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Following this thread with great interest...if I buy this lens it'd be your doing Fred! (though I wouldn't be the first).
I'm very surprised by this lens's performance between f2 to f4 at infinity. I use a 28 Summicron v2 and I am quite certain that this VM is better than it in terms of sharpness, wide open and stopped down.
I'm OK with the CA performance but like Ron mentioned, am not sold by the bokeh from the sample so far. It's not horrible, but it isn't charming. Of course, charming may also mean divisive. I feel the 28cron v2 has a bit of an edge here. I don't shoot 28mm as much as I'd like, so to this VM lens makes sense to me. Plus it is tiny, granted the cron v2 without hood isn't large, just that this VM takes the factors of size and performance to the next level.
If my 35mm f2 Ultron II's build is anything to go by, I'd confidently say that the 28mm f2 II's build is likely to be better than the cron v2's from a layperson's perspective (i.e. not someone who is going to take the lens apart and compare helicoids and bits and bobs inside). On my 35mm f2 Ultron II, the focus ring is smooth with no kinks and the aperture clicks are very firm. The brass also has a heft, which may artificially contribute to a sense of quality. I owned the VM 35mm 1.2 III alongside this 35mm f2 for a couple of months and while the 35mm 1.2 III is pricier, its focus ring was lighter, the aperture ring less tense and the black (anodised?) paint wore off more easily than any of my Leicas, so I get the impression the vintage line appears better built (no idea about the paint of this line, as my 35mm f2 is in silver chrome). But both these VM lenses easily put their Leica counterparts to shame - the aperture rings on my 35FLE and 50APO are as loose as a fidget spinner. My 35FLE's focus ring was fine, then when it came back from service, came back uneven. The 28 Cron V2 is more or less ok, but IMO bested by both VM lenses I mentioned.
I suspect the 28mm f2 Ultron II will better the 28 Cron v2 on a few fronts based on Fred's review, my experience and online specs -> more obviously cost and size, but also build, and in terms of optics on the resolution front. The Cron v2's saving grace(s) (if at all) may well come down to more subjective aspects e.g. background rendering and colours. I think the incremental small wins in favour of the VM (and a bigger win for cost) will really make it a Summicron killer, if not for others then for myself.
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