Re: [Leica] Lenses for B/W or Color

[FIGLIO4CAP <FIGLIO4CAP@aol.com>]

In addition to an M and and R outfit I also a fairly large collection of
Pentax lens of both screw and K - mount vintages. Some of the Pentax lenses
measure quite a bit better on resolution charts and at infinity than do the
Leica lens, with the exception of the 2.8 Elmarit series (35, 60, 90, 135) for
the R. However color and black and photos have more depth and interest in them
with the Leica lens. I lived through most of the "transistion" from the
primary concern with resolution to contrast (thus the MTF method  of lens
evaluation which I think Leica pioneered was developed). I do know that finer
details show up with Tech Pan with some of the Pentax lenses and I use them if
that is the goal of the exercise. However, if overall picture quality is the
aim, then the Leica lenses are the obvious choice.
The color v. BW issue arose in the marketplace, I think, with the rapid rise
of color print film and the widespread ease of processing that material.
Resolution is not really a great concern with color negative film and papers
as normally processed, contrast certainly is, IMO. Of course the issue is not
that simple, but the ability of the media to reproduce fine detail could be of
interest. Certainly slides as projected have benefited drammatically in color
rendition and shadow detail with the advent of the newer lens formulations.