R New gen wide angle lens ELMARIT R 28mm 2nd
A review and photo examples of the ELMARIT-R 28mm (Type II).
Table of contents
Gallery
- The sample photos were taken with the SONY α7Sii and CANON EOS-1DsMK III.
Review
1．Overview
The Elmarit R 28mm 2-inch is an R-mount wide-angle lens released in 1993.
It has a built-in rectangular hood, a filter diameter of 55mm, a minimum shooting distance of 0.3m, and weighs 435g.
It was released in 1993, when the R8 and R7 were mixed, and 3-CAM, R-CAM, and R-CAM+ROM for the new R-mount body, R8, and R9 were released to support older R-type cameras.
Lenses with a ROM terminal can record information such as aperture value and lens name in the exif of the captured image file by using the LEICA R-Adapter-L (16076) on a Leica L-mount Alliance body.
It is a new generation R lens in terms of its exterior design. This lens is the only lens with such a rectangular built-in hood, and has a distinctive appearance. Other new generation R lenses include the SUPER ELMARIT 15mm, SUMMILUX 50mm E60, APO SUMMICRON 90mm, and APO ELMARIT 180mm.
2．Usability
The Elmarit R 28mm 2-inch lens delivers a satisfying image even at full aperture, with no distortion even at the periphery of the image in both digital and film, and produces photos with a sense of resolution overall.
The focus ring angle is a relatively shallow 90 degrees from infinity to the minimum shooting distance of 0.3m, making the focus feel light and designed to allow for quick changes in focal length.
It is also compact for an SLR lens, and the lens hood is effective and easy to use.
Originally, the Elmarit R 28mm 2-inch lens was rarely seen on the secondhand market, but with the spread of mirrorless cameras with short flange backs, the availability of mount adapters for each camera has made it easy to use R lenses, and the secondhand price of the lens is on the rise.
This new Elmarit 28mm can also be seen in Nikon mounts. This is because all lenses for SLR cameras have a similar flange back length, making it difficult to make mount adapters for various cameras. When using Leica R mount lenses with cameras from other companies, the mount brackets are replaced to make modifications. These are available on the second-hand market as is.
When using a Leica R mount wide-angle lens with a 35mm full-frame sensor via a mount adapter, the protrusion of the rear lens is detected by the EOS sensor, and some lenses cannot be used with Err. However, this lens is a valuable wide-angle lens that can be used with the EOS-1DsMKIII.
When used with the X1D2 medium-format digital camera with a sensor size of 44mm x 33mm, the image circle is insufficient at the periphery for the medium-format digital sensor, but the proportion is about 10%. Since the 36 x 24 mm of the 35mm format is 20% smaller than a medium format digital sensor, the shooting range of this lens is larger and more spacious than that of the 35mm format.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the Elmarit-R 28mm 2-inch is a wide-angle lens that produces a modern image. Among R-mount wide-angle lenses, it has the advantage of being easy to use with cameras from other companies via a mount adapter because the rear lens does not protrude much.
It is not widely available in Japan, and there are a fair number of them listed on eBay, but they are all priced at quite high prices, so when purchasing, you need to determine whether the price is worth it.
Specification and Competitor
In the image below, the Elmarit R 28mm Type 2 looks larger, but when a hood is attached to the Elmarit R 28mm Type 1, the sizes are reversed.
| Items | I型 | II型 |
| Focal length(mm) | 28 | 28 |
| Max aperture | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Min aperture | 22 | 22 |
| Leaf blade | 8 | 6 |
| Lens Construction | 8 elements in 8 groups | 8 elements in 7 groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Lens length(mm) | 40 | 48 |
| Max diameter(mm) | 63 | 67.5 Width of square hood = 76mm |
| Filter Size(mm) | Series 7,48 mm | 55 |
| Hood | 12509 | Build in |
| Weight(g) | 390 | 435 |
| Release date | 1970 | 1993 |
Reference links
Update history
- 2025.6.1
- 2024.1.3
- 2024.02.16:Update article
- 2022.02.08:First draft
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