Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/02/01

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To: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Subject: Re: M lenses with coma???
From: Eric Welch <ewelch@gp.magick.net>
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 1996 08:36:13 -0800
Cc: Leica List <" leica-users"@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Organization: Grants Pass Daily Courier
References: <199602011434.JAA07392@mh004.infi.net>

Marc,

You feelings about the Leica R system are not uncommon, but there is no 
difference in the way you design slr and rangefinder lenses. It's the 
same issues and tradeoffs. And since the M5/M6 they've been creating 
retrofocus lenses for the M system, something required by SLRs. Glass 
is glass. And as a matter of fact, many R lenses are clearly superior to 
their M counterparts. (19R vs 21M, 90 f/2 R vs M). But then one reason 
that's true is many of the R designs are newer. That's proven by many 
people's experiences, by Leica's own statements and by BAS tests. But 
the systems are complementary, not exclusive.

But what I can't understand is how you could possibly call the R system 
retro? It is clearly a system for different kind of shooting, and for 
many years outsold the M system. Now they're about equal from what I've 
heard. Still, you're comparing apples and organes. Two different tools.
-- 
Eric Welch
Grants Pass, OR