Leica LTM Nikkor 2.8cm f/3.5 vs CV 28mm f/3.5

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
aoresteen

aoresteen

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I'm in the market for a small 28mm lens for my Leica IIIf. Two lenses I'm considering are the Nikkor 2.8cm f/3.5 in LTM and a CV 28mm f/3.5 Skopar.


I would be using HP-5 in daylight so exposures would be arround 1/200 @ f/8 or 11 with a yellow filter.

I have the CV 28mm Ultron but it's quite large and a more compact 28mm for travel would be nice. I also use the CV 21mm f/4 with the IIIf so a compact 28mm would make a nice travel kit.

Thoughts & reccomendations? Is there a Canon 28mm LTM that is compact?
 
There is.

the Serenar 28mm 3.5 lens. There are several models, here is one:

Canon28mm35LTM-1.jpg


there is an article on it on my website, here.

I can recommend it. nice, small and compact, and easy to use while it is sharp when stopped down.
 
I think all three are comparable in terms of speed and size. The Nikkor will cost more, I believe. But the main difference, a very significant difference, lies in your preference of look: the older lenses have lower contrast, more mid range, a "look" that is vintage; the Skopar, if it is anything like its 21mm f/4 and 35mm f/2.5 Skopar brethren, will be sharp and contrasty even wide open -- a much more modern looking image. I prefer that. You might be different.
 
there is also a Canon 28mm/2.8, similar in performance to the f:3.5, but costs a lot more. A lot of people are of the opnion that performance at f:2.8 is not that great. Unfortunately, I don't have any cataloged samples to post at f:2.8

That said, the Skopar is a very good lens, and provides the modern, more contrasty look. Used to have one, but sold it cuz I am not a fan of 28mm FOV
 
I would highly recommend the 28/3.5 Skopar. It would compliment your 21 quite nicely. It is a great little lens. Built like a tank and sharp.

I owned the Canon 28/3.5 for many years and found it to be "mushy" in terms of sharpness. It is smaller then the Skopar.

Get the Skopar. You'll be quite happy.
 
I'd get the CV just because it's newer. It's a very nice lens and it's ergonomics are a closer match to other modern lenses, which is a plus in my book. If it's cheaper than the other options, that's even better.

But then, I have mostly modern lenses except for an old Nikkor 50. Which is a cool lens, but the physical act of using it annoys me (infinity lock, wrong way focus, uneven aperture spacing, etc.).
 
I own a 28/3.5 Canon/Serenar. The Canon VF'er is particularly good and I like this lens. Nothing like chrome plated brass as far as built to last. Distance scale is in feet not in meters. Recessed front element requires no hood (no hood made or offered). Low contrast is great for B&W. So small that its still light.

The Nikon and Canon have an old school look that is not so modern. I find it to be plenty sharp, but not by modern standards.

There's one at Adorama right now for $350.00.

Cal
 
Thanks! I decided to get the Skopar f/2.5. There was one in the classifieds here for $300 shipped from Japan. The seller was Julian who has good feedback so I bought it. He will ship it next week.

I allready have a CV 28mm finder that came with my 28mm Ultron.

DAG is cleaning up a nice Industar 55mm f/2.8 so I will have a 21mm, 28mm, and 50mm for my IIIf - all small & compact. Should be a nice light travel kit.
 
I used to have three 28mm RF lenses; Canon 28mm/3.5, Kobalux 28mm/3.5, Rokkor-M 28mm/2.8. I sold the Canon and kept the other two lenses. The Kobalux is superb overall. The Rokkor has white spots, but the spots do not affect the image quality.
 
Tony, I think you'll be pleased. I have not used the Nikkor or Canon 28s, but I've had the CV Skopar 28/3.5 for a number of years and it's a great little lens. To the comments above, I'd add that, while the Skopar is more contrasty than the older lenses (as one would expect), I have never found it to be overly so. In fact, it does a very nice job of rendering black and white tones, IMO, and it's also very flare resistant (I have never felt the need to use a larger hood than the small one it comes with). I use the lens on both an M2 and a IIIc. Works great! Congrats w/ your acquisition, and post some photos!

Here are a couple of shots w/ the Skopar, the first from last summer w/ a yellow filter (taken using a IIIc), on T-Max 100; the second from a few years ago, taken with Kodak BW400cn:

4859406916_6e5bb36f24_b.jpg


2337360013_bed8719b22_o.jpg
 
Very few people use the Nikkor 28/3.5, even though it's a beautiful, tiny lens, and nice, sharp, 6-element Gauss design.

1091625268_fqyKy-O.jpg


Its only quirk is that on Ms, you'll need an older Leica or CV type I adapter, and its infinity lock doesn't pass the frameline lever on modern Leicas (therefore the mod on my M4P above). Not an issue on your Barnacks of course.

The color skopar is a lens optimized for micro contrast, not resolution. Most good copies of the classic lenses mentioned above will be sharper in the center, at lower contrast, however. The 28/1.9 Ultron will outperform the color skopar easily at all f-stops. Which is why I kept it as my only modern 28.

The biggest advantage of the Color Skopar (compared to all above mentioned classic lenses) is that it's easier to filter. 39mm is much easier to find than thin 40mm filters required on the Canon lenses or 34.5mm filters on the Nikkor.

If you want the color skopar, don't look for 50 bucks savings or so. Get a good copy from a reputable source.

Roland.
 
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