Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Henning Wulff's analysis is absolutely on-target, as those of us who own and appreciate catadioptric lenses (such as Schmidt or Maksutov/Bouwer telescopes) will affirm. A central obstruction softens the image and causes loss of contrast: within constraints, this isn't a major issue but the Thambar's filter was large enough to have a noticeable effect. Without the filter, the lens was a relatively conventional f/2.2 Hektor design which was acceptably sharp from f/9 to f/25. With the filter in place, the lens became and f/2.3, but the softening effect of the filter was only noticeable between f/6.3 and f/9. The lens is not especially rare: 2984 were produced from 1935 to 1949. Yet it certainly does command a collector's premium. (By comparison, 3308 2.5/12.5cm Hektor lenses were produced, yet this lens has never commanded great collector interest, nor has the second version of the 5/400 Telyt-V, of which only 3360 were produced.) Why? Who knows? Collectors glom on strange items to collect, and not on others. Why aren't collectors especially interested in the quite rare LTM Viso IIa? Again, who knows? As Dan Black says, again and again, though: owning a collector's gem can be a wonderful thing, but selling one can be a royal pain, as you have to find a collector LOOKING for the item who HAS the available cash! So, you often end up selling the item for less than the various guides say it is worth. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!