Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/04/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It is my recollection Leitz began to give up resolution for contrast to better fool the eye sometime in the 1960's. Can't recall whether it was 1968 but all of a sudden the Leica Photography magazine and Leica literature began to use side-by-side comparisons to illustrate how lower resolution but higher contrast lenses would fool the eye. With a shift toward consumer use of color print film the smoke and mirrors route was probably the best. However, the b&w worker was shortchanged for the reason he or she could add all the required contrast needed in the print but no amount of wizardry would put detail in the print that was not on the negative. We should do some side-by-side comparisons using the old Summicrons versus the new APO's. Probably be a waste of time testing against the new non-APO's as I would expect the old lenses to come out ahead. If anyone has done such a test, please let us know.