[Leica] 28-50-35 Tri-Elmar-M

[Warrick Lawson <wal@da.saao.ac.za>]

Just a few thoughts about the Tri-Elmar-M.

I'm not surprised the lens is apparently a 28-50-35 lens.

Optically a 28-50/4 is pretty boring, but mechanically this
is no easy task for the M.  OK, just change the length of the 
bayonet lug you say.  But I would have thought that's no easy
task while maintaining the integrity of the mount.

Making the lens change from 28-50-35 means the finder frames
will adjust sequentially from 28/90 to 50/75 to 35/135, and 
back again of course.  And it means the variable lens cam is 
not doing a little backwards and forwards wiggle in the middle 
of the 'zooming' operation.  If the lens went from 28-35-50, 
you would see the 50/75 frames between the 28mm and 35mm 
settings, which is not the most elegant solution.

This optical/engineering solution makes me suspicious that
there will not be a similar Contax offering, because I would
have though the G-mount would support a true Vario.

The suggested 35-50-90 works nicely with the M finder, but why
wouldn't it be a 35-50-75-90 Quad-Elmar.  Although in this case,
the variable cam would have to stay put in the 50/75 setting.

I'm a little disappointed the Tri-Elmar only focusses to
1.0m.  There are many shots I want to take in the 0.8-1.2m 
range, and the 1.0m limit halves that useful range.  (This
is one of the reasons I'm selling my 35-70 f3.5 Vario-Elmar;
I hit the 1.0m limit too often.)

And the suggested price.  Apparently quite close to buying 
separate 35 and 50 Summicrons.  What would you rather have???

Warrick