Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/01/25

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Subject: Re: [Leica] 50 mm M lens comparisons (long)
From: Erwin Puts <imxputs@knoware.nl>
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 21:30:47 +0100

>Hello Erwin,
>
>>You are right stating that the differences between the several
>>generations and types of Leica 50mm lenses are quite large.
>
>How does the (one and only) 1.4/50 R compare to the M-lenses in your
>opinion? My first pictures show remarkably low flare, but seemingly
>low contrast. Have to continue shooting of course.
>
>
>Regards, Leo

Hello Leo,

The R-1,4 is for all intents and purposes in the same legue as the M-1,4.
You noticed some important characteristics, such as low flare. The lens has
excellent sharpness and definition of fine details. The subject outines
however are not so crisply delineated as the M-2,0 (or the R-2,0). This
characteristic is common to many high speed lenses from the Leica stable,
exceprting of course the latest generations. The way the subject outlines
are reproduced has a very great impact on our visual impression of contrast
and sharpness. You might interprete this as 'low overall contrast', but
that impression is not entirely correct.
This is a suble but important distinction and I am at the moment involvd in
a more detailed analysis of these related phenomena.
Let you know the results
Erwin