Which 28mm RF Lens?

[lawrence]

I've got three 28mm RF lenses: Ultron f1.9, M-Hexanon f2.8 & Color-Skopar f3.5 and I tend to alternate between them as it's very difficult to decide which one I like best. I'm wondering which 28mm is most popular with other RF users?

 

[back alley]

i've only used 4 of those listed…but when considering image quality, size and build my preference is the cv 3.5

 

[Renzsu]

I vote 28 Elmarit-M Asph. even though I don't have mine anymore... if I was buying one today, I'd buy mine back in a heartbeat.

 

[mfogiel]

I have voted for the Summicron, as it is technically the most competent, but I am also very fond of the 1.9 Ultron, which is the only other 28mm M lens I have now. I need the Summicron's perfection wide open for night photography ( it has no coma at all), but for anything else, that Ultron is truly fantastic, and it fits perfectly in the line of high resolution, low contrast Leica lenses, like Summaron 35/2.8 or DR Summicron 50/2.
I have shot with the Biogon 28, Ultron 28/2 and Elmarit ASPH 28, and sold them all - which is quite an achievement for me, a notorious lens accumulator...

This is why I keep the Summicron:


20113908 by mfogiel, on Flickr

and this is why I keep the Ultron 1.9:


20102404 by mfogiel, on Flickr

 

[lawrence]

I am also very fond of the 1.9 Ultron,

Me too, although it's a bit of beast size-wise it has a lovely 'look'. Having said that I have done some tests and the M-Hexanon (a V4 Elmarit in disguise) is sharper at wide apertures and I also prefer the bokeh to the Ultron. Given the Skopar's convenient size I have no option but to keep all three!

 

[Monochrom]

Hi i voted for the biogon zm 28mm f2.8...i´ve used many 28´s and this one has the best results of all.

Maybe the contax g 28 biogon is also superb, but you´ll have to switch mounts.

Of course my wish list starts with the summicron 28...but i donñt think i´ll spend such moeny in a lens.

I´m quite interested in the orion 15, slow but as i´ve seen it´s really good.

🙂

 

[Wulfthari]

I've got an Orion-15, it's a good old school lens, not the fastest or the latest design, but a nice symmetric Topogon-like lens that serves me well.

 

[ampguy]

I've used 5 on the list. For color, I've liked the M-Hexanon 28/2.8. For bw, the old Canon 28/2.8 ltm.

Some of the others work fine though.

 

[uhoh7]

lots of good 28s, not least that cv 3.5.

but the cron does it all, from low light to bright landscape in a very beautiful way. Some feel it's the best Leica lens made.

The new elmarit is great too, except it sucks at f/2 😉

 

[35mmdelux]

I've shot with the Leica 28-V3, Leica 28-V4, Leica 28 Elmarit Asph, and Zeiss 28-M. They are all outstanding. I prefer the Leica 28 Elmarit Asph because of its smaller form factor.

 

[mretina]

I have 28/3.5 skopar cv (less contrasty and the best among the skopars) and 28/2.8 canon (a bit soft wide open and best in b/w, but nice look). Both are very small and do not obstruct VF.

28/2.8 biogon G betters them both and is the favorite among my ones, albeit in different mount.

If I had no budget constraint I would add summicron and elmarit v3.

 

[Rotarysmp]

I have the the summicron and a canon 28 2.8 LTM. No comparision. The summicron is fantastic, while the Canon has no friction in the aperture ring, and it is constantly getting bumped to different setting when focusing. The focus throw is too long so the tab ends up in a weird place.

Compared to the summicron, the size is the only thing going for the Canon.

Optically, the Summicron is the most perfect lens I have ever used. (it is the only Leica ASPH I own).

 

[FrankS]

I have the the summicron and a canon 28 2.8 LTM. No comparision. The summicron is fantastic, while the Canon has no friction in the aperture ring, and it is constantly getting bumped to different setting when focusing. The focus throw is too long so the tab ends up in a weird place.

Compared to the summicron, the size is the only thing going for the Canon.

Optically, the Summicron is the most perfect lens I have ever used. (it is the only Leica ASPH I own).

Your canon 28 is defective and needs fixing.

 

[mretina]

Your canon 28 is defective and needs fixing.

+1 mine has no such issues and when I meant soft at 2.8 it is at the corners (and probably it has a little bit of dust inside).

Worth mentioning that it is a lens that came out in the 50's when leica as wide-angle still had only a 28/5.6 that was barely useable at f11 and only came up with the first elmarit 28 sometimes in the 60's...

 

[Monochrom]

I've got an Orion-15, it's a good old school lens, not the fastest or the latest design, but a nice symmetric Topogon-like lens that serves me well.

Hi Wulfthari, hvae you got a flickr or other site to look at your orion 15 shots?

🙂

 

[snapper78]

I voted for the Orion because I actually have one. I'm sure I'd love the others in the list but doubt if I could afford any of them. I have other 28mm and 30mm lenses for SLRs but the Orion is the only RF lens I own in that focal length. I like the results from it even though it's slow and prone to vignetting.

 

[Wulfthari]

Hi Wulfthari, hvae you got a flickr or other site to look at your orion 15 shots?

🙂

No, but I'm planning to take some pics, it's just arrived....sometimes I think it would be better to spend my money on the Russar Mr-2 but probably the Orion being coupled is easier to use.

If you speak Italian or you have a good online translator you can read this page on the history of Soviet wide lenses, their use and the comparison with Leica's, it's pretty informative:

http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/Soviet_and_wide_lenses_on_Leica_M/00_p.htm

In short the Soviets developed indigenous designs like the Russar and the Orion for pure military reasons ( air recon, later spy satellites etc...) and they adapted those designs to the civilian market...BTW the Orion-15 was used in that interesting KGB device that you can see in the pictures: I mean the suitcase with inside the camera that was "left" on the documents the Soviets needed to copy.

Compared to the the Leitz wide angles the opinion of the author (excellent photographer, BTW) is that the Jupiter 12 is excellent, the Orion-15 is handicapped by the 5.6 aperture (it would perform better if it was faster) and the Russar is softer at the center than the Leitz 21 mm but sharper on the edge so the photo quality is "comparable".

 

[oldoc]

Tried elmarit, the CV ultranationalist and the hexagon.
Will keep the Summicron. Hands down sharpest...

 

[Phil_F_NM]

There weren't any restrictions on format in this poll or on the page so I'll say the 50mm Mamiya lens for the Mamiya 6. It's equivalent to a 28mm and a stunning optic. Easily on par with anything other manufacturers have made in the 28mm or equivalent focal length.

Phil Forrest

 

[Zhemin]

Omg, i cant believe we are having a poll for 28mm RF lens, and Ricoh GR 28 LTM is not on the list, >.>
Its the best 28mm LTM lens hands down ;"D (maybe not on m-mount, but my guess is its dam close)