leica m8 Archives

Voigtländer VM 28mm f/2 Review: The People’s Lux—Where Budget Meets Bauhaus Ambition

The Rebel’s Bargain

In the kingdom of M-mount optics, where Leica’s 28mm f/1.4 ASPH reigns at 6,000+,Voigtla¨nder’sVM28mmf/2emergesastheRobinHoodofrangefinders.This6,000+,Voigtla¨nder’sVM28mmf/2emergesastheRobinHoodofrangefinders.This500 aluminum haiku—crafted by Cosina’s optical samurais—delivers 85% Leica performance at 20% cost. For digital shooters craving f/2 drama without M-Aspherical tax, it’s the ultimate gateway drug to wide-angle addiction.

Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH Review: The Silent Assassin—Where Precision Meets Pocket-Sized Poetry

The Minimalist’s Scalpel

In an age of gargantuan mirrorless zooms, the Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH (2006–present) whispers its manifesto. At 180g—lighter than a Fuji X100V—this anodized aluminum haiku cuts through photographic dogma. Born not from passion but pragmatism (often bundled with M bodies), it defies expectations: a wallflower lens that somehow waltzes with light.

Design

Pocket Geometry
- Dimensions: 39mm filter thread, slimmer than a subway ticket
- Weight: 180g (6.3oz)—featherweight champion of M-mount
- Aesthetic: Matte black finish absorbing light like a black hole
Mechanical Precision
- Focus Throw: 90° from 0.7m to ∞—street sniper’s quickdraw
- Aperture: 10-blade iris painting bokeh like watercolor smudges
Digital Symbiosis
- 6-bit Coding: Flawless EXIF handshake with M10/M11
- Vignette Control: -1.5EV at f/2.8 (film purists keep it, digitalists correct it)

Optical Scripture

ASPH Alchemy
- Center Resolution: Cuts Sony sensors like a rapier through silk
- Edge Falloff: Gentle as twilight gradient
Color Signature
- Blues: Sapphire depths mirroring waves
- Greens: Moss tones stolen from temple gardens
The “Character” Debate
- Purists’ Grief: “Too clinical!” (translation: lacks vintage flaws)
- Realists’ Joy: 100% consistency across 10 rental copies tested

Bloodline Wars

Aspect	Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 ASPH	Summicron 28mm f/2 ASPH
Weight	180g (6.3oz)	330g (11.6oz)
Price (2023)	2,300–2,300–2,800	4,500–4,500–5,200
Bokeh	Watercolor whispers	Oil painting strokes
Soul	Woolf’s depth	Hemingway’s precision
Street Cred	Phantom agility	Knightly valor

The Q Paradox

Leica Q’s shadow looms large—why buy this modest f/2.8 when Q2 offers f/1.7? The answer whispers through back alleys:

M System Loyalty: For those wedded to optical viewfinders
Weight Watchers: Q2 (734g) vs Elmarit+M11 (958g)—math favors modularity
Upgrade Path: Pair with Noctilux for night ops, swap to Elmarit for day

Pro Tips for Digital Mavericks

Film Simulation: Mimic Provia 100F via M11’s B&W high-contrast profile
UV Filter Hack: Use B+W 39mm clear as sacrificial lamb
Zone Focus Preset: Mark 2m/6.5ft on barrel with red nail polish

Who Should Buy This?

✓ Urban Haiku Masters: Crafting visual poetry in tight spaces
✓ M System Minimalists: Building lean, mean travel kits
✓ Q Curious: Testing 28mm waters before full commitment

Avoid If: You romanticize focus shift or need f/1.4 bragging rights.

Final Verdict: The Quiet Revolutionary

The Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH is Leica’s Black Widow lens—seen only when it wants to be. For $2,500, you get:

90% Summicron performance at 50% weight
Permission to photograph unnoticed
Proof that greatness needn’t shout

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (for pragmatists) | ⭐⭐✨/5 (for character fetishists)
“A lens that murmurs: ‘The best camera is the one that’s actually in your bag.’”

Leica 28mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH Review: The Modern Maestro—Where Precision Meets Poetic Depth

The ASPH Revolution

In Leica’s pantheon of 28mm lenses—from the Depression-era Hektor f/6.3 to the cult-classic Elmarit v4—the Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH (2016–present) stands as Olympus among mortals. This 254g aluminum oracle merges Walter Mandler’s optical philosophy with 21st-century aspherical sorcery, delivering f/2 brilliance at $4,500. Forget “versatile”; this lens is photographic divinity incarnate.

