[Leica] RE: R Minolta lenses

[Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>]

Those R lenses that are Minolta designs are well known by the R
photographic community. As are the (old) Zeiss, Angenieux, and Schneider
designs. For the most part, the NON Leica lenses were in the fringes. Leica
(Leitz) covered the prime lenses and prime focal lengths themselves. Of the
R lenses sold by Leitz/Leica... Old Minolta: 16, 24, 35-70, 70-210, 500
Mirror. Old Zeiss: 15mm. Old Schneider: 21, 28PC, 35PC. Old Angenieux:
45-90. And old Leica: 19, 28, 35, 50, 80, 90, 100, 135, 180, 250, 350, 400,
560....... all the prime stuff is from Leica.

It's possible that my memory is a little foggy, and I'm sure someone will
correct me if I put a lens in the wrong group.

However, it is an incorrect statement that [older] Leica R lenses are
really Minolta designs. Only fringe lenses are Minolta designs. Stuff
outside the "meat and potatoes" focal lengths.

Jim


At 02:07 PM 1/15/99 -0800, you wrote:
>Well LUGs, 
>
>I just go off the phone with Bill Maxwell, who besides being a repairman,
>also has a masters in Physics.  My head hurts.  He tried to explain
>tunneling to me but I got a bit lost.  I was only part right explaining the
>rangefinder focusing on the M so excuse me on that.  One thing that stuck
>was what he explained about the Leica lenses.  Now M lenses is what I am
>refering to.  He is of the opinion that the R lenses, (The older ones Eric,
>so I am not trying to get your dander up!) having repaired both Minolta and
>Leica R lenses are really Minolta designs:-( (don't shoot me I am only the
>messenger).  The newer R-lenses are not, they are Leica designs and should
>outperform the older R lenses easily.
>Anyway, many of the M lenses are designed for available light shooting at
>which they excel.  Some lenses may not test as well as others, example given
>to me was the Summicron DR would not test near as well as a Nikon 50mm in
>terms of lpm resolution but outperformed it were it counted, available light
>photography since it was able to better show the detail of images captured
>in available light than the Nikon.  This has to do with something called
>ellipsoidal waveforms, andthis is where I started getting lost.  So for what
>its worth, some more info.  His favorite lens by the way is the 50mm 'lux.
>For him that was the best available light lens made.  He has not tested the
>Noctilux or new asph Summilux, so this refers to the previous generation.
>Please note I am saying this not to cause a problem but it made me realize
>that some lenses are better than others depending on how they are used in
>photography.  
>
>Peter K