jloden
Established
Hi all. New here so hopefully this is the right location for this thread 
I've been shooting with M lenses on a Sony A7 (35mm and 50mm Leica Summilux mainly) . I now have my first M body (M6 TTL) on its way to me, and I'm interested in rounding out my M lens collection with 28mm lens. I was hoping for some feedback from my fellow rangefinder fans on a recommended lens for both digital and film.
My ideal is probably the 28mm Summicron, but it's sadly out of my current budget. I'm interested in sharpness and overall performance adapted to the A7 as well as reliable focus on the M6. I'd prefer an f/2 lens for shallow DoF with people photos, but I'd settle for an f/2.8 lens if there's a compelling reason such as focus or color shift problems.
Some of the options I'm considering currently:
Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron
Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit
Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 ZM
Any feedback or other recommendations? Tips? Gotchas I should be aware of? Thanks in advance!
I've been shooting with M lenses on a Sony A7 (35mm and 50mm Leica Summilux mainly) . I now have my first M body (M6 TTL) on its way to me, and I'm interested in rounding out my M lens collection with 28mm lens. I was hoping for some feedback from my fellow rangefinder fans on a recommended lens for both digital and film.
My ideal is probably the 28mm Summicron, but it's sadly out of my current budget. I'm interested in sharpness and overall performance adapted to the A7 as well as reliable focus on the M6. I'd prefer an f/2 lens for shallow DoF with people photos, but I'd settle for an f/2.8 lens if there's a compelling reason such as focus or color shift problems.
Some of the options I'm considering currently:
Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron
Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit
Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 ZM
Any feedback or other recommendations? Tips? Gotchas I should be aware of? Thanks in advance!
lukitas
second hand noob
Don't know about the A7, but the ultron does very good work on my M2.
uhoh7
Veteran
the ultron is a good suggestion, maybe best bang for buck.
Other decent 28s for a7:
elmarit v3 and elarier.
m-rokkor
M-hex
None are perfect, but all are usable.
Other decent 28s for a7:
elmarit v3 and elarier.
m-rokkor
M-hex
None are perfect, but all are usable.
mfunnell
Shaken, so blurred
I very much enjoy my M-Hexanon 28mm/f2.8, which I've found excellent for both film and digital, especially as regards colour rendition. I also have the Ultron 28mm/f1.9 (the old LTM one) which I sometimes prefer for black and white. Yet I keep going back to the M-Hexanon...
...Mike
...Mike
YYV_146
Well-known
Both the CV and the 28 ASPH will work on the A7. I'm not as familiar with the Zeiss, though.
jamin-b
Well-known
I have used the Zeiss 28mm 2.8 on the M8 with great results. Super sharp and fine detailed, with characteristic Zeiss "pop" - almost too "clean" at times. For film I tend to want a lens with more "character", like vintage Leica...but that's me
jloden
Established
Thanks all, good to hear that it sounds like multiple of these will work well.
I'm leaning toward the Voigtlander since it's a stop faster and it's also cheaper, but it's nice to have choices
I'm leaning toward the Voigtlander since it's a stop faster and it's also cheaper, but it's nice to have choices
judsonzhao
Well-known
I tried both CV28/2 and 28cron, differences are what you expected for the prices..
Shooting a ZM 28/2.8 now, if I could, I will go 28/2.8 Elmarit ASPH, for the compactness
Shooting a ZM 28/2.8 now, if I could, I will go 28/2.8 Elmarit ASPH, for the compactness
rscheffler
Well-known
What are your expectations on the a7? I've only tried the 28 Cron on it and the other a7 versions. If you expect good across-frame sharpness at farther shooting distances, such as for landscapes, look elsewhere. There is a strong amount of image smearing in the outer 1/3 of the frame. It does improve somewhat stopping down a lot (f/11), but never matches the results on a native M body.
For reportage style work where the subject is near and separated from the background and where peripheral sharpness is not critical, then probably any of the current 28mm lenses will work OK. I've also tried the ZM and 28/2 Ultron, but only on the M9. Neither are sharp near the edges until well stopped down, the ZM sharpening up better than the CV, though the ZM is very sharp centrally already from wide open. As mentioned by someone else, it definitely has the Zeiss pop - much greater clarity/contrast than the Ultron, which seemed rather flat to me wide open. The Ultron also exhibits some focus shift at wider apertures before depth of field masks it, though this won't be a problem shooting through the EVF of the a7 and may not be so evident on film vs. digital.
For reportage style work where the subject is near and separated from the background and where peripheral sharpness is not critical, then probably any of the current 28mm lenses will work OK. I've also tried the ZM and 28/2 Ultron, but only on the M9. Neither are sharp near the edges until well stopped down, the ZM sharpening up better than the CV, though the ZM is very sharp centrally already from wide open. As mentioned by someone else, it definitely has the Zeiss pop - much greater clarity/contrast than the Ultron, which seemed rather flat to me wide open. The Ultron also exhibits some focus shift at wider apertures before depth of field masks it, though this won't be a problem shooting through the EVF of the a7 and may not be so evident on film vs. digital.
uhoh7
Veteran
unfortunately the asph elmarit is one of the worst 28s on the A7. zm28 also not so great--at least according to tests early on; but you may know otherwise.
