Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/03/29

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Subject: Re: [Leica] What non-leica wide angle to get?
From: Gabe <egabe@ix.netcom.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 18:29:45 -0800

Thank you for the great information.  I checked out the camera show but didn't
find anything this time.

Anyway, I appreciate you taking the time and I will file the info for the next
hunting trip.

Take Care
Gabe

TTAbrahams wrote:

> Gabe, There are several good alternatives in the 28 focal length. The Orion
> 28/6 is an excellent lens, light and sharp, but the aluminum barrel tends to
> be a bit sticky and the aperture ring is inside the lens front. Good lens
> though. The Nikon 28 and Canon 25 or 28 are competent performers although they
> tend to be a bit flary. Best bet right now is the Ricoh 28/2,8 Asph. very
> sharp and contrasty and built as well as a Leica Lens ( any company that turns
> the lenshood in brass deserves praise, no more cracked plastic hoods!!). The
> Kobalux 28/2,8 is O.K. The later version is better ( the black  anodized
> version), the earlier chrome one is soft wide open and somewhat prone to
> flare. The Roussar 20/5,6 is a good performer and the finder is quite a nice
> one, but the quality control at the manufacturing end is erratic. I have had
> some really good 20/5,6's and also some useless ones. The latest one I have is
> truly a dud,either someone at the factory forgot to put the centre elements in
> or the past owner removed them, in any case it does not work at all, a diffuse
> small circle is all you get. On the other hand, I paid less than $100 for the
> lens and the finder and I bought it mainly for the finder. Does anyone have a
> spare set of centre elements for a Roussar laying around?
>  The other alternatives is to get a Nikon to M adapter and pick up a Nikon 20
> or 24 mm lens ( or even the old 28/2,8) and mount it on the M. You can get
> away with the uncoupled rangefinder with the wide angles.
>  Good luck at the swap meet,
>  Tom A