When I used to work with DSLR cameras, the first thing that I changed with a new camera was the strap. I didn’t like the standard straps, because they were uncomfortable, screamed ‘steal me’ and didn’t look good. After a while I found that the neoprene straps from Optech were much better and now that I have the Leica SL, my Optech straps have found a second life.
Battle worn, but still good for many years of service.
The standard strap that is delivered with the Leica SL isn’t bad. But it isn’t very good either. It’s not really grippy on the shoulder and it doesn’t feel very good with a heavy lens on the camera. There are six reasons why the Optech Pro Strap might be the best strap for the Leica SL.
It’s made of flexible neoprene, reinforced with an extra elastic strap. That means that it doesn’t put as much strain on the shoulder as the standard strap does. The camera ‘bounces’ a little as you walk, without really noticing that it does.
The shoulder pad is very wide, which decreases the pressure per square centimeter dramatically. It is also equipped with very small rubber-like pieces, to increase the grip on your shoulder.
The shoulder pad can be detached, simply by unclipping the buckles. This has two advantages: without the strap the camera fits a lot easier in a small bag. Secondly, if you’re using your Leica SL for video, a strap is very annoying when placing the camera on a shoulder rig, a slider, or a Glidecam. The parts that attach to your camera can be clipped together with the buckles and are so light, they don’t matter on a Glidecam regarding balance.
The Optech Pro Strap attaches to the camera with very simple loops. There are no metal parts that scratch your precious SL paint.
The Optech Pro Strap is very durable. I used mine at least ten years with DSLR cameras under heavy circumstances. You can see it has been used, but it’s still good to go for many years.
It’s far more economical than most other straps. It doesn’t need any maintenance and it even looks kind of nice on the SL.
The exact same strap that I have, can still be bought new, probably almost anywhere. Highly recommended!
Keep it simple: nothing wrong with classic loops for attaching a camera strap.Small rubber-like balls provide extra grip.Simple buckles for attaching the shoulder pad.Now the Leica SL fits your tiny Billingham bag, but this is also brilliant for a video rig or Glidecam.
It’s always good to be out on a workshop, even when it’s stormy. Today I had a great Leica workshop with a talented student from Amsterdam. We practiced focusing techniques, reviewed work from the last years and spent some time on exposure.
This picture almost looks like a scene from Star Wars. With the Noctilux, you can add some surrealism with its ultra thin depth of field. The natural vignetting also adds to the mood.
If you’re looking for the smallest and most light weight native Leica lens, you can stop right here. The Leica 28/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH is tiny, super light and it has all the specs you need for terrific landscape shots and (documentary) travel photography.
This is the Elmarit 28: perfectly suited to capture action close up in relatively good light
I bought this lens years ago when I needed something wider than my 35/2 Summicron, but longer and faster than my CV21/4 color skopar. Because I thought I wouldn’t use it much, I opted for the Elmarit instead of the Summicron. By then, I was still thinking that the Elmarit was the budget choice. After one wedding I knew the lower price wasn’t faced by a compromise in image quality. Au contraire, the 28 Elmarit turned out to be a lot sharper than my 35 Summicron.
It’s tiny, light weight and it looks good (and with the update it looks stunning)
My 28 Elmarit quickly became one of my favorites for ceremonies in tight, but not too dark places. I was still shooting with the M9 and the M240, so ISO was still a thing to take into account (much more than with the SL and the M10). Because of the shorter focal length and the larger depth of field, I could show more context during ceremonies. Context in this case means the people that attend to the wedding. I know from experience that the way that the bride and grooms family and friends react to the ceremony are really important after the wedding. The 28 Elmarit made that just a little easier.
I decided never to leave the 28 home again
Even when shot straight against the sun the 28 Elmarit keeps things in control. Yes, there is flare, but still plenty detail.
After I shot a wedding that happened partly on a very, very small boat in the Amsterdam canals and I had to shoot a dance less than two meters away from where I was standing – or more correctly: was trying to stand – I decided never to leave the 28 home again. I won a few awards with that picture by the way. Still one of my favorites.
