Dustin Gent wrote:
Thanks a lot for the info! Going rate for this lens is around $2400 or so. Had to look. Yikes
Is the Leica 28mm "better" than the CYZ version?
It depends on which C/Y version you’re referring to (Distagon C/Y 28/2.8 or 28/2) and which Elmarit-R 28/2.8 you’re referring to (v1 or v2). And what you mean by “better”? And how you intend to use it. And whether or not you prefer the unified “look” you get from sticking to a single brand. And which rendering you prefer: Leica or Zeiss.
The Elmarit-R 28/2.8 v2 (with the built-in lens hood) and the Distagon C/Y 28/2 (Hollywood) are acknowledged, for different reasons, as among the best 28mm SLR lenses ever. The Distagon C/Y 28/2.8 easily offers the biggest bang for the buck. I have all three but, if I had to choose one, it would be the the C/Y 28/2 because the floating element design enables it to excel up close and near wide open. (For middle-distance stopped down use I prefer the Biogon 28/2.8 ZM on a Leica.) However, nowadays I suspect the Hollywood 28/2 is overpriced and that a Classic ZE/ZF Distagon 28/2 would be a better choice. In his review of the Hollywood 28/2, John Black at PebblePlace sums it up pretty well:
Prior to the "new" Zeiss 28mm F2 Distagon ZE, I would have whole heartedly recommended the Contax 28mm F2 Distagon. But now we have a Zeiss 28mm F2 Distagon ZE in a native Canon mount with a fully automatic aperture, updated optical formula, new lens coatings optimized and full EXIF data. While I do feel the original Contax 28mm F2 has a better look or draw (mostly in its bokeh), the new ZE is a solid performing lens that can easily be purchased new and comes with a warranty - vs buying a 30 year old lens. And used prices on Zeiss 28mm F2 Distagon ZE's are incredibly cheap, so it is a tough argument (in my opinion) to justify buying the Contax 28mm F2 Distagon today.
So, if you're committed to the Leica look, you'll have to suck it up and get the Elmarit-R 28/2.8 v2 (which has a much better build quality than either of the C/Y 28mm lenses). Otherwise, I'd suggest that a Classic Distagon 28/2 in ZE/ZF/ZF.2 mount is your best choice for a Zeiss 28mm. I have the ZE version and it's a pleasure to use. (If you're wondering why I have too many 28mm lenses, it's because I never go wider than 25mm nor longer than 100/105mm, so I'm happy to have multiple alternatives at focal lengths within that range.)
Dustin Gent wrote:
Thanks a lot for the info! Going rate for this lens is around $2400 or so. Had to look. Yikes
Is the Leica 28mm "better" than the CYZ version?
It depends on which C/Y version you’re referring to (Distagon C/Y 28/2.8 or 28/2) and which Elmarit-R 28/2.8 you’re referring to (v1 or v2). And what you mean by “better”? And how you intend to use it. And whether or not you prefer the unified “look” you get from sticking to a single brand. And which rendering you prefer: Leica or Zeiss.
The Elmarit-R 28/2.8 v2 (with the built-in lens hood) and the Distagon C/Y 28/2 (Hollywood) are acknowledged, for different reasons, as among the best 28mm SLR lenses ever. The Distagon C/Y 28/2.8 easily offers the biggest bang for the buck. I have all three but, if I had to choose one, it would be the the C/Y 28/2 because the floating element design enables it to excel up close and near wide open. (For middle-distance stopped down use I prefer the Biogon 28/2.8 ZM on a Leica.) However, nowadays I suspect the Hollywood 28/2 is overpriced and that a Classic ZE/ZF Distagon 28/2 would be a better choice. In his review of the Hollywood 28/2, John Black at PebblePlace sums it up pretty well:
Prior to the "new" Zeiss 28mm F2 Distagon ZE, I would have whole heartedly recommended the Contax 28mm F2 Distagon. But now we have a Zeiss 28mm F2 Distagon ZE in a native Canon mount with a fully automatic aperture, updated optical formula, new lens coatings optimized and full EXIF data. While I do feel the original Contax 28mm F2 has a better look or draw (mostly in its bokeh), the new ZE is a solid performing lens that can easily be purchased new and comes with a warranty - vs buying a 30 year old lens. And used prices on Zeiss 28mm F2 Distagon ZE's are incredibly cheap, so it is a tough argument (in my opinion) to justify buying the Contax 28mm F2 Distagon today.
So, if you're committed to the Leica look, you'll have to suck it up and get the Elmarit-R 28/2.8 v2 (which has a much better build quality than either of the C/Y 28mm lenses). Alternatively, I'd suggest that a Classic Distagon 28/2 in ZE/ZF/ZF.2 mount is your best choice for a Zeiss 28mm.
Feb 20, 2019 at 01:49 AM
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