Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mark Thanks for posting your detailed opinion. It wasn't me comparing the 28 cron to the tri-elmar, as I have none of these lenses. But I'm willed to fully agree in what you say about 'good' and 'great' glass. I'm new to Leica, have a M6 since a year, a 50 cron, a 75 summi, and some [whisper] Cosina Voigtlander glasses (15, 28, plus the new 35 PII). Of course the new CV products are just low-priced, but well made niche products for Leica-wannabe's like me. But it was my Bessa L gear who made me sell my old SLR stuff and switch to rangefinders and Leica. To stay, off topic, on CV, I wouldn't recommend the 12mm Heliar, it's too bulky and less sharp than the 15mm, which is small and light and fits a Bessa L (320g) much better. regards Didier >Didier: Comparing a 28 Summicron asp to a tri Elmar is apples and oranges >from all I can tell. They just don't represent the same mind or working set >at all despite a common focal length in there somewhere. > >A 21 Voigtl?nder might be a "good" alterative to a 21 Elmarit ASPH but a >good alterative to a 21 Elmarit ASPH would be also a Nikon, Canon or Minolta >or Pentax 21. >To me Leica M or R shooting is not all about "good" glass. >It's all about "great" glass. >A 21 ELMARIT-M ASPH is a GREAT lens. >Or it's about the distinctive qualities of previous generations of Leica >glass which can be obtained in most cases for less than a grand USD. >They might not have the "resolution" of the many non Leica modern options. >But they have myriad other qualities which are notable and are distinctive >to Leica. > > >Great optics is a thing the Leica M system has to offer. A cut above what >the Canon Nikon maddening crowds are using. >"Good" optics can be found anywhere. >Its amazing what you can get in the world of 35mm photography for a few >hundred bucks. I don't think anywhere in the consumer world is there such >cut throat competition. Its like the major camera companies are working for >love. For prestige. For things other than money. >To me standard of the industry "good" gear is not what I got into Leica for. >My approach to Leica is for every Leica lens I got I saved a year to get. >Nikon glass I get more or less on a whim basis. > >My first camera which I still have from the mid sixties was and is a >Voigtl?nder. Voigtl?nder gear is great gear. Cosina gear is great gear too >but which unfortunately complicates the issue by using the Voigtl?nder name. >Here on the LUG you'll find most people referring to "modern" Voigtl?nder >gear as CS gear. Cosina Voigtl?nder. Cosina having bought the right to use >the Voigtl?nder name and many of the various Voigtl?nder trademarks. >"Nokton" and so forth. >Buying a "Nokton" lens from key reputable used camera stores they are very >careful to state if what is being sold is a vintage "real" Nokton or a >"modern" Nokton which is how they refer to what most of us on the LUG have >come refer to a "CS" system piece of gear. > >Voigtl?nder has a look and feel... "Aura" all it's own. >If you were "into" Voigtl?nder and had been for a while and you were >presented with CS gear for the first time what you would see you would not >relate to very well. You might find the use of your familiar trademarks and >type faces disconcerting. >And the "Voigtl?nder Germany" on the box with the "made in Japan" on the >gear itself. >I'll be acquiring some Cosina stuff eventually. A 12mm and a Bessa L >Unfortunately the Cosina website itself has taken a disconcerting turn. >http://www.voigtlaender.com/ >Click on "history" and amazingly there is on mention of Cosina acquiring the >trademark and making the stuff. And there is no mention of the Cosina name >that I could find anywhere on the site. That stuff used to be there. > >The new Bessa R's and T's which are so popular on the LUG are referred to as >"Classic-Collection Bodies" >I don't know. "Retro" ness is not their main attribute. >To me it's their functionality. > >By the way the non-ASPH A 21 ELMARIT-M is one of the most critized lenses >Leica has ever come out with. A well known dog. People in it's day would use >an SA (Super Angulon 3.4 instead it was or is retrofocal and incredibly >compact. You just don't use the meter in your camera which is no big deal. >On the other had pictures taken WITH the NON-ASPH do come out. >And you can recognize the people in them. >And you get to use your TTL meter. Big deal. >And by the way they are real big and heavy and they are not giving them away >for nothing. > >Mark Rabiner >Photography >Portland Oregon >http://rabinergroup.com/