The 28 Elmarit almost replaced my CV 21/4. On most weddings where I had to shoot a formal group portrait, the 28 was wide enough. Because the CV 21/4 is even smaller than the 28 Elmarit, I bring in just in case.
Build quality and ergonomics
The Leica 28 Elmarit doesn’t feel like a budget lens at all. By now, we know that all Leica lenses are built like tanks. Even the Summarit series is sturdier than you’ll probably ever need. The 28 Elmarit is no exception. Even though it is very light, it still feels solid. Yes, like a small tank. A Sherman, if you please.
The Leica 28 Elmarit doesn’t feel like a budget lens at all
There are a few downsides that I need to discuss: first, because the lens is so small, you have to be careful not to move your finger in front of the lens. It has happened a few times. Second, the plastic hood on my version isn’t the best or sturdiest. On the other hand, it is not as bad as some reviewers try to make believe. The cap however, that should be placed on the hood, doesn’t work. Leave it at home or lose it. The good thing is that the latest version of this lens has an all metal hood. Problem solved. Third, the aperture ring is too loose. Yours may be better, but mine accidentally shifts more often than I like.
Focus is smooth and focus throw is good. It is short, but that’s perfect for a wide angle with a not too fast aperture. The focus ring is tabbed, which is good for photography, but bad for cinematography. It won’t work with follow focus.
Showing context is what this lens is about. Yes, you need some light (or not, with the SL or M10) but you get things done.An action, in the middle of it. I found colored paper in my photo bag weeks after this wedding.
Sharpness, bokeh and rendering
Wide open this lens is already insanely sharp. Stopping down is only necessary if you need more DOF. I only do this when shooting a group portrait, or if there is more light than my shutter and ISO can handle. Another good thing is that there is almost no distortion at all. Good news for landscapers and architecture photographers.
Wide open this lens is already insanely sharp
While ‘insanely sharp lenses’ are often rendering quite clinically, the 28 Elmarit is not clinical. Yes, it is sharp and contrasty, but I’d say it still has some character. If you want a lens with crazy vignetting and interesting bokeh, this is not your lens, but although bokeh isn’t something to rave about in this lens, it is definitely pleasing enough.
For me, this is a lens that delivers stunning sharpness and consistent images. I can shoot this lens against the sun, without worrying about detail or complete washing out of my subjects. Flare is present only when you push it. And if you do, your images are still totally fine.
Wide open @2.8 this little lens delivers sharpness and even some pleasing bokeh!And a cropSharpness improves a bit in the corners @f4, if you ever need it.And finally @5.6
Conclusion
I think it’s safe to say that the Leica 28/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH is a lens that all Leica M shooters should have. It’s so small and light, you’ll forget you brought it in your bag. Your hands, fingers and shoulders will thank you if you use this lens on your M all day. And after a day of shooting, it’s always a delight to see how this little gem rendered the things you saw that day.
the Leica 28/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH is a lens that all Leica M shooters should have…
Even if I’d buy the crazy 28 Summilux, I’d still keep this lens for every trip or job where weight really matters. I wouldn’t bring a 28 Lux on an outdoor trip where every gram counts. Even the 28 Cron would be too heavy for that. The 28 Elmarit is small and light, without compromises in image quality.
So who’s it for?
Landscape and architecture photographers
Travel photographers, with a preference for documentary photography
Any photographer that needs a very good 28mm that isn’t fast
Who’s it NOT for?
Photographers that want to isolate their subject from the background.
Photographers that want to shoot indoors with a M8 or M9
On any trip where weight is key, bring the 28 Elmarit.Shot against the sun, no problem at all.Not my favorite part of the wedding: the group shot. Usually the 28 is wide enough to squeeze all the guests in one shot.On a city trip, weight is also crucial. Also if you’re drinking beer in Berlin.What about shooting from a bike (while I even ride the bike)? Shooting with one hand is easier with a light weight lens.It’s all about the dog…the context I mean.The kiss in the train. Love the 28mm field of view.And here too.Seen enough weddings for today? Good, this is the last one.
And one with the M8, for those who are smart enough to own one. This lens was originally built for the M8.
