Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have a personal comment about the 180's. My first 180 was a 2.8 Elmarit. It was great, but was stolen in SFO after it's first use. I was anticipating using my 1.4 and 2.0 APO extenders. However, KSP had a used mint (almost new) 180 3.4 so I bought it. It was a fine lens, but I soon learned that it indeed was a special purpose lens. It was made for military survalence. Survalence is at a distance. I noticed that the 3.4 was very very good at distance photography, but at close distances, it was not as good. The second problem that I noticed about the 3.4 is that it did not like filters. I have been in a situation where I could not get sharp focus through a particular filter. I talked to some KSP folks who had heard the same story from other photographers. I do use filters. Well, KSP got a mint used 180 2.8 in stock and I bought it. So now I had both 2.8 and 3.4 180's. I had both for several months and I came to a quick conclusion that the 2.8 was a far better general purpose 180 lens. It loves filters, loves close-ups, loves 1.4 and 2x APO extenders, and is really really sharp. Naked, for distance use (such as survalence) the 180 3.4 APO is indeed a steller lens. But for all around use, without compromise, I personally have found that the 180/2.8 to be a much better lens. There are no limitations. I sold the 3.4 . FWIW... This is my personal finding. Jim PS... I know there are new APO 180's now, but whew... they are big! My E67 180/2.8 (and at 252/4 & 360/5.6) is/are outstanding lens/es.