The cron is alot better, but still....
At first I had an R:
crony by unoh7, on Flickr
cony28 by unoh7, on Flickr
28cron at f/8:
cron_a7r_f8_ by unoh7, on Flickr
one more:
conr28_a7r_f8 by unoh7, on Flickr
the fulls can be DLed from flickr if you are curious.
I would expect similar results form the CV 28/2 or 1.9.
One the best 28s for IQ is the SLR zeiss 28/2.8 v2; prolly THE best right now. Just big and heavy on the camera compared to RFs
That CV should be easy to sell also, if you are not happy.
jus FYI the CV 35/1.4 is one of the best RF 35s on the A7
Ronald M
Veteran
current 28 2.8 ASPH is a gem on my M9. Should be as good or better on film.
This was the first lens designed for digital and film. 28 can be had cheaper, but if you move to digital, it will be correctly coded and work properly.
The ebay flanges do not always work on M, but do work on M9 & 8.
To use a Sony camera with wide lenses, buy a Sony lens. Multi use wides are asking for trouble.
This was the first lens designed for digital and film. 28 can be had cheaper, but if you move to digital, it will be correctly coded and work properly.
The ebay flanges do not always work on M, but do work on M9 & 8.
To use a Sony camera with wide lenses, buy a Sony lens. Multi use wides are asking for trouble.
seakayaker1
Well-known
I have used the Ultron 28/1.9 LTM with a LTM to M adaptor with my MP & M6TTL along with the M9 and have had excellent results. I really enjoy the results that I get with this lens. Good luck with your decision.
This from the MP with HP5
This from the MP with HP5
thompsonks
Well-known
Looks like some folks are only commenting on their preferences for M-mount 28s and have skipped the point that you're using your M lenses on both M6 and A7. Maybe they don't know about the corner problems – color shifts and smearing – when many M-mount wides are used on Sony A7/r bodies.
Since you said you'd like to shoot at f2 or f2.8, several of the lenses that have been mentioned wouldn't work well on both bodies. They'd give you trouble in Sony corners unless stopped down to f5.6 or below. The problem is that the rear elements of M-mount wides are seated too close to the A7 sensor to distribute light properly to the corners. The 28mm Elmarit Asph – recommended above – is one of the worst in this respect.
Of M-mount 28s I tried on A7 (Cron, Ultron, Zeiss ZM), the 28 Hexanon was most successful in covering the corners at f2.8 and f4, with the least smearing and tinting. It's famously sharp on center and very good in the corners.
So IMO, if you want the M-mount 28 that works best on both cameras, go for the Hexanon-M. The Ultron isn't too bad at covering A7 corners, but isn't quite as sharp as Hexanon until you get past f4. If you favor the larger aperture, then get the older f1.9; the newer f2, according to Reid Reviews, suffers from focus shift.
And if you decide on either one of these, let me know! I accumulated several M-mount 28s to try on A7, and now the Hexanon and Ultron are up for grabs because I decided to use a retrofocus Zeiss/Contax 28mm (and 28 Cron on Leica).
And don't worry about not having $$ for a 28 Cron – it doesn't cover Sony corners very well anyway!
Kirk T.
Since you said you'd like to shoot at f2 or f2.8, several of the lenses that have been mentioned wouldn't work well on both bodies. They'd give you trouble in Sony corners unless stopped down to f5.6 or below. The problem is that the rear elements of M-mount wides are seated too close to the A7 sensor to distribute light properly to the corners. The 28mm Elmarit Asph – recommended above – is one of the worst in this respect.
Of M-mount 28s I tried on A7 (Cron, Ultron, Zeiss ZM), the 28 Hexanon was most successful in covering the corners at f2.8 and f4, with the least smearing and tinting. It's famously sharp on center and very good in the corners.
So IMO, if you want the M-mount 28 that works best on both cameras, go for the Hexanon-M. The Ultron isn't too bad at covering A7 corners, but isn't quite as sharp as Hexanon until you get past f4. If you favor the larger aperture, then get the older f1.9; the newer f2, according to Reid Reviews, suffers from focus shift.
And if you decide on either one of these, let me know! I accumulated several M-mount 28s to try on A7, and now the Hexanon and Ultron are up for grabs because I decided to use a retrofocus Zeiss/Contax 28mm (and 28 Cron on Leica).
And don't worry about not having $$ for a 28 Cron – it doesn't cover Sony corners very well anyway!
Kirk T.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Hi all. New here so hopefully this is the right location for this thread
I've been shooting with M lenses on a Sony A7 (35mm and 50mm Leica Summilux mainly) . I now have my first M body (M6 TTL) on its way to me, and I'm interested in rounding out my M lens collection with 28mm lens. I was hoping for some feedback from my fellow rangefinder fans on a recommended lens for both digital and film.
