Lens for M8?

[gesper]

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Which lens for M8? Will use mostly for street photography and will take with me for business travel, so want to keep overall size small. If cost is not a factor, which should I go with?:

 

The new 28mm/f2.8

 

28mm/f2.0

 

or 35mm f2.0

 

These are the three smallest physically. Any advice from a quality or focal length standpoint?

 

Thanks

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[carstenw]

The new 28/2.8 is meant to be a bit sharper than the 28/2.0. Whether you need the extra stop is up to you. Why don't you include the 35/1.4 Asph.? It is a bit larger, but is that so important?

[abrewer]

Welcome to the Forum, George.

 

Recall that the magnification factor of 1.3 on the M8 will give you the 35mm perspective with the 28 mm lens.

 

That new 28 Elmar ASPH is mighty tempting and the price is certainly right.

 

I think that's a wise choice for the kind of use you're proposing.

 

Thanks.

 

Allan

[Giulio Zanni]

I would go for 28 summicron

 

Giulio

[j. borger]

I think sharpness is the least to worry about with the M8 and the lenses you consider.

28mm or 35mm (=35 vs 50mm) in the streets is what the real dilemma is .. i personal prefer the traditional 50mm so i would go for a 35mm lens ... others prefer a wider view however.

[davidmires]

I've been using the new 28mm Elmarit, and I love it so far. It is very compact, tiny almost. If I don't put the hood on it, it makes the M6 easily pocket-able. I bought it so I would have a compact 35mm equivalent for my M8.

I will give an updated report with it on the M8 later in the week.

I'd say you want either the 28 Elmarit or the 35mm 'cron. They are both small, your decision just depends on FOV and speed I guess.

happy snaps

[gesper]

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Thanks to all. Still not sure which I want, but the price leads me to try the new 28 Elmarit. Any suggestions on where to buy it? So far I haven't been able to find it, either here in Chicago or on the internet.

[gesper]

By the way, why is the 28 Elmarit so cheap relative to other Leica lenses? The 28 Cron is twice the price. I know there should be some difference, but that seems to be a lot unless you are losing something significant.

[ho_co]

By the way, why is the 28 Elmarit so cheap relative to other Leica lenses? The 28 Cron is twice the price. I know there should be some difference, but that seems to be a lot unless you are losing something significant.

George--

According to E Puts's review at Testreports, "The mechanical design uses new mechanical components to reduce assembly time and thus cost."

 

Or if you're a marketing type, you might say the lens is priced as a 'loss leader,' introduced with the M8 to offer a starter lens with lower internal margin. Leica may figure that once you see what their lenses can do, you'll be willing to pay more in future.

 

Don't worry about loss of performance. All the reviews I've seen say the lens is excellent.

 

And by the way, shouldn't the word be 'inexpensive' instead of 'cheap'?

 

--HC

[LJL]

Another lens worth considering is the Zeiss 25/2.8 Biogon ZM. It is very compact, provides a field of view (approx. 33mm) that is close to the entire viewfinder, and is very sharp. Sean Reid has an excellent comparison with the Leica 24/2.8 ASPH, which would also be an excellent option for a travel rig. I also agree with Carsten that a 35mm is worth considering if you like the more traditional 47-50mm FOV.

 

LJL

[gesper]

Yes, I have also thought about the 35 cron, which is not that much more than the 28 Elmar in price and is faster. Not sure whether I prefer the 28 or 35 FOV.