Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/04/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]G'day Henning, Thank you for the balanced and reasoned comments. I started this thread, when I was surprised by flare in a shot I was not expecting it in. The comments (badmouthing in your terms) were several peoples experience, most of whom spoke with their feet and moved away from the TE. To be honest, I think the criticism has been "asked" for, rather than any "campaign", and that is what this resource is all about. Most people who use the TE seem to suffer more flare with it than other lenses -- to this end, and with Leica's attention to detail, I find it odd that there is NO hood supplied. I've not bought a Leica lens without a hood, and even on the 35 lux I remember their advise was to use the hood at all times. When I bought my TE I remember reading that the lens was quite deeply recessed and therefore did not require a hood. OK, I trusted Leica. I have now shot maybe 3 rolls with the lens and was surprised to see flare in all three. When it happened on a roll I was taking "with care" (ie more attention to detail than a snap shot) I became concerned. It seems I need a hood, it seems I have been spoilt by the other Leica lenses which are very flare resistant. Leica's claim that the TE lacks for none of the optical excellence of its other lenses may not be quite true however !!!! This is not really badmouthing the lens, it has been a balance between useful comments of those who use and enjoy the lens and those who found it did not meet their requirements. I suppose its now up to me to decide from these comments whether to buy a hood, learn its limitations and accept its real benefits, or to join those who would rather carry 3 lenses. Hope you are well. Hard to believe it is 2 years since we were in Canada. Now we are off again, this time to San Diego, New Mexico and Arizona, where the R8, XPan and M6 with 35 summilux will be given a good working over ;-) Cheers On Monday, Apr 28, 2003, at 16:14 Australia/Melbourne, Henning Wulff wrote: > I have the 21, 35/1.4, T.E (1st) and 90 ASPH lenses. Although the TE > produces more flare than the other three, those 3 are, along with the > Noct, the most flare resistant lenses I have (among about 75 in > various formats). All are significantly more flare resistant than the > lenses they replaced. > > The 90 AA is by far the most flare resistant lens between 85 and 105mm > that I have ever used. It is truly amazing. My 35/1.4 exhibits very > slight flare at times, but a tiny fraction of the flare that all > examples of the 50 Summicron, from the early collapsible through the > DR to the 80's 'M' version (I haven't used one newer than about 1990) > exhibit regularly. > > The TE might not be the equal of these three, but it is also > significantly better than any Leica lens from the 50's or 60's or even > 70's I have used, and even at 28, its poorest focal length, it is > better in all respects except distortion than the second version of > the 28/2.8, which is the last I used extensively. As regards > distortion, the TE at 28 is about the equal of the previous non-ASPH > 21/2.8. Neither are the best in class, but certainly nowhere near as > bad as most prime SLR lenses, let alone zooms. > > I find this badmouthing of the TE's performance astounding, based on > my admittedly single sample. I've shot probably 120 rolls of 100ISO > slide film through it, as well as about 25 rolls of B&W. > > I should note that some individual lenses from Leitz have been shown > to have elevated flare levels due to improper edge blackening, which > Leitz has repaired. > > On the bokeh issue; part of what produces 'good' bokeh is the > remaining uncorrected spherical aberration. Unfortunately, part of > what causes the soft corners in lenses such as the 4th generation 35/2 > is the remaining uncorrected spherical aberration. At present levels > of lens design, we can't have it both ways. > > -- > * Henning J. Wulff > /|\ Wulff Photography & Design > /###\ mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com > |[ ]| http://www.archiphoto.com > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > Alastair - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html