Minolta 28mm lens M-mount

[SolaresLarrave]

I have an offer, very tempting, and I may ransack a smaller bit of my savings, for this lens. Now, I've heard conflictive information, both good and bad.

Bad thing 1: bubbles formed in the surface, usually around the edges. Seller used the lens to shoot slides and project them at 20-some feet in large lectures halls and never noticed a problem.

Bad thing 2: this lens doesn't activate the 28mm framelines in the Leica M bodies.

Good things: quality and finish, bokeh and sharpness.

BTW, it's going for $250, but I'd like to know whether the "Bad thing 2" is true. With so many Leica brothers here I can trust on getting good information. Thanks!!

 

[rover]

Francisco, there was a thread on Photo.net regarding this I saw this AM. The question was asking for a comparison of the Hexanon to the CV 28/1.8. I think there were many responses, conflicting of course and one of the replies referred to a couple web sites, Dante Stella's was one I think. If I find it again I will post a link, but take a look. I think it was posted in the Leica Forum, which of coursed caused a little stir as the lenses in question had no little red circle on them.

I found it. The internet is so slow this afternoon.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007Hun

They are refering to a Hexar RF board on Yahoo for further discussion.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I read that particular thread, rover. Only it was about the Konica 28mm lens. My dilemma is about the Minolta type, the one for the CLE body.

Now that I think about it, I should do a search in photo.net... Although, after some consideration, I am not likely to buy the lens as my Leica bodies have both the 0.72 magnification viewfinder, which renders the 28mm framelines a bit too far, too close to the very edges of the viewfinder.

Let's keep the conversation going, though...

 

[rover]

I guess the Konica Minolta merger has really sunk in for me, my bad.

You may not be able to see the framelines, but would composing the photograph using the entire viewfinder area be that far off?

 

[Doug]

Hi Francisco -- I've had a CLE since new in the early 80's, so I'm aware of some of its issues. 🙂 Like my M2, the CLE has three framelines, but they are different... 28/40/90 instead of 35/50/90.

The 90mm lens and framelines are the same.

The CLE 40mm is equivalent to 50mm in the Leica... That is, fitting the 40mm lens to a Leica brings up the 50mm frames, and fitting a 50mm lens to the Minolta brings up the 40mm frames.

Similarlay, the CLE 28mm is equivalent to 35mm in the Leica... That is, fitting the Minolta 28mm lens to a Leica brings up the 35mm frames, and fitting a 35mm lens to the Minolta brings up the 28mm frames.

The nice way around this is with a screw-mount lens plus an appropriate choice of bayonet adaptor. For example, I have a CV 28mm f/3.5 plus 35mm lens bayonet adaptor that brings up the CLE's 28mm framelines.

You may have heard that one can file a little on the 40mm lens's mount to change the framelines brought up on an M camera to the more useful 35mm setting. I have never heard of a similar technique for the CLE 28mm lens.

If I were in your position, I think I'd pass on that Minolta 28mm f/2.8. It's unlikely for it to ever present useful framelines on an M6, so an external finder might be the best answer there (or manually moving the frame selector to display the 28 frames, awkward while focusing).

Then there is this lens's propensity for element separation evidenced by the spots/bubbles around the periphery. I understand Minolta fixed or replaced many under warranty, and I'd not hesitate to get one of those, but only for my CLE. With or without spots, these lenses also seem to interest collectors. So the price may not justify the user value, while it may well retain value in the long term.

If I were you, and shopping for a 28mm (which I recently was), I'd gaze longingly at the tidy Summicron f/2, and then more pragmatically at the two CV offerings. 🙂

 

[SolaresLarrave]

rover, definitely, the Konica Minolta merger has done something on your mind. Is that Konica Dimage camera to blame for it?

One thing to say about the famed framelines: they're a blessing in disguise. In fact, the Leica viewfinder is so wide, the framelines seem to help to crop the shot. Not always do I want everything in the photo (after lots of mistakes I learned to look at the background when composing), and it's not inherently bad to have everything in the VF as part of the composition, but when part of it is hidden by the lens itself... I'm not as crazy. Call me a control freak if you want... 🙁

So, thanks for all the input anyway. As Doug recommended, I'll have to pass this lens. Now, if we were talking about the Rokkor long lens (the 90/2.8), I'd be on my way to the bank right now! 😀 But it's not, so I won't 🙁

 

[Doug]

The long lens I use on my Minolta CLE is a 90mm f/2.8 Tele-Elmarit, bought new in 1968 for $196. The 90mm Rokkor is an f/4, I think.

Pondering further... Considering your 35mm Hexar, you might bend your eye a bit wider than 28mm. Leica offers a lovely 24mm, and there's that very inexpensive 25mm Snapshot Skopar. Not RF coupled, but interestingly with useful focus click-stops at strategic distances. 🙂

Then there's the wider world of 21mm. I still recall the gent who visited Istanbul armed only with the 21mm Color Skopar... I thought his pictures quite remarkable. Let's see if I can get the URL.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=322503

One of these days I'm going to "need" a 21, I just know it!

 

[Doug]

Wups, that link isn't working; just copy/paste it and the address works fine.

 

[rover]

What a wonderful gallery Doug. It takes the thought that a wide angle lens is used for landscape right away. I love the intimacy of these photos. Looks like the 21 and 28 are essential Francisco. I have my shopping list, Nokton, Color Skopars 28 and 21. You have to find your 28, 90 and then consider the little 21.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Thanks for the advice, guys... I do have a buying agenda for the Leica system: first a long lens, the 90mm, which can be purchased for a relatively reasonable price (some still go below $500), and then... I'd like a 21 or 24mm lens.

But, right now, the wide angle is covered. Let's see how it performs in Barcelona! 😀

 

[chendayuan]

why just but a Voigtlander 28/3.5? price all most he same you have second choice use it on the screw mount. Old stuff is old no matter what collectors will pay for them

 

[Doug]

Rover, you mention 'intmacy' with Alan Soon's 21mm photos, and that's what caught my attention too. He's getting right in there close with photos of strangers, clearly with their friendly cooperation, and he's somehow avoiding disagreeable wide-angle distortion. An eye-opener for sure...