[Leica] Sharp lenses, who cares?

[daniel.ridings at muspro.uio.no (Daniel Ridings)]

> The Nikon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF Zoom Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G AF-S
> Autofocus Lens is of course silent wave and the one you are probably talking
> about. It is widely raved about.

Yes, I'm starting to think I got a dud. Happens with consumer lenses.

My point was that even though it is soft, visibly soft at 1/500 @ f8,
making it of very limited use for me for film, it works just fine and I'll
use it without blinking for digital. The camera evidently can straighten
out its act.

I was really surprized. I ran quite a lot of film through it in normal
conditions, not really testing conditions. When I "test", I just take
pictures like I would anyway. The eyelashes are mushy. Same shot with my
only other zoom, the Nikkor 35-70/2.8 (fixed aperature) is very very good.

Maybe Neopan 1600 so I can get into f11? :) The camera has shutter 1/8000
so maybe I should quit switching films in winter and summer and just stay
with Neopan 1600 :)


> Both top Nikon gurus on the web both rave
> about it and use it. Moose and Thom. Moose says he doesn?t use the fixed 2.8
> anymore but uses this one instead.

I've seen that too. That's whay I bought this one instead of the fixed
(and the silent motor is nice. Focuses quick, real quick).

> As it is half the weight and cost of the
> 2.8 and Moose is a landscape guy not a photojournalist that certainly makes
> sense. But I think it also makes sense to a general commercial photographer.
> I've used this lens more than any other lens this year Leica or Nikon I'm
> afraid I'd have to say.

But did you use it for film? Or was it mainly with your D100? I bought it
with the D100 and hardly ever took it off. Loved it there. It was when I
finally had an opportunity to test it with film that I found I wouldn't
like it there. I'm going to keep using it, but only with digital.

My point was: top notch lenses are not as important with digital as they
are with film.

> For ten years I've scorned zooms but this year this
> is my favorite lens.

Me too ... but this one hasn't changed my opinion. There is one though.
The Nikkor 35-70/2.8 (fixed aperature). Not much range, but saves me the
extra body for a 35 and for a 50. Good performer. Really good performer.

> I certainly would not use it if the results I get with
> it were anything less than astonishing. I'm excited to compare the results I
> get digitally from it against the results I get with my Leica M glass on the
> Epson body.

Depends on who has better software, Epson or Nikon. The lenses won't make
much of a difference at all. Once again, on digital it's great. I use it
all the time. For film, well, I seem to have a dud and everyone else got
the cream of the crop.

> I'm expecting to have Leica become my most used system again at
> that point.
>

I had an exchange with Nathan about this off-list. I can't explain it, but
my Leicas still are my most used system. I use digital when I get paid.
Great stuff. Pays for itself almost overnight (well, 3 months).

Daniel