Re: [Leica] Erwin's Leica Lens Compendium

[Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com>]

SthRosner@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Good friend Tom:
> 
> Erwin's "Leica Lens Compendium" is indeed a remarkable and useful book,
> required reading for anyone having the remotest interest in Leicas. Still, I
> have to differ with the statement in your posting that the "latest version of
> the venerable 50/2 Summicron is undoubedly a better lens than its
> predecessors."
> 
><Snip> 
> 
> Many thanks for your review and many, many thanks to Erwin for his laborious
> effort in producing such a valuable reference treatise.
> 
> Seth Rosner

In the end it comes down to opinion.
Erwin must write with authority in a compendium because that is what is expected
in that format.
But for Erwin to make a statement  "latest version of the venerable 50/2
Summicron is undoubtedly a better lens than its predecessors." :
It's not because he places a high value on a low contrast lens.
It's because to him it seems clear that in the obvious 
parameters of value
this lens is an advancement. 

Other people as mentioned are going to have OTHER parameters of value. Another set.

But i just don't see Erwins values set in the context of the new consumer trend
due to the Japanese domination of the industry as contrast above everything
else. I think Leica has maintained a proper balance in their parameters of
values and Erwin, and myself and most of the market has no problem with that.
In the end I'd like to see this reasoned redux of a tempestuous strangely
handled argument end up like this:
Side to side comparison images.
Show me your old smoothness and better bokeh on one side and harshness and crude
snap on the other if that's at all the case. And lets respond with our eyes to
any perceptible difference.

Then we can make that decision to spurn what Leica is doing and go out and find
an old used lens that we think is going to be better.
Looking back at it I cant' see Leica compromising on it's 50, 
	a compact 90 they may have gone to far in it's compacting with perhaps in a
weak moment but they are not going to mess with their 50 Summicron, always their
flagship lens.

Leica has not thrown all it's sophistication out the window and in a crude way
"gone Japanese" in it's design parameters valuing snap over subtlety.
Why should they toss it all out the window to save an element?
Respectfully,


Mark Rabiner


Portland, Oregon
USA
http://www.rabiner.cncoffice.com/