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["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

One specific question and one of a more philosophical nature:

1. What is the general consensus among LUGers regarding the permanent use
of a Leitz UV filter to protect front elements? Is there any noticeable
image degradation? Serious enough to outweigh the protective value? What
about other German filters?


2. Re all the excitement about the new vario Elmar for the Ms...If you
take a look at the product sheet on the Leica website, the company's
description of the quality of this lens is less than reassuring. They
talk about the improvements one gets by stopping it down one or two stops
- - which starting with an f4 lens means nice sharp shots of skiers and
beach scenes, but nothing in anything approaching lowish light. While we
all know that all lenses are improved by stopping them down from their
greatest aperture, one assumes relative quality to begin with. And while
it would be nice to have three lenses in one, given the small size and
weight of M lenses to begin with, why spend over $2000 for a definite
compromise in the "standard" lens range. Isn't all this excitement a bit
more related to the Leica myth than reality?


B. D. Colen


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