Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/11/26
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Thought this would be of interest for the group.
(note the mentioning of electric contacts!)
FROM: donb@rational.com (Don Baccus)
SUBJECT: first look, Leica's modular telephoto system...
DATE: 25 Nov 1996 22:20:56 GMT
ORGANIZATION: Rational Software Corporation
Had a chance to play with the part of Leica's new modular telephoto
system on Saturday, so thought I'd post some impressions here. I
didn't have the opportunity to shoot with it, but, hell, it's a
Leica and even a Canon fan like me doesn't doubt Leica's ability
to build sharp telephotos :)
As most of you know, this system consists of two front-end modules
with the big, fast "dinner-plate" lens elements, and two back-end
modules which have the focusing elements, lensmount, etc.
One front-end module combined with the shorter back-end module
yields a 280/2.8, with the longer a 560/4.0. The other module
can be combined with the back-ends to create either a 400/2.8 or
800/5.6. Leica claims that all four can be combined with their
converter and maintain APO performance. This term is often abused,
but Leica tends to mean it when they say it.
Mechanically, the two modules are held together with a big
bayonet mount. You break it up by twisting a knurled ring,
put it back together by mating the two halfs a twisting the
ring into its locked position. Fast and simple.
There are electrical contacts between the two, which I presume allows
the system to correctly communicate the max aperture to the body.
Just guessing.
Along with the traditional large focus ring, the two back-ends
offer a small thumbwheel for fine-tuning focus. A great idea,
I've found the slow-focus speed of the Canon 600/4 to be very
useful for fine-tuning focus and I'm sure I'd use the thumbwheel
on this beast regularly if I owned it.
It's an interesting concept. I own a 300/2.8 and 600/4, and
these two lenses with a 1.4x gives me the series 300/2.8, 420/4,
600/4, and 840/5.6. The Leica approach would be of equivalent
weight and bulk and an equivalent series, but the 400/4 and 800/5.6
members aren't created with a 1.4x converter so are presumably give
traditional Leica prime performance. Similar series, better
performance at two of the four lengths.
On the other hand, Canon and Nikon supertelephotos do offer exceptional
performance with their respective 1.4x converters, easily good enough
for making salable images to critical buyers.
Along with maintaining Leica's traditional high performance, these
lenses maintain Leica's traditional high price. The front-end/back-end
combo I played with (800/5.6) lists for $14,400 USA according to
the rep. My impression is that Leica gear isn't highly discounted
by dealers here in the USA, but I really don't know what it will go
for on the street. Still manual-focus, of course.
Comments? (please, let's not turn this into another "leica's always
best" series of diatribes, I'm mostly curious about what people
think of the concept. Wave of the future? As kinky as a quattro?
Somewhere in between?).
- --
- - Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb@rational.com>
Nature photos, site guides, and other goodies at:
http://www.xxxpdx.com/~dhogaza
- --
Bye,
_/ _/ _/_/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/_/
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
_/ _/ illem _/ _/ an _/ _/ _/ arkerink
_/_/_/
The desire to understand
is sometimes far less intelligent than
the inability to understand
<w.j.markerink@a1.nl>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]