My ideal is probably the 28mm Summicron, but it's sadly out of my current budget. I'm interested in sharpness and overall performance adapted to the A7 as well as reliable focus on the M6. I'd prefer an f/2 lens for shallow DoF with people photos, but I'd settle for an f/2.8 lens if there's a compelling reason such as focus or color shift problems.
Some of the options I'm considering currently:
Voigtlander 28mm f/2 Ultron
Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit
Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 ZM
Any feedback or other recommendations? Tips? Gotchas I should be aware of? Thanks in advance!
I asked a similar question on another forum some time ago.
I find the Voigtländer Ultron 28/2 does pretty well with the M9 but only "eh" with the Sony A7. I haven't tried it with the M4-2.
The Color-Skopar 28/3.5 (LTM) does beautifully with the M4-2, very well with the M9 (using lens code 11606), and pretty well with the Sony A7. Far as I'm concerned, trying to get truly blurred backgrounds with people photos and a 28mm lens is mostly a waste of time ... you have too much DoF until you're so close that foreshortening makes everyone distorted. The Color Skopar is quite sharp even wide open so it's perfectly usable to me.
If I had my druthers, I'd buy one of the Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH. But the Color Skopar 28/3.5 does well enough.
G
YYV_146
Well-known
The 28 cron really isn't the best for digital solutions as things go. Contrary to some of the findings above, I find the Elmarit ASPH outperforming the Cron at wide apertures on the A7. There is also a slight color cast on the A7 and A7S (magenta on A7, cyan on A7S), but that is very fixable.
IMO the best M-mount WA solution for the A7 cameras is the 24 and 21mm Summilux. Both have neither color casts nor noticeable corner resolution loss beyond f2.0. I bought the 21mm before the 28mm Summilux was revealed, and immediately regretted the decision, but it has proven itself to be a highly useful lens.
kxl
Social Documentary
I use the Hexanon-M on my A7R and use it on my ZI as well. To me, it provides the best price/performance, i.e., value, for use on an A7R and on film. IMHO, what you should do at this point is prioritize film use over the A7, i.e., get your favorite 28mm for film as long as it is acceptable on the A7. Then get the FE 28/2.0 when it comes out.
uhoh7
Veteran
+1
The sony A7 is only a few sensor toppings away from being a great RF lens platform.
This is pretty obvious now, so we should see some serious digital M alternatives within a few years.
Regarding 28s and how you can't do bokeh so forget it.....
L1000529-2 by unoh7, 28 cron WO
my daughter liked it, anyway
The 28 cron is the most versatile lens I own, and I have way too many lenses.
Somewhere past f/11:
L1022317 by unoh7, on Flickr
Crush a zm18 and a noctilux together, and you have the 28 summicron.
judsonzhao
Well-known
thank you so much for all the images and input!
I know exactly and that's why I buy.. cuz I sold my A7 and all on film now
These are quite useful for anyone looking forward to adapting, great effort!
I know exactly and that's why I buy.. cuz I sold my A7 and all on film now
These are quite useful for anyone looking forward to adapting, great effort!
unfortunately the asph elmarit is one of the worst 28s on the A7. zm28 also not so great--at least according to tests early on; but you may know otherwise.
The cron is alot better, but still....
At first I had an R:
crony by unoh7, on Flickr
cony28 by unoh7, on Flickr
28cron at f/8:
cron_a7r_f8_ by unoh7, on Flickr
one more:
conr28_a7r_f8 by unoh7, on Flickr
the fulls can be DLed from flickr if you are curious.
I would expect similar results form the CV 28/2 or 1.9.
One the best 28s for IQ is the SLR zeiss 28/2.8 v2; prolly THE best right now. Just big and heavy on the camera compared to RFs
That CV should be easy to sell also, if you are not happy.
jus FYI the CV 35/1.4 is one of the best RF 35s on the A7
thompsonks
Well-known
"jus FYI the CV 35/1.4 is one of the best RF 35s on the A7"
I hope that was a typo – the CV 1.4 is not not one of the best RF 35s on A7/r, but the 1.2 is.
Anyhow, the issue is 28s.
I hope that was a typo – the CV 1.4 is not not one of the best RF 35s on A7/r, but the 1.2 is.
Anyhow, the issue is 28s.
Johann Espiritu
Lawyer / Ninja
I've had and used the Zeiss 28/2.8 for about eight years, and find it to be incredibly sharp, contrasty, and flare resistant - which is what you would expect from a modern Zeiss lens.
However, as some have pointed out, it sometimes comes out too perfect, at the cost of the loss of some "character". Your opinion, of course, may vary, as to if the Zeiss look is what you like or not.
Cheers,
Johann
However, as some have pointed out, it sometimes comes out too perfect, at the cost of the loss of some "character". Your opinion, of course, may vary, as to if the Zeiss look is what you like or not.
Cheers,
Johann