28mm elmarit for M8

[Fraser]

Now that I have an M8, was thinking about getting a 28mm elamarit 2.8 the older one. I have at the moment my old sumillux 35mm 1.4 on it and find the field of view a bit tight, but my main gripe with the lens is the controls are a bit small to use in a rush especially the aperture ring when the hood is on, are the controls on the elamarit a bit more user friendly?
Cheers.
Or I could go for a Zeiss.

 

[sepiareverb]

The V2 Elmarit is easy on the hands. Big enough to adjust easily. The IR filter from the Summilux will work on the V2, if you have the proper hood- the Summilux hood won't fit on the 28 V2. The IR filter is the bear, for the lens needs it with the M8, even in Auto WB- and the hood is hard to find.

M8 w/28 V2, no IR filter:

(These coats are not so magenta- this is a straight opening of the DNG- and a tad over exposed it looks like)

The V3 & V4 are quite like the modern lenses in the hand- same kind of knurling etc, and take 46mm filters- much cheaper than the hood for the V2 can be.

I don't think the V1 Elmarit will meter with the M8, and maybe shouldn't be mounted?? Not entirely sure about that.

 

[sepiareverb]

Here is a pretty straight file from the M9 with the 28/2.8 V2, at 2.8 or 4 max:

And a crop of the upper left corner:

 

[k.a]

i have a 28mm elmarit asph and i'm very pleased with that one. extreamly sharp and high contrast. it is very small and light and handles well. since they are not all that more expensive bougth used maybe that could be an option? you will need a cooded lens or you will get cyan/magenta drifts in the corners

 

[sepiareverb]

The new Elmarit ASPH is wonderful on the M8 (on any M), but it is quite tiny as well- bigger than the 35/1.4, but not by much. Aperture ring can be a bit fiddly in the same way as the 35/1.4.

28/2.8 ASPH on M8.2:

 

[leicashot]

Never seen proof the newer models are any sharper than the V3 model I have. Smaller size? Yes. More contrast? Maybe

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94625

 

[ramosa]

on my M8, i use the new elmarit 28mm and like it, including its IQ, size and function. it is sharp, with a fairly standard rendering. (that's the new one, though.)

 

[sepiareverb]

The V4 I had was pretty darn contrasty.

 

[jaapv]

I think the Elmarit 28 version III is the best match for the M9 in terms of resolution and contrast. I use it very happily. 🙂 This happens to be on the M8, my M9 is in hospital..🙁

 

[Fraser]

I was thinking about the non-aspherical one is that what you guys are talking about?

 

[robklurfield]

I have the current asph 28. I haven't owned another 28, so I have nothing to compare it to in terms of other versions, but I will say that it's fast and easy to handle with the controls easy to manipulate. and, I love the results I can get with it.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I used the 28/2.8 V3 elmarit for the first time on the M8 this weekend.

Very easy to use, aperture ring is big and easy to adjust be feel.

 

[jaapv]

I was thinking about the non-aspherical one is that what you guys are talking about?

Yes - of the pre-asphericals the version 3 and 4 are the most interesting ones. I personally prefer the third version.

 

[Ben Z]

The Version 4 has been my mainstay lens on the M8 all along. There is absolutely nothing I can say against it. It is so flare-resistant, even with the IR filter on I was able to put the huge hood in a drawer (an advantage in terms of unobstructing the viewfinder). If all else had been equal I would have preferred the ASPH version for its size, but I couldn't resist the price of this particular V.4 (due to a tiny, tiny coating mark from the previous owner, who believed Leica coatings were so tough a protective filter was of no use). I did have a V.3 at one time, long ago, and recall it was physically longer, and a little wider, and intruded more into the finder than the V.4.

Now with the M9 I'm back to where I was with the M6, not feeling the love of a 28mm due to being unable to see the frame all at once. I used to use a clip-on finder, but frankly prefer to use a 21 and then skip to a 35.

 

[peewee]

Can any one tell me, what is a fair price for the pre asph versions?
Thanks

 

[jaapv]

I would say 700-1000 Euro.

 

[peewee]

Thankyou Jaap.

 

[peewee]

sorry, another question. Please can you tell me, how do v3 and v4 differ?
Thanks.

 

[leicashot]

V4 has smaller filter size of 46v49 and slightly smaller size. Other than that there is no documented proof or examples proving an improvement in performance. I'd be surprised if there was.

 

[peewee]

Thankyou very much.
ANOTHER question, sorry...which version is sn 25224785 ? I read somewhere that this lens has beautiful glow.
I know 'glow' is rather contentious but i owned a 50 Lux pre asph once that i regret selling, it was beautiful and really did have glow and i'm looking for that look again in the 28 fov if possible.
Thanks a lot.
Lucy