ELMARIT-M 2.8/28 3rd

This is a record of using the LEICA M mount, ELMARIT-M 28mm f/2.8 (3rd) with a Leica M film / digital camera.

Gallery

Sample photos taken with the LEICA M9 and LEICA M6 +Fuji100

Review

The third generation Elmarit (Elmarit) M is a wide-angle lens for the Leica M mount that was released almost 50 years ago. Approximately 17,000 pieces were manufactured over a 14-year period from 1979 to 1993.

There are two types of the third-generation Elmarito: an early type with a constricted lens barrel and a later type with a straight lens barrel, but both have the same lens configuration.

The lens hood is 12536 and is exclusively for this lens. Since the lens mount is screwed, it is compatible with additional modifications to Leica’s 6-bit lens recognition code.

Perhaps because the third generation was produced in large numbers, it is not as popular as the first and second generations, and its prices are generally lower.
The image quality is a matter of personal preference, and compared to the 4th and 5th generation aspheric lenses of modern lenses, the depiction is looser, but in the scenes where this is appropriate, the depiction is attractive. I also feel that the first and second generations have less quirks in their depictions and are more moderate in their depictions. It was a great experience to walk around the streets of Bangkok, Thailand with this lens.

The one I owned was an early model lens barrel with a constriction, and the protrusion on the focus ring was not split into two, but instead had a claw-like protrusion, and a German camera mail order store described it as “Tiger Claw’s version.” An explanation was written.
Tiger Claw’s SUMMICRON-M 50mm (2nd generation) and SUMMICRON-M 35mm (7-element) from the same era also have lens barrels with similar protrusions.
The Tiger Claw version may be priced at a premium compared to other third-generation 28mm lenses, but as of 2022, it is a relatively common lens on the used market, so it is not that rare. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go into business with a premium price, as they are sometimes sold for the same price as a lens barrel without a constriction.

From left to right: 3rd generation, 2nd generation, 1st generation

Specification

Item	Value	note
focal length(mm)	28
Maximum aperture	2.8
Minimum aperture	22
Lens configuration	6groups 8elements
Minimum distance(m)	0.7
Lens length(mm)	48	Distance from lens mount surface
Lens max diameter(mm)	52.5
Filter diameter(mm)	49
Weight(g)	−