I’m currently going through hundreds of pictures that I took with the Leica Elmarit-M 28/2.8 ASPH lens. A true gem! For now a shot with the little 28. Who said you can’t take portraits with this lens?
This morning I did a search for a used Leica M9 on the Dutch equivalent of Ebay. The result? Not a single camera. I found a few used batteries, a Thumbs-up and a camera case. That’s it.
This is quite unusual for a digital camera, where depreciation is often faster than a new car…
It is not a coincidence that I didn’t find any used M9’s. Shortly after the M240 was released, people expected loads of used M9’s to be floating around on Ebay, waiting for a new owner. Although initially the prices of the M9 dropped a bit, soon after they stabilized and even started to rise again. This is quite unusual for a digital camera, where depreciation is often faster than a new car.
The Leica M9 with the 50/0.95 Noctilux and my new Broncolor Siros flash. Terrific rendering. Fall-of is natural.
Even more than the Leica M8, the Leica M9 has acquired the status of a cult camera. Some M9 owners actually ‘hunt’ for good used M9’s, just to make sure that if their favorite camera fails, they will have a back-up. But why is this?
The M9 on a wedding, again with the Noctilux. A terrific combination, if calibrated properly.
1. The Leica M9 has a unique CCD sensor
The M9 is (probably) the last digital rangefinder camera that was equipped with a CCD sensor. Although in the early days of photography all cameras had such a sensor, Leica was one of the last companies to make the switch to the CMOS sensor. The CCD was (or is) a bit of a ‘love or hate’ piece of technology. Compared to a CMOS sensor it is less economical to produce, is limited in the sensitivity (no high ISO possible), cannot offer live view, consumes more energy from the battery and there are probably more practical differences.
The M9 in Prague.The M9 is pretty good in black and white too. Even the in-camera jpeg
In spite of these ‘downsides’ (a downside is only a downside if it’s a downside for you, right?) the M9’s CCD offers something that no other CMOS sensor offers: a unique rendering. Thousands of threads have been written about this subject and quite a few people have tried to investigate this phenomenon. There are many threads where pictures have been taken with both a Leica M9 and a Leica M240, edited to make them look the same and finally posted online to make the viewer guess which picture was taken by the M9 and the M240. Sometimes it’s quite obvious, sometimes it is impossible to say.
The M9 had better skin tones than the M240…
For me, the difference in rendering between the M9 and M240 is quite obvious with my workflow in Lightroom. In fact, when the M240 came out, I could buy only one camera, due to availability. As a wedding photographer, I needed two camera bodies, so I brought my M9 as a backup. When I used the two bodies simultaneously, I often struggled to get the images right in Lightroom. The rendering of the two bodies was sometimes impossible to combine in one series. The M9 had better skin tones than the M240, but there were more differences that can be hard to describe in words.
The M9 visits Cuba, here with the CV 21/4. A terrific light weight combination.With the Tele-Elmarit 90/2.8: lots of detail.
Although I loved my M9, I still preferred my M240 for my professional photography. The M240 offered a much more usable high ISO, live view (though very laggy), less quirks, much better battery life and a better rangefinder. Here’s an article that I wrote for Steve Huff about that subject. For my personal work -and for other less stressful jobs- I often took my M9P. Even on my last trip, where I spend five months with my wife in the Northern wilderness of Sweden and Norway, I brought an M9.
You can read for weeks or even longer about the CMOS vs CCD debate, but I encourage you to try for yourself. One of the website you should pay a visit is this one.
2. The Leica M9 is still the most light weight full frame rangefinder camera
The M240 suffered from some serious obesity. It was fat and heavy, packed with all the new features that Leica could think of. Although still much lighter than a DSLR, the M240 was probably the max that we, rangefinder shooters, wanted to carry around.
The M240 suffered from some serious obesity…
For me, the difference in weight and size was big enough to take the M9 on my outdoor trips, where every gram literally matters. If I made sure that I switched off my camera after each photographic moment, the difference in weight with the less efficient M9 was still big enough.
Here at a wedding in Santorini. Here’s where the M system shines. I stayed three days, but only brought carry-on luggage.Lovely colours and easy operating. Set exposure, focus and hit the shutter.
