Re: [Leica] R state of the art

["adrian bradshaw" <abpeking@public.bta.net.cn>]

 Ben (....) wrote,

>Here we are. Yet another person who likes to compare $200 Canon lenses
>to $2500 Leica lenses. Try comparing a $1500 Canon lens to a $2500 Leica
>lens some time.
>
which Canon lens would you compare to Leica's 50s by way of an obscure and
exotic example? The 50/1.8, 1.4 and 2.5 are all flimsy and all have IME play
in the focussing ring. But the 50/1.0 has a passable focussing ring I grant
you:) I would agree that the L series generally have better focussing feel
on MF but the L series has a number of important omissions which mean that
one is inevitably left to compare Leica fixed focal lengths to 'budget'
Canons from the 15mm fisheye through to 100mm.


>Yes of course! Every time they improve the exposure control it is really
>a communist plot to build up our dependance on good cameras. Then Stalin
>moves in with his tanks and confiscates all the batteries. All that will
>be left is the M shooters with their mechanical bodies. Praise be to
>Leica with their Red^H^H^H Dots!

Let's not be silly - by 'ploy' I meant a marketing ploy not a covert attempt
to destroy the world as we know it. I for one had no problem focussing with
my pre-AF Nikons and others have commented on how much better the focussing
screen image on the Canon F1n was to the EOS series (of which the EOS1n is
by far the best - my EOS5s are strictly for AF use except strangely enough
for long and slow lenses). Now I might also add that I personally found the
R4 through R7 viewfinders murky and with a disconcerting colour cast (blue
green) through the contrast was OK so I never liked them - the SL2 was very
nice though. With the R8 I believe Leica have a strong selling point in the
viewfinder in that it is a pleasure to focus manually.
Whether that and the optics are sufficient to urge me and other pros towards
the R series in significant numbers remains to be seen. In the absence of an
R8 motor the problem is moot until the next millenium anyway. In the
meantime I shall continue to use my Leica Ms whenever possible but rely on
my EOS system (5 bodies and 13 lenses - just so you know I have a little
firsthand knowledge) for much of my work.

For those who find all this talk about state of the art frustrating I would
ask the following:
If Leica continues to charge well over the odds for its products and fails
to be state of the art or near it to such an extent that they alienate
pro-users such as myself (who would frankly love to use Leica optics
exclusively) how long will they remain in business? This is not meant as a
provocation but as a concerned individual user who would not like to see
Leica Camera go insolvent again and for the last time. I would hope that
some constructive comments might emerge even though there seems to be a
natural tendency on the LUG to preach to the converted and let the rest be
damned! I would hope that we could convert a few of the latter with the help
of a more enlightened Leica Camera company (if they are lsitening that
is...)

If that is not a question that is of central interest to LUGGERs I apologise
- - and don't understand!