Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/29

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Subject: [Leica] Comparing Nikon glass and Leica glass
From: ken@iisaka.org
Date: 29 Mar 2001 18:26:52 -0800

All,

I'm doomed.

I showed a few rolls of Provia F transparencies to my wife, some of which were taken using my Micro-Nikkor 55mm 1:2.8 with a Nikon F3/T body, and the rest were taken using the Summicron-R 1:2/50mm and an SL2 MOT body (without the motor :)

Without a loupe, my wife picked out the Leica transparencies with 100% accuracy.  The reason?  The brilliant colour and the "snap" to the images.  Let me repeat, she picked them out with 100% accuracy without a loupe.

Both lenses were made in the mid-80's.  The major difference appears to be in the way how Leica glass/body handles stray light.  Both suffer from ghosting when the sun is in the frame, but there is so little veiling flair with Leica glass.  I hadn't noticed the difference when I was taking BW pictures, and the great majority of photographs I take had been BW.  Maybe there was a reason why I didn't enjoy taking colour photographs...

Well, all of this was obvious to you for years, and I learn from mistakes I make.  This will concretise my plan to put my Nikon gear and older Leica lenses (DR Summicron and Elmarit 90mm) up for sale.

It's your fault!

:-)

Replies: Reply from Jim Hemenway <jim@hemenway.com> (Re: [Leica] Comparing Nikon glass and Leica glass)