b.espahbod
Optophile
Definitely Elmarit-M 28mm 2.8 PreAsph. E46 top performer but ASPH version is smaller and E39.
Summaron 28 5.6 is a sweety of slow lens is ok for you.
Summaron 28 5.6 is a sweety of slow lens is ok for you.
Leica 28mm recomendations.
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notturtle
Well-known
How many actual prints have you seen (in the flesh)?
I own the 35 biogon, the 50 planar, the 28 and the 21 2.8 and they are not a million times better than the 28. The 28 performs superbly in all respects and produces indistinguishable prints. It is a hair weaker in outer field than the 35/21 and can be made to flare, but it has flared relatively rarely and I would say still up there with the best of most other lines. Its just that the rest of the ZMs are simply better than anything I have ever experienced so the bar is particularly high! I have gotten my 28 to flare shooting with the Afghan sun just in/out of the frame, even with hood on, but there are plenty of very well reknowned lenses that would be struggle under less arduous conditions.
Lets put it this way, I use the 28 more than my 35 biogon these days and I would not be happy doing that if it was not a very strong performer. Its a great lens and probably more flare resistant than many revered lenses like the v4 35 cron or 28 v4.
Those who own the 28 tend to speak pretty highly about them. Mine produces flawless prints as large as I would ever want to print and although under a magnifying glass the 35 may be stronger in the outer field, it does not seem to affect real prints viewd with the naked eye, esp a stop or two down. If the 28 performed as well with flare as the 35 it would have been better admittedly, but in that department it is certainly not bad, not even 'so-so' but instead merely 'very good.'
ramosa
B&W
i have the elmarit 28/2 asph. i have been quite happy with it, though (per my shooting style) my 50mm lens is normally on my camera. the elmarit 28 is sharp, quite light, and can be found at a good price (relative to other leica lenses).
bhop73
Well-known
28mm is probably the next lens i'll buy for my M, so this thread is interesting.
However, i'm curious why nobody's mentioning the CV Ultron 28/2 m-mount? Is it a bad lens or something?
However, i'm curious why nobody's mentioning the CV Ultron 28/2 m-mount? Is it a bad lens or something?
Roma
Well-known
Elmarit IV is the best lens I've used. I just wish it went to f2.0 🙂
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
I've been very happy with my Elmarit 28mm v III. Yes, it's big, but if you have big hands and a lens hood with a cutout, the viewfinder block isn't too bad. Besides, you can have one for a song... 🙂 And that, for a Leica, is something. 😉
Tim Gray
Well-known
I've heard good thing about the CV 28/2. As I sprung for the Leica 28/2, I haven't read as much about them. Though you might find some written about it in the CV forum. Also, it's the newest M mount 28 out there, so less people have probably used them.
photophorous
Registered User
Well, it's the only 28mm RF lens I've had and it doesn't have a fancy name on it, but I'm very impressed with the tiny CV 28/3.5.
Paul
Paul
Leica All Day
Veteran
Hey Guys....I am happy with my 28mm vIII too, as far as image quality goes, but I am not a fan of the how the lens hood attaches to the body. There are those two metal posts on the lens that the shade mounts on...I think it is a week design and I have had problems with one of the posts for many years.....I even talked to Sherry K. about it a long time ago and she told me what to do, but to be honest, it sucks and I got tired of it coming loose, so I have been using only one post on the lens for the last 6 years, and so far, so good.......that said, I love the performance of the lens....I will probably never sell the thing, but if I had to buy another 28mm, it would be the v4 or the 2.8asph....here it is wide open on tri-x
Pakistan......Doctors Without Borders tent
oh, and by the way...I used the 28mm most often out of all my lenses for the last 6-7 years, that is up until the last 4 months when I bought the 35mm 1.2 nokton, now my 28mm elmarit rarely gets used at all...quite a shame actually.....it has produced wonderfull images for me....cheers, michael
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BobPS
Established
I'm really happy with my 28 elmarit ASPH, it's compact, small, sharp and I love the color rendering.
Bob
Bob
SolaresLarrave
My M5s need red dots!
Wow, Michael... you really know how to use this lens! 🙂 Thanks for posting that excellent image.
Leica All Day
Veteran
hey thanks for the compliment....I really should use it more...after posting that picture earlier today, I started to think about why I don't use it more often....and it's because of the nokton 1.2....I think it is a fad that I have been going through (the nokton is the only 35mm focal length lens that I have ever owned)...but after looking more at that photo from Pakistan and this one from India..I am going to put the nokton down for a little bit and take out the 28mm more often and have some fun.....this is one of my favorite photos taken with the 28....
