Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I used the Russar 20/5.6 extensively for a couple of years and was delighted with the results (many examples on my website). I sold it on eBay a few months ago for e cost of a new Heliar 15. I'd acquired the 21/2.8 Biogon, which is vastly superior to the Russar, and didn't feel the need to duplicate the focal length (ie: I now use the 15 and 21). My understanding is that there's considerable variation in the build quality of the Russian optics. I had a very good one (equal, in my opinion, to the Heliar), but you might want to be careful to buy on approval. For what it's worth, they seem to have become comparatively scarce--at least if the web is any indication. Stephen Gandy has a useful review on his site, the url of which I am constantly misplacing. Someone on the LUG will post it. Chandos Chandos Michael Brown Assoc. Prof., History and American Studies College of William and Mary http://www.wm.edu/CAS/ASP/faculty/brown