Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi All, Mark Langer asked about the 50mm f2.8 Elmar-M. In my office I have a 30 x 42 inch print of a photograph I took in 1996 at Land's end in San Francisco, California. Here's the photo: http://www.ravensrest.com/will/coast-9.html It was taken with the current production Elmar 50mm, and is stunningly sharp even at that huge size. (scanned on a Nikon scanner, printed on an Epson 9500P). At f5.6 or f8, I would pit it against any 50mm. It is fully usable at f2.8, though here the Summicron will give a slight edge. It has, as others have said (perhaps Erwin?), a more "brittle" sharpness to it than the very smooth rendition one expects from the Summicron. The colors will be more saturated than your older 50's, due to more modern glass and coatings. An outstanding lens, IMO. Will von Dauster Mark Langer wrote: > I've been offered a recent black M mount 50mm f2.8 Elmar at an attractive > price well below what a recent black Summicron would go for. My 50mm lenses > are all screwmount -- 50mm f3.5 Elmar (transition red scale), 50mm f2 > Summar, 50mm f2 Summitar, 50mm f1.5 Jupiter. I was thinking of getting a > recent 50mm Summicron, but wonder if the f2.8 Elmar would be giving me > something in terms of performance for the dollar that the Summicron or the > lenses I already have wouldn't. > > Mark > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Mark Langer > > Email address: mlanger@ccs.carleton.ca > ----------------------------------------------------------------------