R lenses....

[Michael Hintlian <102144.2651@CompuServe.COM>]

Hello Chris and LUG-sters;

Yesterday, Chris Fortunko wrote:

<<LUGs,

I was informed a couple of days ago that R lenses are not selling very well.
If so, what is the reason for this phenomenon. Certainly, the R lenses are
very good optically. Leica/Leitz put a lot of effort into their development. 

I was also told by the same person, a salesman at a Leica dealer, that 3-cam
lenses do not work as well in SL/SL2 cameras. He has a lot of two-cam
lenses. Perhaps, the two-cam lenses are not moving very fast either.

Personally, I like the older lenses. They seem to have fewer plastic parts.

Chris>>

I'd like to speak to the first comment about R lens quality...in my experience
using both M and R gear, there are R lenses that are as good as and several
superior to that of the M camera.  Specifically the 35mm f2.0-R is better than
the 35mm f2.0-M, the new 28mm f2.8-R is better than the new 28mm f2.8-M (by a
slight margin), but the 50mm f2.0-R is NOT as good as the 50mm f2.0-M.  I am
speaking from actual use in the field, not pictures of test targets.  So there
it is...Leica has put tremendous effort in the attainment of top end quality in
the R glass. One last thing...the 180mm f2.0-R is in my opinion, the sharpest
tele of any make or focal lenght...period.

Hope this illuminates and spawns further input regarding the often neglected
Leica "orphan"...the R camera.  Maybe I'll need my flak jacket <g>!

Michael Hintlian