With the Leica M10, our German friends are on the right track again. It’s as slim as the Leica M7 and they even managed to save some weight. But the M9 is still 80 grams lighter. That doesn’t seem like a big difference, but after a day of shooting, you will feel the difference. And on an outdoor trip, 80 grams of chocolate will get me a few hours of energy.
That doesn’t seem like a big difference, but after a day of shooting, you will feel the difference
3. Leica has proven to take care of the Leica M9 customer
One of the reasons why vintage Porsche 911’s have seen a much steeper increase in price than vintage Italian cars, is that German cars were built better than Italian cars. Also, if something breaks on your 911, you can still get a replacement part. The same thing can be said about Leica.
One of my favorites, shot in Hong Kong with the 35 Cron. I love it all: the colours and rendering.
When the sensor corrosion issue was discovered, Leica M9 owners feared the worst. But Leica acknowledged the issue and offered a free new sensor for those cameras that were affected. My M9P had a cracked sensor and although it almost gave me a heart attack, it was solved in less than five weeks by Leica.
There is no reason not keep your M9…
With enough spare parts, warranty on the major issues and the ability to adjust the rangefinder, there is no reason not keep your M9.
4. The easiest menu ever
The Leica M9 has a very simple, brilliant menu. Due to a lack of features, the menu is short and easy. Compared to the M8, the ISO can be set with a dedicated button. All you need is there and probably more important: all you don’t need, is left out.
My dear friend. One of the first shots with my M9.
The Leica M240 had a much more complex menu, mainly because the implementation of live view and video. Compared to a DSLR or a Sony A7, the M240 is still very easy to navigate, but the M9 is the pinnacle of simplicity. With the M10, Leica went back to a shorter and easier menu structure. And with success: most M10 users praise the menu structure of the M10.
The M9 is the pinnacle of simplicity…
Conclusion
When the M9 was halfway its life cycle, nobody probably expected the M9 to become a cult camera. There were quirks, ISO wasn’t up to speed with the competition and most M users were looking for Leica to step up the game. But in hindsight, the M9 was the first digital M where Leica had it right; it was light weight, small (ish), had a phenomenal output at low ISO and had a clean, easy layout. I will never ever sell my M9P and neither should you.
The Leica M9 is here to stay. That can’t be said of most digital cameras.
The M9 in Berlin. Good light brings out the best in the M9.It’s successor in action, but shot by the M9.Here on a wedding in Holland with the Nocti.One of the best tools for an outdoor adventurer.Here I took the M9 on a solo trip through Sarek. Weight was crucial.And here on our five months canoeing and hiking trip through Scandinavia.18 Megapixel is more than enough for large prints. I never needed more.And the last one: a wedding, with the Nocti.
The Leica 28 Summilux is a truly amazing lens. I have seen and used quite a few of the best Leica lenses, but this is one I will remember. The rendering is absolutely lovely and the 28 lux is still a very usable lens with regards to ergonomics. If you don’t want to read this whole review, you can stop after the next line. If you can afford the 28 Lux: get it. You will love it.
Lovely colours and a beautiful rendering. On the Leica SL
A fast wide angle is something like a two-in-one product. You can show a lot of the environment, but thanks to its large aperture you can also isolate your subject. This is one of the reasons why I bought the CV35/1.2 v2 many years ago. The other reason was that I needed a fast and affordable lens to cover flash-free weddings with my Leica M9. I sometimes shot this camera at 1600 ISO at 1.2 at 1/8th of a second. No need to with the cameras we have today.
A comparison with its smaller brothers. The Leica 28 Summilux is definitely small enough for a lot of photographic fun.
In fact, the 28 Lux reminded me a bit of the CV 35/1.2. But the list of items that compare is short. Unlike the CV 35/1.2, the 28 Lux is sharp wide open and suffers from less lens errors. Having said that, the CV 35/1.2 is a terrific lens, not just ‘for-the-money-terrific’, but really very good. During some weddings, the light was so bad that I shot the complete day with nothing but the CV35/1.2. I can’t say that of any other lens that I own.
Constructed to withstand the worst of all apocalypses, designed to last. No room for error. A gem
The 28 Lux is of another level though. Constructed to withstand the worst of all apocalypses, designed to last. No room for error. A gem.
