[Leica] Leica lens book

[Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com>]

I just searched the Archives i think for the first time ever for a
thread which dealt with the new "Leica Lens Book. Leica M system, Leica
R system" Didn't see nothin.

I got mine a few weeks ago in the mail and have looked at it once or
twice and been mainly impressed. In some ways VERY impressed.

I recall someone mentioned the strange inside flap picture of Herr Cohn
looking like one of the cast in "The Right Stuff" (one of my very
favorite flicks for sure" he's got his coat over his shoulder and an
American flag bokeh in the background. But if you look closely it's not
a flight jacket but just a regular blazer type coat. And sunglasses I
don't know which kind and from where and how cool. A pen in his pocket.
I think Herr Cohn is doing a hell of a job but do they need to appear to
be an American company? Like NASA? But what the hey...

...a bunch of black and white wide open hand held obviously Leica
pictures pretty darn Artsy in this thing. Blown out highlights and
overwhelming detailess blacks. I bet the original prints if there were
any were not much better than what we see in this amazingly well printed
book. Or brochure which is big.

A study in Bokeh let me tell ya.
So well put together and designed that they could have pictures of dog
doo in there instead of lenses and I'd say "how much?!"

Is this a new thing or did I finally measure up after buying i don't
know how many Leica m lenses and bodies? Maybe becuase if filled out one
of those little forms and sent it in. I wonder how many of these went
out and to who.

Gasp I just saw a color picture taken with either a black or silver 21 M Asph!

Interesting they like National Geographic didn't go out with ten
thousand watt seconds of studio strobes powered by a semi truck of
generators. ... shooting K25 at f22. ... and be there. I don't think
they don't make that stuff anymore.  ... or process it even if they did.
  ... i know - they really do.

Each lens has it's own page and picture. And you get to see what the
lens looks like in both black aluminum and chrome paint brass.
Its certainly the most concise grasp of what Leica has to offer lately
then I've ever seen.
"Hey Leica what's you offering lately?"
"This"

Left me wishing some of my lenses were chrome despite the weight. purrrdy!

And R instead of M.
That i was into the R system which looks way more interesting then my M
system not because i already for the most part "have it." the M system.
Been there done that.
Or that the accompanying pictures are better. Also the pictures of the
lenses are cooler.
But the whole system looks great. Ground glasses are making a comeback
in my heart.
I know I'll TRADE IN my M system for an R system what the hell it's
Wednesday and I'm bored.

It starts out with the Leica super-elmarit-r 15mm f 2.8 Asph. And a shot
it did of the antelope canyon which is pretty Artsy as it's just orange
with stripes and a cloud but great perspective.
The PC super Angulon R page and what it can do. I'd not kick that lens
out of bed on a cold night!

I got to look at my long desired Salgado-esk 60 macro Elmarit R for the
first time relatively up close and sharp. I wonder if that's the lens
which took the picture. Not that it could take a picture of itself.
Probably the 100 macro though. On a Sinar. (No a 300!)

The 80 1.4 looks handy and useful. I could probably get one or two shots
with that one on an off weekend in the shade even.

The 90 apo Asph R looks like the M put through a steam roller and on the
facing page is a Coke can run though a steam roller and shot with the
100 macro which was a good choice for the subject matter when you're out
and about shooting grab shots of squished Coke cans in the middle of the road.

I did like the pictures of the lenses at least as much as the pictures
on the bottom which they supposedly took. (Why not?)

The apo Summicron R 180 takes a picture of a Red hot chilli pepper
frontman with his shirt off and out of focus tatoos. I'd have hung all
of Mr. T's gold necklaces on him or what's the point? Does this lens
cost less than my house but more than my car?
If so when can i trade one or both of them in for it?
But they do make a 2.8 in case you are millionaire instead of a
billionaire. Or thousandaire.

All kinds of odd numbered telephoto glass. A 280 shoots sea lion faces
the best shot I've ever seen of anything!
And that modular system which I WILL turn to crime for. I'm sure it pays.

I don't think I have a point. Just a spot with less hair.  What did
anyone else think?

Mark Rabiner

Portland, Oregon USA
http://www.rabinergroup.com
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