Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]There is a citation from Mr Weese, quoted by Bud Cook: "A designer might try to make this lens as sharp and "contrasty as possible wide open, while keeping it as close as possible to "standard fine lens performance through the rest of its range But the Leitz "designers did something else. At maximum aperture and close to it, they "aimed for reasonably high resolution with low contrast. Low contrast? On "purpose? This is one of those stories that one likes to fantasize about. The wide open aperture performance of the Noct is just the best any designer, working within the current limits, could generate. The assumption of Mr Weese is that the designers could have produced a lens with higher contrast, but opted for low contrast, as they assume that this lens will be used in high contrast situations. If Mr Weese had any idea of the formidable task of designing a f1 lens design he would not make this statement. The Noct as it is by now is the best the designers can compute. The idea that Leica designers would purposely lower the contrast to suit the high contrast situations where this lens might be used, is far removed from reality. I really wish people would stick to their area of expertise before making wild guesses about topics they are not acquainted with. Erwin