Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>Dear Leica users, >> >>A good day to everybody. >> >>I am looking at building a system around a Leica RE and a 50mm Summicron >>lens I recently acquired. I want to buy all used and is currently >>considering adding the 35mm f2, 90mm f2, 180mm f3.4 apo-telyt and maybe the > >>135mm f2.8. I do not know what to get for a second body so I am open to >>suggestion. I am looking at primes only as I already have zooms for my >>Nikon. My Nikon lenses are MF 20f3.5, AF24-50 f3.3-4.5D, AF 60f2.8D micro, > >>AF DC 105f2D and AF 80-200 f2.8D (one touch). >> >>I want to ask the LUG users if my choice of Leica lenses good? If not, why? > >>Suggestions for a better selection? >> >>I hear there are several versions of the 35mm Summicron. How many are there > >>actually and how is the quality between them? How is the used prices >>affected by each version? >> >>I am a serious amateur and a very new Leica user. My knowledge of Leica >>lenses is little but growing. I do know they are outstandingly built and the > >>photo reproduction quality is excellent. And yeah, also terribly expensive. > >>Building this system will probably take me quite a while and I want to make > >>sure I do not buy something I will regret later. >> >>Any help is very much appreciated. >> >>Regards, >> >> >>Sattha Doug Herr wrote: >Sattha, > >The really cool thing about Leica R lenses is that there are no crummy >lenses. We'll be better able to make suggestions if you can tell us what >you want to do with your Leica R system. Is light weight a priority? >Close focus? Dim light? Actually, I intend to use my Leica R system in times when I do not need auto-focus or have the luxury to take my time to focus accurately (and selectively) in manual mode. For example, when I am shooting landscape and close-ups. I know I could have done the same with a manual Nikon camera and lenses. However, I never did like the view-finder screens in the earlier manual Nikons and had problem focusing with them. I was seduced by the very bright RE screen and lovely micro-prism. It was so much easier to focus. The other thing was I have read, heard and seen much of Leica outstanding lens performance that I felt I just have use it to find out for myself (even if it means digging into my savings). I have seen slides shot with the 50 Summicron that have an unusual 3-D quality to it which I have not been able to get with my Nikkors. Call me mad or deluded but I stand by what I saw. And the colours and tonal rendition are simply beautiful. I'd prefer carrying light if possible. Lugging the 80-200/2.8 Nikkor around is enough arm exercise for me. That's another reason why I am opting for the 180/3.4 Apo instead of the other two (other than the reputed superior performance of the 180/3.4 apo). I am not looking at any macro R lenses just yet because they are simply too expensive, even when bought used. Shooting under dim light is a criteria I am looking for in my R system. That is the reason why I opted for the Summicrons. Summilux cost too much for an extra stop. I chose the 35/2 instead of the 28/2.8 because other than shooting formal head and shoulders I also enjoy environmental portraits. To me 35mm has a more natural perspective with wide angle especially with humans in the foreground. Sattha