Some people will say that it’s cheaper to buy a Leica Q and that this camera will give you the same results. This is not entirely true. First, the Q is not a true Summilux lens. It’s fast, but it is not a 1.4 lens, it’s a 1.7 lens. That means half a stop slower, which isn’t bad either, but it will result in a less dramatical transition from in focus to out of focus areas when a subject is shot from the same distance. The biggest difference is that you can ‘migrate’ your Summilux-M to a newer body and that’s why the lens will depreciate far less than the Q will.
Very, very nice separation.
Build quality and ergonomics
Like most Leica lenses, the Summilux-M 28 is built to last. As long as you don’t drown it, you can keep on shooting. The aperture is nice and solid (I don’t like loose aperture rings because that is risky when you work a lot in a hurry). The focus is lovely: not too stiff, not too loose. The focus ring is equipped with a tab, which is nice for fast focusing. Since I’m doing more video than before, I can’t help but say that it would be nice if there would be an easy way to get the tab off, in order to attach a follow focus ring on the lens. Having said that, there are enough lenses that are much more suitable for cinematography than M lenses. Leica cine lenses for example…
Shown here on the SL. The lens works even better on the M, regardless which M.
The focus throw is long enough for such a short focal length.
Ergonomics are very important for a lens. It doesn’t make sense to buy a lens that produces great images, but is a pain to use. And that’s one of the unique selling points of the 28 Lux. It doesn’t feel like a fast wide angle in the hand. The 24 and 21 Lux lenses are beautifully made, but for me they’re just too big and heavy to carry around all day. The 28 Lux may be just a bit too heavy for a whole day, but it wouldn’t be an argument not to buy it. I COULD carry it around if I wanted to. I cannot stress enough how important this is for M users.
Sharpness, bokeh and rendering
I found the 28 Lux to be surprisingly sharp wide open. That’s a very good thing, because there is no real reason to buy a 28/1.4 if you can only use it at 2.0 and further stopped down. It gets a bit sharper when you stop it down, especially in the corners. If this is your main thing – shooting landscapes with corner to corner sharpness – the 28 Lux will work for you, but you might just as well buy the 28 Cron or the 28 Elmarit.
For this lens, I’m reversing the order. We start at f4.And at 2.8. Nice, isn’t it?And at f2. Ooh, lovely rendering and bokeh…Wait, is this the same lens?? Oh yes, it is. Holy smoke! At 1.4
If you’re shooting the 28 Lux stopped down, you will notice that it looks like you changed the lens on your camera when you open it up. The 28 Lux at 1.4 seems like a world apart from the Lux at 2.0 or 2.8. It is almost unbelievable. Opening up suddenly transforms the lens into a very romantic, dreamy -but still very sharp in the center – lens with a nice bit of vignetting and wonderful transitions. Check out the Fowley pictures. This is the 28 Lux on all the pictures!
Usually, I don’t have to talk much about bokeh with wide angle lenses, but the 28 Lux does show some impressive bokeh. Not just for a 28mm lens, but for any lens. Bokeh is unbelievably smooth and very useful to create dramatic shots where you can ‘isolate’ your background, but still show some context.
The most noticeable lens error is some minor purple fringing. This is present in most lenses, but more in fast lenses. It is also very easy to get rid off in Lightroom or Photoshop. Other errors, if present, are probably corrected in camera.
You can make any place look like Gotham city with this lens. Terrific!
Conclusion
I want it.
With the 28 Lux, you can still get this amazing angle that draws the viewer into the frame, but you can choose how much you want the background to interfere with your subject with a flick of your hand…
Seriously though, I think if you’re new to the Leica system and you need two lenses, I’d get the 28 Lux and the 50 Cron or Lux. What I like so much about my 28 Elmarit is that it shows a lot of context, which is a good thing for a documentary wedding photographer. But sometimes I’d like to smooth out the context just a bit. A busy background can be distracting. With the 28 Lux, you can still get this amazing angle that draws the viewer into the frame, but you can choose how much you want the background to interfere with your subject with a flick of your hand. And that is a very, very valuable thing in a photographers toolkit.
