Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/25

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Subject: [Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?
From: scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin)
Date: Thu Aug 25 15:14:16 2005
References: <8DFFA731-5BC1-493B-B6AB-92D9053539CF@mindspring.com> <430CB4D7.3000608@wanadoo.nl> <41B5BE67-1AC3-4EDF-BE38-0004D88ECA9A@mindspring.com> <6.2.1.2.2.20050825105327.03215ad8@pop.med.cornell.edu> <6.2.1.2.2.20050825171542.03c6ab30@mail.screengang.com> <6.2.1.2.2.20050825114451.00c2c8b0@pop.med.cornell.edu> <6.2.1.2.2.20050825185557.05329780@mail.screengang.com> <430E13D6.FFB89B2D@earthlink.net> <63FD1E3A-6C48-4B53-B3CD-A6575A00BF79@mindspring.com> <F6FD6C8E-A208-407E-AF12-DF2D4A89F9FD@earthlink.net> <430E3540.35398841@earthlink.net>

Earlier in the year, after much belly acheing and searching around,
I snagged a used 28/2, at a price still quite dear-to-me. At that time,
used prices between a 28/2 and the most recent E46 Leica 28/2.8
weren't all that different.

I'm very happy with the lens - but today, "knowing what I know now"
about my own shooting habits with the lens and what not, I imagine I
might happily spring for a new ZM 28/2.8 or maybe even a CV 28/1.9.
Actually, the CV 28/3.5 is wonderfully small, beautifully built, and I
believe over the last year-plus, I only think I've heard from one owner
who was not happy with this lens, and many more positive assessment.

The prices are great, IIRC Puts has some nice'ish things to say, and in
the case of the ZM, the 1 stop doesn't really matter that much to me.

On the topic of shooting habits with the lens, so far I've shot with HP5+
at either EI 320 or pushed to 800 with HC110, yellow-green filter, rather
up-close-and-personal focus, and using hyperfocal distance when 
light/aperture
allows. 

In the up close shooting, framing/aligning horz/verts, and watching for 
converging
verticals and the like has been more of an issue to me than any slight 
nuances
in lens quality. Coming from a 28/2.8 AIS on my FM3a, I find these issues
are harder to deal with on my Leica RF.  The lack of barrel distortion 
is greatly
appreciated, but the ZM and CV lenses probably enjoy the same or a 
comparable
quality level in this regard.  I recently picked up a CV bright line 
metal 28 finder
from Stephen, and it's proven my most useful "accessory" in shooting 
with the
28/2.

Lately, I've been shooting slower film and might better wring out some 
of the
optical quality inherent in the 28/2 in my future shooting. We'll see.

In any case, since it's already comfy in my bag, I'll hold onto my 28/2 for
now :-)  Another plus is that sans hood, it's quite a compact lens for an f2
max aperture.

Scott

Stephen Gandy wrote:

>feli wrote:
>
>  
>
>>On Aug 25, 2005, at 1:05 PM, Jeff Sumner wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>> The 25/2.8 Zeiss is also reputed to be hands down better than
>>>>Leica's 24 Aspherical.
>>>>        
>>>>
>>Where did you hear this? They are reputed to be a close match, with
>>the 24 ASPH having a slight
>>edge wide open.
>>    
>>
>
>one buyer's opinion.  until we have a majority of independent tests
>agreeing, nothing will be too sure. with the big price difference
>however, it's surprising  they are even close. .
>
>  
>
>>>>in short, if the new ZM 28/2.8 Biogon is not the full equal of the
>>>>current 28/2
>>>>Leica lens, it is very very close, and better than used versions
>>>>of previous
>>>>Leica M 28 designs.
>>>>        
>>>>
>
>if the Leica 28/2 isn't noticeably better, Zeiss wins in this comparison
>due to the much lower cost
>
>  
>
>>You would have hoped that the 2.8/28 would have been better that the
>>2/28.
>>It's a lot harder to design a high performance f2 lens than a 2.8.
>>
>>My biggest hope is that the new competition will force Leica to stop
>>resting on their laurels
>>and become more aggressive, especially in the price department.
>>    
>>
>
>perhaps, time will tell.
>
>Stephen
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>  
>


In reply to: Message from jdos2 at mindspring.com (Jeff Sumner) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from michiel.fokkema at wanadoo.nl (Michiel Fokkema) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from jdos2 at mindspring.com (Jeff Sumner) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from chs2018 at med.cornell.edu (Chris Saganich) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from rangefinder at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from chs2018 at med.cornell.edu (Chris Saganich) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from rangefinder at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from leicanikon at earthlink.net (Stephen Gandy) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from jdos2 at mindspring.com (Jeff Sumner) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)
Message from leicanikon at earthlink.net (Stephen Gandy) ([Leica] Elmarit 28mm (used) or Zeiss 28mm for M?)