Leica 28-35-50mm Tri-Elmar-M f/4 ASP

grabshot

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $2200.00 from RG Lewis, London

Summary:
Terrific convenience of having three focal lengths available in one lens. Not perfect replacement for three separate primes - slow maximum aperture (though you know this before you buy the lens) and slightly ungainly handling/balance compared to classic primes such as the 50/F2 or 35/F2. Sharp and perfectly usable wide open at F4 though bokeh (out of focus rendition) is a little coarse. This lens has an annoying tendency to exhibit some veiling flare at 50mm setting when least expected (even with expensive hood in place). Despite the convenience, I ended up selling mine and going back to using 35 and 50 primes.

Strengths:
Convenience of having three focal lengths in one package. Much quicker than changing lenses.

Weaknesses:
Occasional veiling flare at 50mm setting. Large and unbalanced lens when compared to most of the 28, 35 and 50 primes.

Similar Products Used:
None

Customer Service:
Not required with this lens.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $1525.00 from R&K Photo, Auburn WA

Summary:
Great travel lens, especially if one prefers to minimize weight and bulk.Handling and ergonometrics outstanding. One can do critical metering at 50mm then shift to 28 or 35 quickly.

Strengths:
Suberb optics comparable to prime lenses at same focal lengths...sharp, brilliant with legendary Leica color rendition

Weaknesses:
f4.0 a bit slow but compensate with higher film speed. Sometimes shallower depth of field is desireable. Expensive sunshade

Similar Products Used:
Leica and Nikon prime lenses and Nikon 80-200 zoom

Customer Service:
None needed

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Price Paid:  $1300.00 from Hong Kong

Summary:
A very cost-effective way to have three commonly-used focal lengths in one lens, and Leica glass to boot. It is slow (f/4) but surprisingly good wide open.

Strengths:
Excellent optics, convenient to use, build quality.

Weaknesses:
Lens hood is expensive, cannot use conventional filters, fairly large, pricey.

Similar Products Used:
This is the only multi-focal-length RF lens I have used.

Customer Service:
Not needed.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Price Paid:  $1695.00 from R&K Photo, Auburn,WA

Summary:
I do a lot of travel photography and like to travel lightly and simply. This is an amazing lens...wish I hadn''t waited to get it. Very accurate metering using 50mm setting before shifting to wide-angle, helpful shooting "chrome" transparancies

Strengths:
Flexibility and optical quality. Take the place of three prime lenses with Quality I feel is comparably at same aperatures.

Weaknesses:
Not as fast as prime lenses-f4.0. Also, sometimes shallow depth of field of f2.0 is useful.Make up speed with faster film.

Similar Products Used:
There are none for an M series Leica

Customer Service:
Not necessary...

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
2 votes

Price Paid:  $1200.00 from Stephens Cameras, Manchester UK

Summary:
I purchased it secondhand in mint condition for half UK list price. Combined with 90mm Elmarit-M and M6, has to be the ultimate compact travel kit!

Strengths:
Great Optical quality, flexibility of focal length changes at the twist of a ring. Wonderful color rendition.

Weaknesses:
Fairly long physically. Occasional flare problems with sun just out of frame. I always keep a u/v filter on it which loses the hood effect of the deeply recessed front element. Mine is a mk 1, and the focal length settings don't click in aswell as the latest version. Can't use it with Leitz universal polarizer filter.

Similar Products Used:
I use Canon T90's and Hasselblad. For 10x8 prints it is as good as the Hasselbad.

Customer Service:
Not needed.