With my recently acquired Leica SL, a complete ‘new’ range of lenses becomes interesting for me. With the M240, live view was never good enough to use R lenses, at least, not if you wanted to have fun while working. The M10 offers a much more pleasing live view, but the combination of the (even thinner) M and R lenses isn’t the best.
Enter the Leica SL. Not only the Noctilux seems to feel at home with this camera, also R-lenses feel perfectly right with the SL ergonomics. Yesterday I bought a very nice Leica Summicron-R 90/2.0, just to give it a try. I once tested the Summicron-M 90 pre ASPH and funny enough, the R version seems to be both less heavy and smaller. But it’s not. In fact, it is 100 grams heavier, but it just feels lighter on the SL.
While the sun was almost gone, we had some last rays of light in our kitchen and I snapped a few pictures of my wife, sitting at the table. The Summicron-R 90 isn’t brutally sharp wide open, which is exactly what I like about it. Compared to the razor sharp 75 Summarit, you might call this lens soft, but for portraits, this might be the better lens.
Yes, the Leica M10 is a fabulous camera, but last week I bought a brand new Leica SL. I’ll tell you why. First of all, while I know many M-users asked for a camera without video, I actually use video on my cameras. Not on the M240 (because it looks crappy), but I hoped for SL-like video features on the M10.
I notice that, apart from my wedding work, clients are interested not only in stills, but more and more in video as well. Also, I noticed that I got more interested in video on our five months canoeing and hiking trip. Video adds a lot to the possibilities to tell a story, which is what I do with photography and writing.
We’ve done a couple of video projects together, all with the Sony A7S and Leica lenses. A second camera makes things a lot easier on a set and while a Sony A7SII is less than half the price of the SL, I never liked the ergonomics of the A7.
The SL may be the best accessory for your Noctilux. Period.
But the SL is also a great stills camera. Not better or worse than the M, just different. Fact is, the darker it gets, the bigger the advantage of the SL with its huge and bright EVF. And for big and heavy lenses like the Noctilux, the SL just works better for me. The total combination of camera and lens may be a bit heavier, but it feels lighter and much more in balance. The SL may be the best accessory for your Noctilux. Period.
For anything shorter than 35mm, I’d say the M works quicker focusing wise.
I’m, as we speak, getting used to focusing M-lenses on the SL. It works surprisingly well. The longer the lens, the bigger the advantage. For anything shorter than 35mm, I’d say the M works quicker focusing wise. I don’t have any SL lenses yet. I’m interested in the 50/1.4, but I think I’ll wait for the Summicron series.
Also, I’m checking out the Leica R-lenses series, because these lenses balance well on the SL and might be an interesting addition to my kit.
Two weeks ago I had the chance to shoot the three Leica 28mm lenses simultaneously. I carried the 28 Elmarit, Summicron and Summlilux in my bag for a week. With the Elmarit I’m pretty familiar, because I have this lens in my kit for a number of years now. I bought it to see if the 28mm focal length would suit my wedding work. And it did. I never felt the need to ‘upgrade’ to a faster 28, because I liked the Elmarit so much. It’s not just a great lens for documentary wedding work – although it’s a bit slow for that – but it really shines as a tool for landscape and outdoor photography work, where weight and volume is crucial. We found it light enough to carry it on our five months canoeing and hiking trip.
The three 28mm Leica lenses (the new Summaron not included)
But the header said this was supposed to be a quick overview, so here we go. The facts:
Leica 28 Elmarit-M 28/2.8 ASPH: 211 grams, including metal hood. 1990 Euros.
Leica 28 Summicron-M 28/2.0 ASPH: 289 grams, including metal hood. 3870 Euros.
Leica Summilux-M 28/1.4 ASPH: 440 grams, including metal hood. 5800 Euros.
If you didn’t know that fast lenses are often accompanied by hefty price tags, now you do. And there’s another price you pay: an increase of weight and volume.
Which is the sharpest, you may ask. Well, they’re all pretty sharp. Even wide open. Much more important to me is the way these lenses feel in the hand and the way they render. Let’s begin with the first.
