28mm F2 vs F2.8 on M9 body

[pixelgeek]

Hi everyone,
I am currently in the marketing for a 28mm. I originally leaning towards F2.8 for it's size and price, but having 2nd thoughts after reading much reviews and a bit concern about the higher contrast.
Does anyone have test shots from these 2 lenses done on a M9? I would love to see the test results side by side.

thanks
Roger

 

[Doug]

Roger, in context I take it you're referring to the Leica 28 Elmarit ASPH and 28 Summicron ASPH? I've not used the Elmarit, but I do have the Summicron, used on an M8, not M9. The Summicron is widely praised for its lovely rendition on dRF cameras, and for me it's the near-perfect one-lens walkabout solution. I think Sean Reid will soon have a comparison of "three fast 28mm rangefinder lenses tested on the Leica M9" at his subscription site... http://www.reidreviews.com

 

[pixelgeek]

I tested a 2 months old 28mm Summicron yesterday but was disappointed at the result. All the shots at f2, and f2.8 were soft. I have never used 28 Summicron before, so I have no reference point. That's why I would like to see some test shots.

 

[250swb]

I tested a 2 months old 28mm Summicron yesterday but was disappointed at the result. All the shots at f2, and f2.8 were soft. I have never used 28 Summicron before, so I have no reference point. That's why I would like to see some test shots.

Soft!!

There is something wrong there. The 28mm Summicron Asph is one of Leica's very best lenses on all fronts, and soft it isn't. Its rendering beats the pants off maybe all but three other M lenses.

Steve

 

[deirdre]

I've only used the 2.8. Now I had a corneal scratch in my "good" eye the day I went to the Leica Akademie, so with that caveat, here's the photos I took that day with the 28mm Elmarit on an M9. If it helps, feel free to download them; they're almost all straight out of camera, but a couple have been cropped.

I prefer high saturation, so I did set it medium high.

 

[Lss]

The 28mm Summicron is luring me. If I can get the money, I think I will buy it later this year.

 

[Fraser]

28mm Summicron is my main walk about lens for my M8 its super sharp even wide open thats why I bought it.

 

[sepiareverb]

I'm using both at the moment- the Summicron is my preferred 28, but that Elmarit is so dang tiny. It's hard to beat the compact size sometimes. Perhaps slightly more contrast in the Elmarit, but that's easily remedied in PP. Either one is a star.

I like the handling of the Summicron much better- that tiny Elmarit makes me feel clumsy at times.

 

[pixelgeek]

Yes, the summicron I tried was soft at f2, 2.8. It only starts to appear sharp at f4. That's why I didn't buy it. It's only 2 months old, and the seller had original sale receipt to prove it. I have had in total of 7 different M lenses in last 20 yrs, and I have never seen one that soft. Can a M lens go out of focus like that? I dont think its my M9, it's only 1 week old, and all the images from my lenses are sharp. Is there a way to tune the focus on the lens?

Thks for the input and the samples.

 

[pixelgeek]

I'm using both at the moment- the Summicron is my preferred 28, but that Elmarit is so dang tiny. It's hard to beat the compact size sometimes. Perhaps slightly more contrast in the Elmarit, but that's easily remedied in PP. Either one is a star.

I like the handling of the Summicron much better- that tiny Elmarit makes me feel clumsy at times.

How much more contrast is the elmarit? Is it missing highlight detail?

 

[sepiareverb]

I dont think its my M9, it's only 1 week old, and all the images from my lenses are sharp.

That would lead me to believe it is the lens.

Here is one from last evening, f2.0:

The pole is crisp right to the edges of the frame, despite some vignetting.

And another recent one with the 2.8 ASPH at 2.8 I'm guessing, because I remember I was shooting at 1/12th of a second.

Both M9.

 

[pixelgeek]

Thks Sepiareverb. These are sharp images. Do you have photos of a same scene that was shot with both lenses? The pic of the snow boards is more contrast and punchy, but thats due to the bright colors.

As for the soft 28 summicron, I may be able to call the seller tomorrow and do another test. It's still under Leica warranty, I may call leica on monday to see if the focus can be adjusted.

 

[Livesteamer]

I'm a film guy so this is a little off topic but my 28 Summicron is a sharp, wonderful lens at any aperature. It always gives me wonderful images whether inside wide open or outside in landscapes. Isn't film more forgiving of back focus (I think that's the right term) as film has some thickness but digital is an exact, finite plane. Joe

 

[sepiareverb]

Yeah, it was pretty late in the day when I shot the phone pole. I don't generally do tests like that- tho there are some B&W things somewhere I did a while back. You might search through my photobucket stuff and find them.

It is not unknown for Leica lenses to leave Solms with something wrong...

 

[viramati]

can't say anything about the 2.8 but the 28 cron has got to be one of the sharpest and best lens in the leica pack. I use it all the time for street and landscape work on the M9

 

[Rogier]

Owning since only a few months a Elmarit 28mm / F 2.8 asph
Its a beautiful lens, compact, well build etc etc.
However I am not blown away by the images I get from it. I have rented a Zeiss Biogon 25mm and bought a 35mm. Both of them gave me the look I like. They are sharper and have more contrast.
When processing the raw images in Aperture I always' end up bumping up contrast and definition on the images taken with the Elmarit lens..
Some might find that look to "aggressive" but its what my preference is. And so do many of the viewers of my images who don't know a thing about what lens was used...

Will see how things develop in the near future, but I might end up selling my Elmarit 28mm for more Zeiss glass.

Check my Flickr site where I have created albums of the various lenses used on the same M8.

 

[pixelgeek]

Thanks for all your input...
At the moment, non of Leica dealers in Toronto have 28mm in stock. I think I will wait till they have them in stock and try both lens out and make my decision then.

 

[thompsonks]

IMO it's a mistake to try to compare lenses by looking at a few shots on the Internet. Better to consult Sean Reid's reviews, which show as much as can be seen on the Internet & then offer experienced & well-thought-out appraisals.

My own experience was that the Elmarit proved to be expensive! I didn't like the slow aperture & high contrast, so I sold it at a loss to buy a Summicron.

There are plenty of Elmarits on sale here in the classifieds & at DPI. People seem to want to get rid of them, probably because they originally sold as 'starter' lenses on M8. That's why I bought one – the only Summicron in the store had a hold on it, so I took what was available when I first acquired an M8.

Kirk