Canon 28mm f3.5 or f2.8 on Leica M - Anyone one using one?

[Deleted member 65559]

Thank you Yossi. I could happily live with the Canon 3.5

 

[yossi]

Thank you Yossi. I could happily live with the Canon 3.5

Yes, the Canon 3.5 is a nice lens. Compact, well built and (stopped down a bit) quite good image quality.
Here is one shot on TMY, probably mid-aperture f8?

 

[Coldkennels]

I happen to have all the three 28mm lenses mentioned above: Canon 28/3.5 chrome, Canon 28/2.8 chrome, and VC28/3.5 black.

I took some random test shots with each lens on M9M out of my window and attach three similar pictures here for your comparison. (All at f3.5)

[photos removed]

So who is the fairer of them?

Interesting comparison. My first reaction was to say the VC was my favourite, the f/3.5 Canon next, then the f/2.8 Canon in a distant last.

Looking again (and much closer): the f/2.8 seems sharper and more detailed in the centre, but the edge sharpness is awful. The f/3.5 is slightly worse in the centre but much more even overall.

Is the edge performance on the f/2.8 Canon characteristic of the lens or is it just poor performance on digital? I know my Canon 35/1.8 looks similarly bad when I use it on my Fuji X bodies, regardless of aperture.

 

[Calzone]

Interesting comparison. My first reaction was to say the VC was my favourite, the f/3.5 Canon next, then the f/2.8 Canon in a distant last.

Looking again (and much closer): the f/2.8 seems sharper and more detailed in the centre, but the edge sharpness is awful. The f/3.5 is slightly worse in the centre but much more even overall.

Is the edge performance on the f/2.8 Canon characteristic of the lens or is it just poor performance on digital? I know my Canon 35/1.8 looks similarly bad when I use it on my Fuji X bodies, regardless of aperture.

CK,

I would think on film the differences would be smaller. Also the Canon lenses have a retro rendering for sure.

In my case I use a 28 Cron V1 on my Monochrom…

Depends…

Cal

 

[neal3k]

Maybe not a Leica M but for me, a Leica Standard or IIIf, the Canon 28mm f/3.5 is my go to lens for infrared paired with a 720nm infrared filter. I shoot a lot of infrared and over the years, have mostly settled on the Canon lens. JCH Streetpan 400 film.

Quonset Infrared by Neal Wellons, on Flickr

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Very nice Neal.
I'm well on the way, I just found a very nice Leica SLOOZ black with both box & leather case!...

 

[aizan]

I'll have the sharpness of the Color-Skopar with the tonality of the Canon 28/2.8, please.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I'll have the sharpness of the Color-Skopar with the tonality of the Canon 28/2.8, please.

Wouldn't that be nice.......
I had a '34 35mm Elmar 3.5....that was killer stopped down. If i need to shoot wide open occasionally, i can accept the results.

 

[james.liam]

As a side note, the Color Skopar 28mm f3.5 can be found in Nikon rangefinder mount for much less than the LTM version.

.....i don't have any Nikons..... just Leica M.

Just get an Amedeo adapter. Head Bartender is selling them again.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Just get an Amedeo adapter. Head Bartender is selling them again.

To me that doesn't make financial sense....nor from a perspective of size....
I'm going to go with the Canon LTM plan

 

[Mackinaw]

I took this earlier today with my Canon 28/3.5. Eastman 5222-XX in Rodinal. F5.6.





Jim B.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Thank you. Much appreciated

 

[Coldkennels]

Just get an Amedeo adapter. Head Bartender is selling them again.

The VC 28/3.5 in Nikon mount won't fit on a Leica via the Amedeo; the rangefinder arm in the Leica's mount gets in the way of the back of the lens. You'd only be able to use it on a Leica Standard, Ic, MD, MD-2, etc.: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/node/81416

 

[Livesteamer]

If the LTM Color Skopar is going for $700, for that much money you could buy the lens in Nikon rangefinder mount and have enough money left over to buy a Nikon S2 or possibly even an S3.to use it on.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

If the LTM Color Skopar is going for $700, for that much money you could buy the lens in Nikon rangefinder mount and have enough money left over to buy a Nikon S2 or possibly even an S3.to use it on.

Yes, but I have a simpler outlook..... a 28mm for my M4

 

[Livesteamer]

The Canon 28mm f3.5 is a fine lens and can be found at reasonable prices. Probably your best bet but there are also 28's from Komura, Acall and Avenon that are supposed to be good and sometimes can be found at good prices. Good Luck.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Thanks, I've seen the Avenon lenses in Japan. I've eliminated the others. The Canon will do the trick for me...I'm now just casting around Ebay for one without fungus and/or haze. I had a couple of the Color-Skopars, and liked the build quality and sharpness, but i'm looking for something with a less modern character. I did luck out finding a black SLOOZ finder though!

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Here are a couple of test photos with my recently acquired Canon 28mm f2.8 LTM. It's pretty much as described.... soft wide open and sharpens up rapidly. These two photos are at f8. I was burning off some older Arista 400 film, no filter, Pyrocat HD, prints on Ilford Classic FB. I like the way the lens handles the subtle contrast in the rusty artwork. I'm looking forward to some better light once january is over and making some more meaningful photographs on FP4 & TMY2 i can enlarge to 11x14" to see how the results look. I doubt i'll use it wide open except in a pinch when the light is low. The lens vignettes wide open, so my 40-40.5 step up ring and lenshood don't work. I just ordered a 40mm medium yellow filter from Fotoimpex....no one else seems to have 40mm. except a very few old Canon filters on Ebay.

 

[raid]

The Canon 28mm f3.5 is a fine lens and can be found at reasonable prices. Probably your best bet but there are also 28's from Komura, Acall and Avenon that are supposed to be good and sometimes can be found at good prices. Good Luck.

You may have meant to also include the Kobalux 28/3.5 ltm. It is a very good 28mm lens. I sold off my Canon 28/3.5 ltm and kept the Kobalux and the Rokkor-M 28/2.8M.

 

[raid]

incorrect post by me