28 Elmarit @2.828 Summicron@2.0
28 Summilux@1.4
Ergonomics
For carrying around all day, the lightest lens is obviously the best choice. Even the difference of 78 grams between the Elmarit and the Summicron can be felt. The Summicron is still good for a full day of shooting, but the Summilux may be a bit heavy for that. Having said that: the Summilux does feel very well balanced on the M240 or M9. I didn’t feel the need to attach the grip to the camera, like I do with a Noctilux. Also, aperture and focus feels very good. A lot better than the 28 Elmarit, which is a bit too small for my hands. With the Elmarit, I have to be careful not to get my finger in front of the lens and the aperture ring is a bit too loose. Focusing is smooth, but because the lens is so tiny, I sometimes ‘miss’ the tab. The 28 Cron feels very much like my 35 Cron. Just a bit bigger, which is actually a good thing when working with it.
For carrying around all day, the lightest lens is obviously the best choice…
The most expensive lens has the biggest viewfinder blockage, followed by the Cron. The updated version of the 28 Elmarit has a new metal hood and all 28mm hoods are vented, so you can see through it-ish. Viewfinder blockage is never really an issue for me, because I’m just very much used to it.
Rendering
We’ll talk about sharpness in the individual reviews. For now, I’m only interested in rendering. And this is where it happens. The difference between these three lenses is so big, it’s almost unbelievable. In short, the Elmarit is sharp, almost clinically, with a lot of microcontrast, little vignetting and a bokeh that’s perfectly fine for a 28/2.8. The 28 Summicron is also sharp, has plenty of microcontrast, more vignetting and a very nice transition from in focus to out of focus, plus a very pleasing bokeh. The difference between the Elmarit and the Summicron is big, but the difference between the Summicron and the Summilux is huge. The 28 Lux is a one of a kind lens with enough centre sharpness, buttery smooth bokeh, very nice transitions, quite a bit of vignetting and a look that’s very easy to fall in love with.
The difference between the Elmarit and the Summicron is big, but the difference between the Summicron and the Summilux is huge…
The differences in rendering between the three lenses become more apparent when you get closer to your subject. With the pictures of Fowley you can see how spectacular this can get. Another striking difference is found in color rendering between the lenses. This is never an issue if you shoot in DNG, but if you use different 28mm lenses in the same shoot, you’ll have to tweak your white balance, even when your light doesn’t change. I leveled the WB a bit out, because it was distracting, but in the original files the difference is big, even with fixed WB settings.
Do you want to shoot landscapes, architecture or documentary (outdoor) subjects and is your budget tight and your camera bag small? Get the 28 Elmarit. You’ll love this lens for the rest of your life.
Do you need a faster lens for (indoor) documentary work, landscapes, or do you need a lens for environmental portraits with a bit of separation between subject and background? Get the 28 Summicron. It’s the allrounder: sharp, not too big, not too heavy, not too expensive.
Do you want to isolate subject and background, create dreamy images, but still show some context around your subject? Or do you want to shoot during the night? Is a slightly bigger and heavier lens not a problem and is your budget not really tight? Get the 28 Summilux. I’d love, love to use this lens for a wedding. Pair it with a 50 Summilux and you don’t need anything else.
Here’s my review of the Leica Summilux-M 28/1.4 ASPH
Here’s my review of the Leica Elmarit-M 28/2.8 ASPH
Here’s my review of the Leica Summicron-M 28/2.0 ASPH
So far I haven’t been overly enthusiastic about the Zenit Lomography lenses, but that changes today. The 50/1.5 Jupiter 3+ isn’t the sharpest 50mm on earth, but it delivers a lot of classical character.
I don’t need to explain why you should have a 50mm lens. That is quite obvious. The correct question is which 50mm should you get? Well, personally I think every Leica shooter should have at least the 50/2.0 Summicron or the 50/2.4 Summarit, plus one fast 50 to play with. That could be either a CV50/1.5, a 50 Summilux, or maybe even a Noctilux.
With the Leica M240. Shooting is a bit hit and miss. Sometimes it really works, sometimes it doesn’t. Here I love the rendering.But here, the lack of sharpness just annoys me.
