Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]snip > Please note that all Leica M lenses below 35mm are now retrofocus lenses, > although only to a slight degree in comparison to SLR lenses. This is to > allow the M5 and M6 metering. On the positive side, this makes it easier to > design a lens that has even illumination over the field, but on the > negative, it makes it harder to control distortion. As a consequence, the > new 21/2.8 ASPH has more distortion than the 21/3.4. These differences are > slight, but they do exist, and might possibly make some difference in your > shooting. > > * Henning J. Wulff snip Thanks for the valued info. The retrofocus issue and been out of in my mind for years and I trust you have helped clarify it. It's my impression that retrofocus somehow means: telephoto turned backwards. If this might be the case how can something be slightly retrofocus? As to the distortions issue I am recalling Erwin's articles which I'm pretty sure are convincingly to the contrary, but I'll go check now. thanks again, Mark Rabiner