[Leica] CV 40 1.4

[scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin)]

Ted,

I understand the point about better pictures, but the prospect
of a small, *fast* medium wide lens like this that costs oogles
less than the 35/1.4 ASPH should be pretty exciting to more
than a few RF shooters.   Now the issues, IMHO, are (1) is it
any good, (2) what is its particular character and (3) can it
be modified to use the 35mm frame lines on an M body
with traditional 35/50 frame lines. 

I might be in the market for a fast 35 or thereabouts, but I
hear that (3) isn't looking so good, so I guess I might be
saving some milk money toward a 35/1.4 ASPH -  or
deciding on whether to get an R3a to go with the lens.


Ted Grant wrote:

> Jeffery Smith offered:
> Subject: Re: [Leica] CV 40 1.4
>
>
>> I've got the multicoated one but have not had much of an opportunity
>> to use it yet. Richard Sintchak bought the single-coated one in hopes
>> of using it for street photography in the 1950's tradition. Here is
>> one of his shots with the single-coated version.
>>
>> http://www.sintchak.com/document.php?id=1080<<<<<
>
>
> Ladies & gentlemen not to be a "Grinch!" But equipment grouch here 
> asks. ;-) Let's all remember one very seriously important factor of 
> photography and in particular, lenses!
>
> It's all well and good manufacturers keep coming out with new optics, 
> however not one of them comes with a guarantee of better pictures! I'm 
> sure Richard Sintchak likes the picture of this young boy, possibly 
> his son. And rightly so it's nice family happy snap, but did the lens 
> create a "world smashing moment of visual brilliance?"   Nope. Nice 
> picture moment? yep!
>
> So before lots of folks get hot about a new 40mm lens how about 
> thinking how good your photographs are first with a 35? 50?  Whatever 
> model you may use, . Does this lens create images of such brilliant 
> quality technically cut to film that it'll make every picture shot 
> with it a winner?
>
> Let's look at this. So you use a 35mm and figure a 40mm will get you a 
> little closer, great. But one simple forward step and you are closer! 
> Oh and the 50mm you now own and has given you faithful service and cut 
> beautiful film moments? Now you're thinking of getting this new 40 
> because it's slightly wider?
>
> Well how about taking one step farther back........ "Hey that's just 
> like the 40mm!" ;-)
>
> Let's all be careful out there popping bucks for a new lens that's 
> only a few mm's longer or shorter than we already use........ that is 
> unless it's so phenomenal that without question it will give a major 
> quality look  to our photographs.
>
> Sorry not trying to put a damper on your new glass ...... but given I 
> never thought like this when I was younger only to find the "supposed 
> all new super whiz bang lens" didn't make me any better a 
> photographer, nor my pictures look much different.
>
> So it's a 1.4? Yeah but so is the 35 Summilux or Aspheric? ;-)
>
> ted
>
>
>
>
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