The new Jupiter 3+ is actually a remake of a classic lens that was produced in Russia after ww2. It was produced until the late eighties. You can find an original decent one between 150 and 200 Euros. Beware of the fact that factory standards were questionable at best in these factories, so make sure you can check a lens before you buy it. The new, current version is more expensive: it will cost you 600 Euros.
Most Leica engineers would probably raise an eyebrow (or two) upon seeing the Jupiter…
Build quality and ergonomics
The 50 Jupiter is very small, roughly the size of the 50 Summarit without a hood. It’s heavier than you’d think: 252 grams with front and rear lens caps. At first the lens feels sturdy, mainly because of the weight. Further inspection reveals play on both the aperture and focus ring. Most Leica engineers would probably raise an eyebrow (or two) upon seeing the Jupiter, but hey, we’re not engineers. We’re photographers. I have to say that even a 450 Euros CV35/2.5 pancake lens feels at least twice as sturdy, but that lens won’t deliver the character the Jupiter does.
I’m very happy to say that the focus throw on the Jupiter is gigantic. It never seems to end. That makes very precise focusing a lot easier. Also, the aperture ring feels a lot better than those on the other two Lomo lenses that I reviewed. The aperture on the 50 Jupiter doesn’t have fixed stops, which is a good thing for film makers, but a bad thing for photographers who want to change the aperture without looking at the lens. The aperture ring also turns the wrong way (if you’re used to Leica and Zeiss). Stopping down is done by turning the ring counter clockwise. Nikon people with a Leica may finally be happy.
I’m very happy to say that the focus throw on the Jupiter is gigantic…
The Jupiter that I received wasn’t really usable with my rangefinder, so I had to use the EVF to focus the lens.
The Jupiter 3 comes with a Leica L39 screw mount, but Lomo is kind enough to supply a Leica M-adapter with the lens. Well done.
Sharpness, bokeh and rendering
Sharpness isn’t spectacular. The CV35/2.5 that I already mentioned is probably ten times sharper than the Jupiter is wide open. However, sharpness increases dramatically when stopping down the Jupiter. At f2 sharpness is already quite acceptable and at f4 it gets even better, were it not that you’ll have to refocus to compensate for focus shift. Sigh. Center sharpness is decent at moderate apertures, but corner sharpness never becomes really good. This is not a pixel peepers lens.
Subtle portraits, shots of details, these are the subjects that will make the Jupiter sing…
Bokeh and rendering is what this lens is all about. This is how lenses rendered sixty years ago. This is the lens with which the first Russian endeavours in space were shot. This is the lens with which the Russians shot portraits of their loved ones. Bokeh is swirly, unpredictable, but often very pleasing. It’s a shame it can’t be focused any closer than 70 centimeters, because this lens really begs for this type of close-up photography. In black & white the lens seems to work even better. The tones are amazing and I really love the look the M240 and Jupiter combo deliver. It reminds me of the M8 CCD look.
Rendering is the biggest USP of this lens. Because of the natural vignetting, the spherical aberration, the soft corners wide open and the weird transitions from in focus to out of focus areas, this is a lens that is capable of creating dreamy images of ordinary things. Women will love the soft focus look this lens delivers. Subtle portraits, shots of details, these are the subjects that will make the Jupiter sing.
Wide open @1.5: lovely rendering.But not really sharp. Or better: not sharp at all.Sharpness increases dramatically @f2, while there’s still plenty character.See what I mean?@f4 sharpness is acceptable, if you compensate for focus shift, but the typical character is alson gone.
Conclusion
Would I buy the Jupiter 3? No, not for this price, but mind you, I already have a stash with 50mm lenses. I can imagine that the Jupiter appeals to (film)photographers, looking for a special, light weight lens. This is not the Leica photographer per se. I think this lens excels in situations where softness and soft tones are a bonus and I must say that the softness and rendering of the lens sometimes results in beautiful b&w images. That alone is a good reason to get this lens.
Steve Huff tried the 50 Jupiter as well. Check it out here.
Our friend Wilka, half dog, half wolf.lovely grey tones in this shot.Some more portraits, shot on the Sony A7S
