm-Elmarit.html

 

Many regards,

 

Timo

[Studienkamera]

2 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

any clues as to what filter can work with the lens/lenshood?

I use a Heliopan 55mm SH-PMC Protection Filter without problem.

[Siriusone59]

4 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

So I have the lens now and it's in perfect shape, happy to have found and purchased it but I'd like to be able to mount a UV filter on it and use the hood too but both of the 55mm filters I have prevent the hood from fitting on the lens correctly, any clues as to what filter can work with the lens/lenshood?

I have the Leica 13037 mounted on mine, no problems  with hood  fitting.

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[GMB]

Lovely lens indeed. I bought mine sometime in 2008 or 2007 used on Ebay. Love it. Here is a shot from a couple of weeks ago on the Carretera Austral in Chile.

 

 

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