Re: 70-210 zoom and 28-70 zoom

["Richard W. Hemingway" <n5xrd@telepath.com>]

At 08:44 PM 7/12/96 -0400, you wrote:
>In an earlier message I said that one of my books claimed that the
>Sigma-made 28-70 Vario-Elmar-R had been discontinued and that the
>70-210 Vario-Elmar-R had been recomputed.  A couple of people asked me
>for clarification a couple of days ago and I hadn't been able to
>respond at the time because of a bit of a rush at work.
>
>The book is Jonathan Eastland's "Leica R Compendium," which I've come
>to respect more and more over time, especially when I compare it to
>that error-riddled little book "Leica Lens Practice."
>
>About the Sigma-made 28-70, it says: "In 1990 when the Vario-Elmar-R
>28-70mm lens was introduced, some critics noted with surprise that the
>lens cost five times as much as Sigma's own version.  The subsequent
>reviews in some of the photographic press of the time did little to
>extol the virtues of the Leica lens, and while this objective sold
>reasonably well in Germany, it suffered a downgraded public image and
>in other countries and was subsequently discontinued."  (p. 49) Also:
>"Manufactured by the Sigma Corporation of Japan to Leica
>specification.  It was officially discontinued in July 1994 but was
>being offered by Leica UK Ltd and other distributors at the time this
>volume went to press as a 'free' lens when a current Leica R-type
>camera was purchased new."  (p. 74)
>

I have a copy of the R7 catalog which is dated 1995 and it shows the 28-70
Vario-Elmar-R f/3.5-4.5 as a current lens?????  I have a used 28-70 and I am
quite satisfied with it. I will have to get the Leica R Compendium, I have
the Leica M Compendium.

Dick Hemingway
Norman, OK