28/1.9 Ultron

richard_l

richard_l

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I just got this lens recently from Steven Gandy, so there are no pictures from it to show yet. So far what I'm most impressed with is the fit and finish, which is extraordinary! It really seems to be as carefully constructed as any of my four Leitz/Leica lenses (35/2.8 Summaron, 50/2.8 Elmar (latest version), 50/2 Summicron (latest version), 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit). I have no doubt that it will be optically excellent as well. I'm using it on a Leica M6, and I'm having fun!
 
Love to se some examples, everybody talks about this lens but there are very few pics posted with it.

Todd
 
Todd.Hanz said:
Love to se some examples, everybody talks about this lens but there are very few pics posted with it.

Todd
Click to expand...

I suspect this is due to the fact that very few viewfinders have a 28mm frame . . .
 
Any Leica body with 0.72 magnification has the framelines for the 28mm lens. And, not to mention those with 0.58 mag, which are made for use with wide-angle glass.

However... sometimes I feel that 28mm is, actually, too wide yet not enough for rangefinder photography. At times, 35mm feels like wide enough to know what's in the frame, whereas 28mm is, in fact, overwhelmingly wide, but not as appealing as 24mm. I don't know... Sometimes I think I'd like to have it, there are times when 35mm is just enough.

In any case, this lens is always drawing "oohs" and "aaahs", yet I haven't seen photos taken with it. Please, richard_l, hurry and post something here! :)

Thanks for the review!
 
For street shooting I really like a 24mm (have one on my Nikon F) but you need to be pretty close to your subject to get that wide feeling to your images.

Richard_l, you're in the spotlight now...........give us some pics man!

Todd
 
Update

Update

This lens is fairly bulky and obstructs a sizeable chunk of the viewfinder. That gets tiresome fast, so I tried using a CV 28mm finder. The view is almost perfect, and the framelines are much easier to see than those of the M6. Here is a snapshot of my M2 equipped with the lens and finder.
 
Here are some photos that I have taken with the 28mm ultron. It really is built very well. I liked the lens a lot, but I just sold it. I found that I always used either the 21mm f/4 or my 35 lux ASPH. I just could not make proper use of the 28mm field of view.

buddha-mists.jpg


chusan-ji-mon.jpg


presidio.jpg
 
Thanks, Richard. Nice shots, and it looks like you did some traveling in the short time you had the lens. I particularly value your comment about viewfinder intrusion, and using the external finder. Figuring this would be the case, I've been more interested in the 28mm Summicron. Too bad it's so pricy!
 
Actually, you seem to be confusing us. I think Richard still has the lens. For what it is worth, I did not notice any major intrusion in the viewfinder....then again, I use a 75 summilux often, and even that does not bother me...
 
Just looking at your pictures though I can see where a 21 and 28 are very different fields of view. I think you made real good use of the 28, and of course it is better for general use. The 21 excels, in my eyes, in much more intimate situations, very very close. I would think they can both fit in a kit. Perhaps the conflict was more the 28/35 closeness than 21/28.
 
I've just shot my first roll through my 21/4, and I agree. In most situations the 21/4 is just too wide; it adds too much marginal stuff, and detracts from the composition. But I can definitely see how it would be a valuable focal length in intimate situations.

rover said:
Just looking at your pictures though I can see where a 21 and 28 are very different fields of view. I think you made real good use of the 28, and of course it is better for general use. The 21 excels, in my eyes, in much more intimate situations, very very close. I would think they can both fit in a kit. Perhaps the conflict was more the 28/35 closeness than 21/28.
Click to expand...
 
StuartR said:
Here are some photos that I have taken with the 28mm ultron. It really is built very well. I liked the lens a lot, but I just sold it. I found that I always used either the 21mm f/4 or my 35 lux ASPH. I just could not make proper use of the 28mm field of view.
Click to expand...
Nice Photos.

What I'm trying to do is get my normal, everyday kit down to two lenses. I'm addicted to 50mm, so I thought that 50mm and 28mm would be a more versatile spread of focal lengths than 50mm and 35mm.
 
My own experience with the 21 is that it is a demanding lens and not the "all-round" wide that you could argue a 28 or 35 are. However there are people who do remarkably well with a 21 in diverse situations. Take a look at the link below. Most of the pictures in that gallery are taken with a CV 21mm/f4 and they are very good (I believe Alan is a member here too).

Alan Soon's photo.net gallery

 
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