Irrational 28mm GAS

[richard_l]

I've got this horrible sinking feeling that I'm headed down a slippery slope toward the ZI 28mm/2.8 Biogon. Does anyone have this lens? Please tell me it's no good and that I would be making a terrible mistake if I go there. (I have a CV 28mm Ultron, which is really wonderful, but it's too big.) TIA.

 

[Nick R.]

I'm on the same slope. Tell me how great the CV Ultron is so I don't buy the Biogon. The Zeiss looks like the perfect size for an M camera.

 

[peter_n]

Well to help you guys along, there are some fantastic pictures from London taken with this lens in the gallery here. Don't remember who took them but they are really excellent.

Its clearly a cracker of a lens!

Hope you found these comments helpful. 🙂

 

[Rico]

I've got this horrible sinking feeling that I'm headed down a slippery slope toward the ZI 28mm/2.8 Biogon. ...

Consider yourself lucky: my slippery slope leads to a Summicron-M 28 ASPH! I'm attempting to distract myself with pretty (and much cheaper) LTM trinkets.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

This might help you: only the 50mm and the 85mm are the ones made in Germany by Zeiss; the others are made by Cosina.

So either way, you're getting a Cosina lens! One says Voigtlaender, the other says Zeiss.

 

[rover]

I am absolutely happy with my 28 Ultron. It has cured me of my ZM cravings.

 

[richard_l]

Its clearly a cracker of a lens!

Hope you found these comments helpful. 🙂

$%#^&#@!&*^%$%#@ 😡

 

[Dan States]

For extra measure take a look at the MTF data for the 25....It appears to be on the "best lens ever" list...

I have the Biogon 35 and it's performance matches the MTF graphs...outstanding almost to the corners and no distortion. If the 25 lives up to the graphs it is out of this world.

I am constantly amazed at the flare resistance of my Biogon....I can't imagine ever needing a hood for this lens, which is nice since they cost an arm and a leg.

best wishes
Dan

 

[peter_n]

$%#^&#@!&*^%$%#@ 😡

Thought you would find that helpful. 😀

So here's a bit more help: a search on the gallery using the term Biogon 28. Doesn't include the pics I was thinking about but some pretty neat pictures there though! You definitely won't want the lens when you see these... 😉

Zeiss 28mm pics from the RFF gallery

 

[richard_l]

So here's a bit more help: a search on the gallery using the term Biogon 28. Doesn't include the pics I was thinking about but some pretty neat pictures there though! You definitely won't want the lens when you see these.

It's hopeless. Assuming that the ZM version is as good as the G, I'm doomed.

 

[Doug]

I'm with Rico. While the 28mm Biogon seems to be the smallest of the Z-I bunch, it may not be all that much smaller than the 28 Ultron. If you want small and good and fast, drool over the 28 Summicron, and maybe settle for the equally small/good f/2.8 Elmarit. 😀

 

[Palaeoboy]

"This might help you: only the 50mm and the 85mm are the ones made in Germany by Zeiss; the others are made by Cosina.

So either way, you're getting a Cosina lens! One says Voigtlaender, the other says Zeiss."

Sorry Gabrielma, its the 15mm and 85mm not the 50mm that are made in germany. To also imply that the 28 Biogon is just another Cosina lens is simply false. Its completely a Zeiss design.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Sorry Gabrielma, its the 15mm and 85mm not the 50mm that are made in germany. To also imply that the 28 Biogon is just another Cosina lens is simply false. Its completely a Zeiss design.

I had read it was the 50 and the 85; but the 15 makes sense, considering the design. I guess I've been a victim of Internet-fed misinformation, and Zeiss is not helping, for they are not making this sort of data readily available. The whole Schneider/Kyocera/Contax/Yashica thing is entangling enough, just like a bad Friends episode.

 

[tom_f77]

I've got this horrible sinking feeling that I'm headed down a slippery slope toward the ZI 28mm/2.8 Biogon. Does anyone have this lens? Please tell me it's no good and that I would be making a terrible mistake if I go there. (I have a CV 28mm Ultron, which is really wonderful, but it's too big.) TIA.

This is funny! It was your post here http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11852
that cured my smaller 28 gas. I didn't realise it had just moved to a new host...

I also spent many hours printing from 35 rolls of film and decided the 28 Ultron was better than the 35, and that it was the 35 that should be replaced if anything (testing in progress).

What about the 25 Biogon? It's not that much bigger than the 28, still smaller than the Ultron, and at least it's a bit wider as well!

Tom

 

[richard_l]

This is funny! It was your post here http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11852
that cured my smaller 28 gas. I didn't realise it had just moved to a new host...

The more I use 28mm the better I like it. I may just keep the Ultron anyhow, since it's so good optically and mechanically, and forget the Zeiss. The Ultron is still small compared to most of my Nikkor SLR lenses.

What about the 25 Biogon? It's not that much bigger than the 28, still smaller than the Ultron, and at least it's a bit wider as well!

For me, camera angle is too critical at 25mm. It's too easy to get exaggerated perspective when I don't want it. 28mm is right at the limit of my comfort zone. Of course, that could change.

 

[richard_l]

I'm with Rico. While the 28mm Biogon seems to be the smallest of the Z-I bunch, it may not be all that much smaller than the 28 Ultron. If you want small and good and fast, drool over the 28 Summicron, and maybe settle for the equally small/good f/2.8 Elmarit. 😀

Yes, there's less than 1 cm difference in length between the Biogon and Ultron. The smallest Elmarit is only about 2 mm longer than the Biogon. An Elmarit is certainly another possibility. However, it would be very nice to have at least one high quality Zeiss lens for my Leicas, and the Biogon reinforces my belief that high performance equipment need not be priced out of sight.

In any case I need to put major purchases on hold for awhile, since I have a whopping big property tax bill due in January. 😡

 

[Doug]

The 28 Biogon is actually a bit shorter than the Elmarit? That IS small, and I'm surprised. Good for them! And if that lens performs like my Contax-G Biogon 28mm it's a honey!

 

[peter_n]

I have to say that I'm set with the lenses I have and I have no real desire to change. I think you need to know the lenses you work with and chopping and changing a lot doesn't help that. In the case of the 28mm I have a Konica M-Hexanon and I just don't see any sense in changing it for something else.

 

[Doug]

A most sensible approach, Peter... Aided by careful consideration of one's needs, and a willingness to go for quality at the outset. I probably erred in getting the lovely little 28 Skopar, as it didn't solve the speed problem, and I should have been more patient and worked on getting the Summicron instead. It could have come sooner without that diversion to the Skopar... (A Hexanon? I thought you had an Elmarit?)

 

[peter_n]

No I have an M-Hexanon, bought from RFF member laptoprob (Rob Spoon). I understand that the construction of the lens is very close to the Elmarit however... I think Francisco has an Elmarit, I know he passed on the lens I got, and as I recall he got an Elmarit and I got the M-Hex. I think I got the best deal... 😉