New Delhi....India....on tri-x
cheers, michael
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Hey Guys....I am happy with my 28mm vIII too, as far as image quality goes, but I am not a fan of the how the lens hood attaches to the body. There are those two metal posts on the lens that the shade mounts on...I think it is a week design and I have had problems with one of the posts for many years.....I even talked to Sherry K. about it a long time ago and she told me what to do, but to be honest, it sucks and I got tired of it coming loose, so I have been using only one post on the lens for the last 6 years, and so far, so good.......that said, I love the performance of the lens....I will probably never sell the thing, but if I had to buy another 28mm, it would be the v4 or the 2.8asph....here it is wide open on tri-x
Pakistan......Doctors Without Borders tent
oh, and by the way...I used the 28mm most often out of all my lenses for the last 6-7 years, that is up until the last 4 months when I bought the 35mm 1.2 nokton, now my 28mm elmarit rarely gets used at all...quite a shame actually.....it has produced wonderfull images for me....cheers, michael
Beautiful pictures Michael!
Did you ever try the small VC 28mm f/3.5? It is not a speed king, but a very impressive performer.
Erik.
Leica All Day
Veteran
Hey thanks Erik......no, I haven't. I have never tried any other 28mm focal length lens ever...my 28mm elmarit was the first 28mm the lens that I have ever bought....... I don't think i have ever seen photos from the vc 28mm 3.5.......now I am curious to see what I am missing......cheers, michael
Tim Gray
Well-known
The CV 28/3.5 is a great lens. It's so tiny and affordable. Has a good look too. I need to use mine more.
dfoo
Well-known
I love my 28/3.5. I used to have the 28/1.9 which I also liked, however, I found the viewfinder blocking very objectionable. In addition, it flared like crazy.
benmacphoto
Well-known
The 28 3.5 is a great lens. And its great when it comes to compactness.
28 f3.5 Voigtlander vs 28 f2.8 Biogon
28 f3.5 Voigtlander vs 28 f2.8 Biogon
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I still have my 28f2.8 vIII. I bought it new in 1981 and it was one of my main lenses when we lived in Paris in 1982/83. It was then the best 28 I could find and it is still a good performer.
Some of the new "glass" out there is maybe better overall (28f2 Summicron, the Nokton 28f2). I also had the 28f2.8 IV and it is probably one of the best of the Leica 28's. I traded it off in a weak moment - and have regretted it since. The store looked at my vIII and decided that it was worth very little (heavy use too put it mildly) so the IV went.
The new 28f2.8 Asph Elmarit is very good - I haven't shot that much with it, but it looks good. I found it a bit weak in the edges at 2.8 - but very good stopped down.
The Biogon 28f2.8 is fine, but I think it is the "weakest" lens in the ZM line-up. Not bad - but a bit "boring".
My all time favourite 28 is actually the 28f3.5 VC. Amazing performance in black/white. Small and compact and with a tonal rendition that is different from any of the other (which explains why I have 3 of them!!!!).
The VC 28f1.9 is actually a good lens, but as most asphericals (Leica's included) it is sensitive to flare - and it is also a big bugger to haul around. Wide open it rivals the Summicron 28 and the Nokton 28.
Some of the new "glass" out there is maybe better overall (28f2 Summicron, the Nokton 28f2). I also had the 28f2.8 IV and it is probably one of the best of the Leica 28's. I traded it off in a weak moment - and have regretted it since. The store looked at my vIII and decided that it was worth very little (heavy use too put it mildly) so the IV went.
The new 28f2.8 Asph Elmarit is very good - I haven't shot that much with it, but it looks good. I found it a bit weak in the edges at 2.8 - but very good stopped down.
The Biogon 28f2.8 is fine, but I think it is the "weakest" lens in the ZM line-up. Not bad - but a bit "boring".
My all time favourite 28 is actually the 28f3.5 VC. Amazing performance in black/white. Small and compact and with a tonal rendition that is different from any of the other (which explains why I have 3 of them!!!!).
The VC 28f1.9 is actually a good lens, but as most asphericals (Leica's included) it is sensitive to flare - and it is also a big bugger to haul around. Wide open it rivals the Summicron 28 and the Nokton 28.
notturtle
Well-known
Tom,
The 28 may be the weakest ZM wide, but the prints essentially look the same as the others, with identical contrast, tones etc, so I wonder why you think it boring but lrave about the others. It fits seamlessly into the line and interestingly, looking at the photodo site recently, I noticed the same off axis drop off in performance on the V4 elmarit as shown on the Zeiss MTFs for the 28 (compared to the 21/25)... and you don't hear people complaining about weak off axis performance with the V4! I certainly struggle to pick the shots from the 28/35 biogons on prints with angle of view being the more useful clue than resolution.
The 28 may be the weakest ZM wide, but the prints essentially look the same as the others, with identical contrast, tones etc, so I wonder why you think it boring but lrave about the others. It fits seamlessly into the line and interestingly, looking at the photodo site recently, I noticed the same off axis drop off in performance on the V4 elmarit as shown on the Zeiss MTFs for the 28 (compared to the 21/25)... and you don't hear people complaining about weak off axis performance with the V4! I certainly struggle to pick the shots from the 28/35 biogons on prints with angle of view being the more useful clue than resolution.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
The VC 28mm f/3.5 on a IIIg with SLOOZ finder. The SLOOZ works very precise with this lens. Tmax400, printed om Ilford MG IV.
Erik.
Erik.