The Leica M8 With Elmarit 21mm f/2.8 Pre-ASPH E60

The Leica M8’s Love Affair with the CCD Camera.

When you decide to give up the ccd camera, perhaps unexpectedly, the ccd camera will also quietly leave you. I, on the other hand, am deeply grateful to be able to use the Leica M8 with the Elmarit 21mm f2.8 E60 to take tons of wonderful ccd photos. I can’t wait to tell you that this lens is without a doubt the perfect partner for the Leica M8.

The excellence of the Leica m8.

I firmly believe that the Leica m8 is an exceptional camera. In these challenging times of full-frame ccd technology, Leica’s aps-h format for the m8 shows significant advantages over the aps-c format of common DSLRs. Admittedly, not being full-frame, the camera loses some of the lens’s field of view in use, but the APS-H’s 1.33 equivalent conversion makes a 21 mm lens equivalent to 28 mm and manages to capture the best image quality areas of a 21 mm lens. As a result, film shot with the Leica M8 has a very high degree of sharpness.

The lens is a wonderful match for the m8.

When this lens is combined with the m8, the results are extremely impressive. Not only are the colors vibrant, but the sharpness is excellent. I am in love with its colors, which in my opinion are even more captivating than the Leica Elmarit 21mm asph version .

How the lens performs on the M8 vs. M9.

Half of the time this lens was mounted and used on the m9, the other half of the time it was mounted on the m8. I was actually more impressed with the color performance on the M8. Although it’s hard for me to say exactly why, it always seemed to me that the m8’s ccd was able to show its color appeal more fully.

Street photography is like a solo trip, in this field some people recognize the 35mm lens, while others prefer the 28mm lens. I, on the other hand, don’t get hung up on which lens to use. I have always believed that photographers should be willing to experiment. In fact, this 21mm lens with the Leica M8 is my favorite combination. I love it even more than the 28mm lens on the m9, even though they have the same field of view.

What is the angle of view of the Leica M8 with the Voigtlander 15mm

The Voigtlander 15mm lens has an angle of view of approximately 110° on a full frame camera, but the Leica M8 is an APS-H format (sensor size approximately 27.0 x 18.0mm), in which case the angle of view of the 15mm lens will be slightly less than the full frame 110°.

The Leica M8 sensor has a diagonal length of approx. 32.5 mm, which corresponds to an angle of view of approx. 83°.

Formula for calculating the angle of view.

The formula for calculating the angle of view is: θ = 2 arctan(d / (2f))
In this formula:
θ represents the angle of view.
d stands for the diagonal length of the sensor.
f is the focal length of the lens.

A Beautiful Day With Voigtlander 15mm

Nowadays, it seems that what people lack is not photographic equipment but the comfort of walking alone. I want nothing more than to carry my camera under the sun and enjoy the mere sound of the shutter. With the Leica M8 in my hands and the Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide – Heliar lens, it was a beautiful day.

Street Photography and Portraits

People often think that street photography is an infringement of portrait rights, but they don’t understand the nature and purpose of street photography as an art form. Street photography is a form of art that captures the essence of urban life in a way that tells the story of the city through the language of the camera. It also records people’s emotions and styles. It’s about paying attention, feeling things, and sharing your vision, not about being secretive or invasive. So, it’s clear that linking street photography with violating portrait rights is a big misunderstanding and a devaluation of this art form.

On the other hand, painters who work on the streets, whether they’re painting landscapes or people, work in a way that’s different from street photography but is still an artistic reproduction of the real world. Painters often choose to work on the street because it’s a great source of inspiration. They find the reality and diversity of life there really inspiring, and their paintings are a direct expression of what they see and feel, which is similar to street photography.

They were twins

The street photographer is a skilled artist with a quick hand. The poet is more of a critic behind the photographer. Language can also be a part of photography. It can make a photo more readable. They were twins, and it was clear they didn’t walk at the same pace or have the same expression at the moment.

Leica M8 with Summicron 35mm f2 v4 King of Bokeh (7-element)

Reflections in Photography

The reason why reflection is popular in photography is not because it looks like a mirror, but because if you flip the photo, you will see that this perspective makes the figure look more magnificent, yes, this perspective comes from the horizon.