Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/31

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Subject: Re: Contax G vs. Leica M
From: Shawn London <st942432@pip.cc.brandeis.edu>
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 97 10:49:57 -0400

> Modern
>Zeiss glass will cost and cost and cost, though the G2's 16mm Hologon seems
>to be appearing on quite a few M's.

Granted, $400 is a bit steep for the adaptor, but you are mistaken about 
the price of most Zeiss lenses for the G camears.  The 16 f/8 Hologon is 
the most expensive, but the 21 f/2.8 Biogon is only $1200 from B&H... 
less than my new 35mm Summicron, and half the price of the comparable 
Leica lenses.  The other G lenses, are in my opinion, complete steals, 
after having used them for several months.  The 90mm f/2.8 Sonnar is only 
$520, yet was called the best medium tele they'd every tested when 
Popular Photography put it and the 45 and 28 lenses through their paces 
(April 1995).  The 45mm f/2 Planar is only $340, and the 35mm f/2 is only 
$470.  If you go with Zeiss lenses, even if you pay $400 for the 
viewfinder, you will still be payiing a lot less than Leica glass and 
getting quite similar quality. 

Having used both glasses, though, it seems that M glass like my 35 
Summicron has a slightly warmer tone than the 35 or 90 G glass.  All 
three lenses produce noticably better contrast and sharpness when 
compared with other photos.