Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Eric wrote, >You can't seriously compare those two lenses. The Nikon is a good lens, but >it's hardly any competition for the Leica lens, optically. Who cares about >the rest? And who cares about "leadership" when it comes to technology. >I'll take optical quality any day, if I don't need the technology. You might and I might go for the optical quality now but most of the people in the market (whether professional or amateur) would have gone for the Nikon for the very good reason that it existed ten years before Leica came up with anything competitive. And as for 'who cares for "leadership" when it comes to technology' I would have to say it is clear that it is 99%+ of all the people in the market for this type of product, hence the tiny market share and growing cost differential between Leica and other pro-grade 35mm camera systems over the years. I was comparing the technology levels not individual lenses in this case. Lest I give the wrong impression I would like to point out that I use Leicas professionally (Ms anyway) and have done for my entire career from the point at which I could afford one. Now I have 6 Ms, 8 lenses and would use Rs if they had an R8 motor, better availability and more high speed zoom lenses to replace the EOS 17-35, 28-70 I use. For me Leica's technology is behind Canon's in many important areas but when the opportunity arises I am happy to use the Ms and the finer lenses. In most cases in 35mm photography it is getting the picture that is most important and the colour quality, sharpness and general pleasure in using Leicas are luxuries for my own satisfaction rather than my clients appreciation. The Rs would also be for enhancing the pleasure I get from the tools of my trade rather than being a justifiable business expense but the hit I would take technolgy-wise would be too big at this stage. If my work was not so peripatetic I would consider having Rs as an adjunct to my EOS system but they are too heavy to carry in addition to what I have already. Bests Adrian