Leica Elmarit-M 28mm F2.8 ASPH

Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. (2006) Review

In the Leica world, the Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens is a relative bargain, but you don't get stellar edge-to-edge performance at its maximum aperture. The Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. ($2,195 list) is an impressively small wide-angle lens with a modest f/2.8 maximum aperture. It's compatible with Leica rangefinder cameras, although it's easy enough to use with Sony NEX and Micro Four Thirds cameras using an inexpensive adapter. It's an impressive performer, delivering sharp images at its maximum aperture, but you don't get the edge-to-edge performance that Leica shooters adore until f/4. That's still pretty reasonable for a wide-angle design, and it's even more impressive when you consider just how compact and light the lens is. The Elmarit measures just 1.2 by 2 inches (HD) and weighs in at 6.3 ounces. The included clip-on plastic hood adds a bit of height, but not much, and its weight is impressive when you consider its all-metal construction. It can focus as close as 0.7 meter and accepts 39mm filters, the standard for smaller Leica lenses. Its aperture ranges from f/2.8 down to f/22 in half-stop clicks, and there's a ta...

Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. Review

The Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens improves on the image quality and design of its predecessor. Leica quietly updated its most affordable 28mm lens, the Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH. ($2,295) in 2016, improving its optical design and making some minor cosmetic changes, notably in the design of the lens hood. The new Elmarit-M is a better lens than the one that came before it, although the difference is not night and day. It doesn't have the sexy f/1.4 design of the larger, pricier Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH., but it's an appealing option for Leica owners who value small, light lenses. Not Quite Pancake The Elmarit-M is one of the smaller lenses you can get for a Leica M system. It measures just 1.2 by 2.0 inches (HD), weighs 6.2 ounces, and supports 39mm front filters. When used without the included lens hood there is almost no blockage to the 28mm frame as seen through the viewfinder of the M10-D. The hood is changed from the previous version of the lens. Instead of clipping on at the sides, it screws onto an exterior thread around the front element. If you prefer to use the ...

The most compact lens in the entire portfolio of M-Lenses, making it ideal for street, reportage and travel photographers