Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 11:23 AM 20/6/98 EDT, you wrote: > >In a message dated 6/20/98 7:12:18 AM, you wrote: > ><<Someone should snap-up this lens. Those marks are absolutely meaningless. >There is no possible way to tell the difference between a new front element >an one with a few light marks. Especially near the edge. I have a 180 or >I'd grab it. $750... great great bargain. >>> > >I don't know just exactly what lens this is since I haven't been looking at >this for a few days, but I can testify that a few scratches on a lens make >absolutely no difference. I recently bought a 35 Summilux with a few light front element scratches but the rear element is good. It was previously used by a photog in Cambodia and I would not be surprised that, judging by the cosmesis of the lens barrel, it could have recorded events surrounding the Cambodian civil war, killing fields, Pol Pot or even Nam. The pictures it produces are very nice. From f2.8 onwards, they are sharp and crisp despite the front element scratches. At f1.4 and f2, there is some softness in the images (like an ethereal look) and discernable corner vignetting which I consider an artform in itself. At the princely price of $290 for which I paid (which comes in its original shade), who can complain? Of course I carry it around without any filter and with that kind of history attached to it, it doubles as a conversation piece on days that I do not feel like taking pics. Dan K.