Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/13

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] CDI tested 80/1.4 R
From: Dominique PELLISSIER <pelliss@droit-eco.univ-nancy2.fr>
Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 20:05:00 +0100

At 22:45 12/02/99 +0100, Pascal wrote :
>As Lucien has pointed out today, the latest issue of Chasseur d'Images
(March 99) has test reports on two Leica lenses:
>1) Summilux-R 80/1.4
>
>3 stars (out of 5) for performance
>1 star for quality/price ratio
>3 stars for côte d'amour (subjective rating of how the testers liked the 
>lens)
>
>As with the lens herunder, the finish and built quality are superb.
Contrast of this lens is low wide open, which has a negative impact on
contrast/sharpness performance. Closing down one f-stop makes a lot of
difference. Performance  gets to very good levels from 2.8
onwards.Vignetting is serious wide open (more than half an f-stop), but is
gone by 2.8. No distorsion whatsoever. Neutral rendering.This lens is one
of the best performers in its category. And it handles very well. However,
it is not alone in that league while its price is many times that of the
competitors. In conclusion: way too expensive.
>
>Pascal
>NO ARCHIVE
>
############
The Summilux 80 has been tested by CI two times : in 1999 as Pascal has
just reported and in 1987.
In 1987 they wrote : "The performances of the Summilux, 75M or 80R, are
comparable :they are moderate but, however, remarkable at full aperture,
then are improving very greatly when stopping down".
In 1999, they wrote: "Contrast of this lens (i.e. 80) is low wide open".
Whereas the '98 test of the 75 gives a different evaluation: "Contrast and
resolution are already high at full aperture".
There is some time inconsistency in the evaluation of the 80 and presently
significative differences between the 75 and the 80.Why ?
Erwin, you have a lot on your plate !

Dominique Pellissier