Leica Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 II (Transitional)

Leica Elmarit 28mm f/2.8 II (Transitional)

The second version of Leica's 28mm Elmarit-M solved a practical problem that limited its predecessor: the original 1965 design used a deeply intruding rear element that fouled the metering arm of the Leica M5 and the CL, so Leica reworked the optics for the version introduced in 1972 [1][2]. The redesigned lens removed that deep rear element, which is why it can be mounted on the M5 and CL and other bodies with built-in meters [1][2]. It was computed by a team led by Walter Mandler at the Midland, Ontario plant and was built there in black-lacquered brass, carrying a Leitz Canada inscription [1][2]. Production ran through 1979, with fewer than about 7,050 examples assigned across the run, making it one of the less common members of the 28mm Elmarit family [1].

Optically the lens uses eight elements in six groups, a relatively simple arrangement that kept the barrel reasonably compact while delivering its 76-degree diagonal angle of view on full frame [1]. It is a coupled rangefinder lens on the Leica M bayonet with an eight-blade diaphragm running to f/22, focusing down to 0.7 m, and it takes E48 filters with the matching 12501 hood and 12007 (SLOOZ) finder among its period accessories [1]. Handling follows Leitz practice of the era, with a metal focusing barrel and a conventional aperture ring; framing on bodies without 28mm frame lines was done with the auxiliary viewfinder, since the in-body 28mm frame line did not arrive until later M cameras [1][3].

The "Transitional" label that collectors and the Leica Classic store apply to certain examples refers to lenses that sit between the first and second versions, identified by a yellow distance scale and a silver infinity lock rather than the black-painted infinity lock of the earliest first-version barrels [4]. This nomenclature can cause confusion, because the first version is sometimes described as a nine-element design while the second version that followed it is the eight-element optic; buyers should match the element count, the rear-element profile, and the barrel details rather than relying on the version name alone [1][2][4]. Within the wider lineage this model was superseded by the later Elmarit-M versions, including the well-regarded compact pre-aspherical design and eventually the aspherical Elmarit-M [1].

Optical qualities

Rendering Documentation of this specific version is limited, and reviewers note that it is a comparatively obscure entry in the 28mm Elmarit line with little written about it [2]. The available user reporting describes a classic 1970s rendering rather than a clinically corrected modern look. On digital bodies, one long-term user notes softness toward the edges and some falloff in sharpness wide open under certain lighting, with results that improve on stopping down [2]. The same source values the lens for its older-style character rather than outright sharpness, observing that later versions such as the third and the pre-aspherical fourth are sharper choices [2]. On Leica digital M cameras the second version can be used, though early examples below a certain serial number lack the support needed for in-camera metering coupling [1].

History

Development and Launch The 28mm Elmarit-M originated in the mid-1960s, but its first optical layout intruded so far into the body that it interfered with the metering systems of the M5 and CL [1][2]. To restore compatibility, Leica brought out a revised version in 1972, designed under Walter Mandler in Canada, that retained the f/2.8 maximum aperture and the 28mm focal length while changing the optical construction so the rear no longer protruded into the camera [1][2]. This placed the lens as the everyday wide-angle in the M lineup during the 1970s [2].

Production Evolution The revised lens was produced from 1972 to 1979 under order numbers 11801 and 11802, in black-lacquered brass, with an eight-element, six-group formula and an eight-blade diaphragm [1]. Surviving serial-number records indicate batches across the 1970s totaling fewer than roughly 7,050 lenses, after which the design was replaced by the next Elmarit-M version [1]. Barrels of the transitional examples are distinguished by a yellow scale and a silver infinity lock [4].

Special editions No widely documented factory special editions, military, or export variants are recorded specifically for this version; it was sold as a standard production M-mount wide-angle [1].

Collector Notes Because the version names overlap with the rear-element redesign, identification is the main pitfall: confirm the element count and the rear profile, and check the inscription for the Leitz Canada origin [1][2]. Collectors should verify the infinity-lock color and scale color when a seller advertises a "transitional" example, since these are the cited distinguishing marks [4]. As with many lenses of this era, inspect the optics for haze, dust, and cleaning marks, and confirm the presence of correct period accessories such as the 12501 hood when paying a premium [1][4]. One discrepancy worth noting is weight: collector references list this version at around 300 g, slightly above the figure recorded here, likely reflecting differences in how barrels and caps were weighed [1].

Sources

• [1] Leica Wiki (English). 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit II. https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/28mm_f/2.8_Elmarit_II
• [2] Dan Kerin Photography. Leica 28mm F2.8 Elmarit V2. https://dankerinphotography.com/leica-28mm-f28-elmarit-v2
• [3] Dan Kerin Photography. Leica 28mm F2.8 Elmarit V2 (28mm frame lines note). https://dankerinphotography.com/leica-28mm-f28-elmarit-v2
• [4] Leica Camera Classic. Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 Transitional 11801. https://classic.leica-camera.com/en/Leica-Elmarit-M-28mm-f-2.8-Transitional-11801/11801SH-2315133