Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/19

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Subject: Re: Russian superwide??Re: [Leica] Jim's Lens Selection
From: Chandos Michael Brown <cmbrow@mail.wm.edu>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 22:24:27 -0400
References: <OF883D2C39.A4AEE830-ON88256903.006F2775@internal.nextlink. net>

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