I made the jump, and bought myself a 28/1.9, but to justify it to myself ($$$$!!), I'm selling my 35/1.7 (If you've read my responses to "what lens should I get" questions, you already know how I feel about 35mm focal length) and 25/4.

35/1.7 : Incredibly sharp (perhaps the sharpest lens I have!), definitely a user on the outside--the black paint they use is soft, and is starting to wear on the sharp edges, showing brass. Never dropped, always had a UV filter and caps, rarely if ever cleaned, almost never used, in fact. Mechanically perfect, optically as new. $250

25/4 : Spent a lot of time on my camera, but the harder black has worn much better, also never dropped, of course. Great size match on Leica LTM cameras. Looks excellent, always had UV filter and caps, finder edges shiny and so the finder looks worse than the lens, but both are mechanically and optically fine. $175.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002

Answers

I'm with you on the dislike of 35mm lenses - not wide enough when you 'need' a wide angle but too wide when you want a bit of selectivity. I think they are popular on the M leicas because the 35mm frameline looks about right on the .72 viewfinder - the 50 frame can be a bit small and the 28 frame is too wide. I love the 50mm length and I'm now used to the space around the frame in my M6 'classic' - I use a GR1v for my 28mm needs but I may get a 21mm Voigtlander for super wide. I have a 15mm on a Bessa L but it's no somethhing I can use in everyday situations. I conscidered the 1.9/28 - but it looks quite big - I like the idea of cameras that are smaller than SLR's - how is it sise wize on an M body? Sorry it's not a WTB response!

-- John Griffin (john.griffin@millerhare.com), March 13, 2002.

Hey, help me out here. I'm trying to SELL the thing! Someone wants it, even if you and I don't. :-) As I said, the sucker is SHARP. The most recently that I actually shot a picture with it was to shoot a group of about 20 people, and I use it because I knew I could count on everyone coming out clearly.

This morning on the bus I calculated why I like the lenses I do. It turns out they're all a little less .55 from each other, more or less- -85/50/28/15.

It appears that the 25 is gone--almost immediately. . . .

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002.

Sorry - yes these are very good lenses - I have used the 25 and the sharpness is awesome! Mr Putts puts the 35 1.7 ahead of the non aspherical Summicron - so it 'must' be good!

-- John Griffin (john.griffin@millerhare.com), March 13, 2002.

Michael, I just did the same thing -- sold 35/1.7 and got 28/1.9. 28mm is noticeably more expensive (I had to buy brightline finder for it too), but for me it is more useful then 35. If there's no takers for Ultron, there's always eB#y (that's where mine ended up).

-- Alexander Grekhov (grekhov@wgukraine.com), March 13, 2002.

OK, both lenses gone. Thanks, folks.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), March 13, 2002.