Signature of Leica 28/2-ASPH versus CV 28/1.9 Ultron

[Flyfisher Tom]

My assumption (rightly or wrongly) is that the Leica is marginally sharper across the field than the CV. It is slightly more compact as well.

But for those who own both, or have used both, any other subjective feelings about the signature of these lenses? I've seen some pretty sweet bokeh come from the CV 28/1.9, but haven't seen many examples rom the 28cronASPH. If you've got photos, please post them, thanks 🙂

 

[SDK]

My assumption (rightly or wrongly) is that the Leica is marginally sharper across the field than the CV. It is slightly more compact as well.

But for those who own both, or have used both, any other subjective feelings about the signature of these lenses? I've seen some pretty sweet bokeh come from the CV 28/1.9, but haven't seen many examples rom the 28cronASPH. If you've got photos, please post them, thanks 🙂

I've no experience with the Voigtländer 28/1.9, but the Leica 28mm/2 is a great lens. Out of focus areas are a bit sketchy, but not distractingly so. The Zeiss 28mm/2.8 ZM is a bit smoother, more Gaussian in OOF, but of course is one stop slower.

Some examples of Leica 28mm/2 images from my PJ section of my website:

I'm Looking For My Rights, Boston, MA
Biology Matters, Boston, MA
Homosexuals Are Posessed By Demons, Boston, MA (Do some people really believe this?!)
Harvard University's First Gay Wedding Ceremony

For a different look, here's a landscape shot with the Zeiss 28mm:

Mount Champlain and the Tarn, Mount Desert Island, ME

The Zeiss seems to be slightly better for infinity sharpness, while the Leica seems sharper for closer subjects.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Thanks Steven.

I like the color rendition of the cron, especially in the first shot. They look like they were generally shot at mid-aperture, so not a lot of OOF areas.

Was there something that was missing in the cron that caused you to get the zeiss as well? Nice to have the choice of lenses we have nowadays, to explore the different looks from each lens 🙂


thanks again

 

[Todd.Hanz]

VC 28/1.9 pics:

Todd

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Love that lens ...

Roland.

Roland:

I can see why ... that Florence shot is simply breathtaking ! And your Daphne shot shows the creamy tonality I've noticed of the CV 28/1.9.

Todd:

That museum shot is exactly the kind of signature I've been impressed by with the CV.

You two are probably going to save me a lot of money ... 🙂

 

[JJW]

28mm Ultron is a spectacular piece of glass

28mm Ultron is a spectacular piece of glass

I've used it to shoot photos that I've blown up to 16x20 easily with good definition and sharpness. Coverage, contrast and color were stupendous corner to corner.

I am sure the 28mm Summicron is a nice piece of gear, although I have seen some people bitch about the fact that it seems to fall off in the corners a bit when it's shot at f/2 to f/4.0.

For practical purposes would the 28mm Summicron be worth 8 to 10 times more money?

I doubt it.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Todd,

by the way, I didn't know there was a museum dedicated to the Governor of California 😛

 

[SDK]

Thanks Steven.

I like the color rendition of the cron, especially in the first shot. They look like they were generally shot at mid-aperture, so not a lot of OOF areas.

Was there something that was missing in the cron that caused you to get the zeiss as well? Nice to have the choice of lenses we have nowadays, to explore the different looks from each lens 🙂

thanks again

Yes, most of these are f/5.6 or f/4, not extreme OOF territory at the distances I was shooting (though OOF areas are more obvious in the real 6x9" and 8.75x13" image prints). There is no particular reason I got the Zeiss, except that I liked the 50mm and 25mm ZM lenses so much. The Zeiss is slightly lighter too, but neither lens is heavy. These days I usually use the Zeiss for daylight shooting and the Leica for available light. Both are excellent lenses that someone will have to pry from my cold dead fingers one day.😉

 

[SDK]

Here's a newly added 28/2 Leica shot image at night at f/2 handheld with 160 ISO film. It's hard to see the OOF areas though, as they are in the black, for the most part:

Night Near South Station, Big Dig, Boston MA

 

[Todd.Hanz]

The "terminator" shot is a sculpture at an outdoor art festival. The pc. was sitting outside a tent so the light on it was a bit different from under the tent where the lady is standing. It reminds me of an old ELP album cover 🙂

thanks,
Todd

 

[Ben Z]

I can't say anything in comparison because I've never even seen a 28 Cron up close, and I couldn't afford one unless it was missing some elements 😀 But I do have the Ultron and I am duly impressed with it. Even Erwin basically said that from f/2.8 on down it matched the Cron and beat every other Leica 28. Mine cost me $260 because the previous owner decided if he blacked out the engravings around the front rim nobody would know it was a lens (or at least, a non-Leica lens) 😀

 

[Dougg]

I like 28mm lenses, and the 'cron is certainly among the best, perhaps THE best, two others that I respect highly are the 28mm f/3.5 Skopar and the Biogon for Contax-G. Here are a couple shots from the 28 Summicron... And the third one is the Biogon-G

 

[SDK]

Doug, I like the last two, especially the sunglassed lady.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[SDK]

I prefer accuracy/neutrality to character in a lens, but that's me. 28mm has always been my favorite even in my SLR-only days. These days, I'm often reaching for my 21mm or 25mm Biogon though.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Doug,
the first two are great, you can see the difference from the third.

Todd

 

[Dougg]

Doug,
the first two are great, you can see the difference from the third.

Thanks Todd and SDK for the comments. The gent does look a bit soft, though I like the tonality... I feel an urge to defend the poor Biogon now! Here are three from the G...

 

[Dougg]

And while we're at it here is a pair from the 28mm f/3.5 Skopar

 

[Dougg]

Wow, another couple from a (Shhh!) 28mm f/2.0 SMC Pentax-M... shooting as wide as possible to see if I REALLY needed a 28 f/2 for the RF cam; the clerk shot is wide open.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

The Biogon looks good in those shots, although for the money...the VC 28/3.5 is hard to beat, very compact and sharp, good pics!

Todd