shootinglulu Posted October 10, 2009 Share #1 Posted October 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I would be really pleased for any advice re these lenses. Both are super optics but which has the most beautiful character? I recently bought a Cron 28 but have since realised that the Elmarit and Lux have a more beautiful character. I am prepared to accept the loss i will incure from selling the Cron, for a more characterful lens but cannot make up my mind between these two lenses. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, Lucy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 10, 2009 Posted October 10, 2009 Hi shootinglulu, Take a look here Elmarit 24 2.8 or Lux 35.1.4?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
lightpainter Posted October 10, 2009 Share #2 Posted October 10, 2009 Hi, on the M8 I have always found the 2.8/24 asph a wonderful lens to use. I have the 21 asph, the 24 asph, the 2.0/28 asph and the 35lux asph, so I can tell the difference. At the moment, I am thinking about selling either the 21 asph or the 24 asph (both black, coded and with UV/IR filter), because I really don't need both of them. In case you're interested, drop me a line. The difference is not too big, but I found the 24 asph has definitely a special way of "painting" a bit more "impressionist style". The 35lux is kind of "sober" compared to the 24 asph. You'll find a shot I did with the 24 asph below (M8). All in all, I'd get the 24asph if I were you, especially since it comes out as a 35 lens on the M8. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/99687-elmarit-24-28-or-lux-3514/?do=findComment&comment=1069421'>More sharing options...
como Posted October 10, 2009 Share #3 Posted October 10, 2009 I have both lenses and noticed that I am using the 35 lux more than the 24. What I most like about the 35 is the small field of depth. But I am glad I have both lenses and I sure don´t want to sell one of them. I difficult choise for you to make. Co Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_b_elmer Posted October 10, 2009 Share #4 Posted October 10, 2009 If you do not have any other lenses, you should go for the 1.4/35 asph which is the most versatile lens of all Leica lenses for the M8, IMHO. If you have other lenses, the 2.8/24 might be the best choice, depending on which other lens(-es) you have. This lens is really outstanding and the M8's viewfinder has framelines for it. Both are, as you say, wonderful and characterful lenses, so having both make a wonderful combination for the M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danyves Posted October 10, 2009 Share #5 Posted October 10, 2009 Elmarit 2.8/24mm has become my only lens on the M8 (32mm equivalent). Disclosure : I do have too the Lux 1.4/35mm. I do prefer wider and depth of field. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
4X5B&W Posted October 10, 2009 Share #6 Posted October 10, 2009 I have used the 24 2.8 with my M8 for some time now, and just love the FOV and the outstanding edge to edge performance of the lens. I just recently picked up a 35 Lux ASPH, and the look is noticeably different, it is still a very high resolution lens but it has an attractive smoothness to the image. So, the lenses are both excellent, but with distinctively different looks, only you can decide which one is best for you.......or just buy both Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_w Posted October 10, 2009 Share #7 Posted October 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have both lenses and they do indeed have different signatures. The 24 is very detailed -- sometimes amazingly so -- and the 35 has great 'presence'. On the M8 it is a difficult choice if you can only have one of them. The 24 gives you a 32mm EFOV but there are times when I wish it had a faster aperture, especially for interior shots where the wide view makes it the first choice. Since the arrival of competing 24mm lenses there have been a few Elmarits around at very attractive S/H prices. The 35 Lux gives near enough 50mm EFOV which many would be happy with for a 'standard' lens. I think if I only had to choose one it would be the 35 Lux because it gives more versatile options. And if/when an M9 is affordable, it will be the hands-down winner. Cheers Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootinglulu Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted October 10, 2009 Thanks a lot for your help. I guess in a way it would be nice to have both but i can't afford that option at the moment. Also, i'd rather like to keep it simple and have two lenses, wideish and longish. I am selling both my 28 cron and 50 planar because both seem to lack character that i see in plenty of other Leica images. When i got the M8 i bought the 35 summarit and that lens went the same way too, i found it a bit dull. So i've wasted a bit of money by buying the wrong, new, lenses and hope to get it right this time! I think i may go for the Lux and later a 75 length. I've heard a lot about the 35 Lux and i've seen plenty of wonderful shots taken with it. It's harder to tell how the Elmarit looks to me from flickr, ect, for some reason, and there isn't as much info about that lens except some of my favourite photographers here really like it, Steve Huff, Noah Addis(sp?) and others. Honestly, i've enjoyed discovering the beauty of Leica and getting a tad obsessive about the m8 and it's lenses but i've had enough now:mad:, i want to get the right kit and concentrate on taking photo's again! Thanks again, Lucy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted October 10, 2009 Share #9 Posted October 10, 2009 I don't know the 50 Planar, but I own the 28 Cron, and I don't think that it lacks character. Perhaps you should post some shots to show what you mean. Maybe it is a question of processing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delander † Posted October 10, 2009 Share #10 Posted October 10, 2009 I agree with Carsten, many believe that the 28 summicron ASPH is one of Leica's greatest lenses. What doesn't it do for you? Also the 24 elmarit and 35 summilux are rather different lenses, not just in focal length. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnkuo Posted October 10, 2009 Share #11 Posted October 10, 2009 If you can show a sample of what you meant by dull, maybe we'll get a better idea. It could be the lighting condition and/or the raw conversion method. I have 21 asph, 28 cron and 35 lux. They all produce stunning images when the conditions are right. But if I use them to shoot a dull scene, then they reproduce it faithfully as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted October 10, 2009 Share #12 Posted October 10, 2009 Lucy, You've unwittingly opened Pandora's box when you mentioned "character". Quite often, it seems, a lens that is renowned for its character is the result of lens aberrations that cause the resulting photos to produce a particular 'look'. The 35 'Lux non-asph, for example, is well known for this because wide-open it will produce significant halo-ing in bright light that gives an almost luminous look to some shots, which is caused by uncorrected spherical aberration (please refer to my shot below). The asph version of this lens on the other hand has been corrected and will not produce this look. Most modern Leica lenses are so well-designed that the aberrations have been all but eliminated yet they still possess their own character. (Interestingly, the Zeiss 50 f/1.5 Sonnar is renowned for its character so you might have a less expensive alternative there.) I urge you to keep your 28 'Cron because, for me, it is one of the best M lenses ever made; I now normally only use the 28 'Cron and the 50 'Lux asph because of their 'character' although I suspect that your definition may differ from mine. With the 28 'Cron I 'foolishly' tested a second hand copy and it was love at first sight for the smooth changes in microcontrast that I've yet to see matched by any other lens. YMMV. Pete. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/99687-elmarit-24-28-or-lux-3514/?do=findComment&comment=1069848'>More sharing options...
giordano Posted October 10, 2009 Share #13 Posted October 10, 2009 Lucy, I don't think I've seen any of your pictures. You may be a very accomplished photographer wanting to achieve a very particular effect - but in that case you wouldn't be asking for advice about lenses with "beautiful character", you'd be more specific about the problem. So if you can't get results that please you from the excellent lenses you've owned so far, I suspect it may be because your skills don't yet match your vision - in which case yet another change of lens would be of little help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootinglulu Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share #14 Posted October 10, 2009 I was wrong to use the word 'dull'. Rather, i mean that there seems to be a certain look to the above lenses that i haven't seen with my own lenses. I need to become more adept with pp and that would help me for sure. Also i am an absolute amateur photographer and i realise that others could get much more out of my lenses than i can. Giordano, i think you might be right. I see a difference that i like in the Lux 35 and wanted to look into the Elmarit 24 a little more before making up my mind. I usually use a wider lens at home and sitting here on a dark autumn evening, i think the faster 35 1.4 is the lens i'll go for. Thankyou for the help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted October 10, 2009 Share #15 Posted October 10, 2009 Lulu, it's less than 6 months that I took a 24 2,8, and I has been pleasantly surprised of how a wonderful focal to use it is (I refer to M8); BUT there is one drawback : you cannot achieve really significant selective focus effects (and probably this is the real value of the costly 1,4/24); so, if this is a feature you often look for in your pics... well 35 1,4 can be surely another matter (no direct experience... I have a 35 1,4 but is a very old un-asph version... barely usable at 1,4) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootinglulu Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share #16 Posted October 10, 2009 Hi. Yes, i think i do love the wide open look off fast lenses so have decided on the 35 1.4... i think! Thanks a lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted October 10, 2009 Share #17 Posted October 10, 2009 Hi. Yes, i think i do love the wide open look off fast lenses so have decided on the 35 1.4... i think! Thanks a lot. Lucy, You might like to consider the Voigtlander 35 f/1.2 Nokton, which is an excellent lens for much less money. The Nokton also has character, particularly in colour photos. Mine exhibits no focus shift or back focus that can be a problem with the 35 Summilux asph. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootinglulu Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share #18 Posted October 10, 2009 Thankyou, i have been reading about that lens this evening and i really like the look of some shots, it has 'character'! Thanks very much for your help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted October 11, 2009 Share #19 Posted October 11, 2009 Keep in mind two things, when considering the Nokton vs. the Lux ASPH: - The Lux ASPH is known for focus shift. If you want to get a good copy, you need to test. Put the camera on a tripod, focus until it is perfect wide open, then stop down and take more shots at f/2, f/2.8 and f/4. If they are all sharp in the place you focused, buy it. If not, don't. It is worth finding a good copy, but could take more than one try. - The Nokton is a very large lens, similar in size to the 50 Noctilux. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaay Posted October 11, 2009 Share #20 Posted October 11, 2009 Lucy, may I add another vote for keeping your 28 cron - especially if you ever intend to buy an M9 in the future as most people won't want wider than 28mm on full frame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.