Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2019/10/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I will just add that Leica tests every lens and keeps the record for every lens produced. The MTF is from real lenses and not some idealized computer projection. On Wed, Oct 23, 2019, 7:40 PM Paul Roark via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote: > For those who are technically oriented, Leica makes their Modulation > Transfer Function graphs available for their lenses. So, there is no vacuum > of information about their quality. > > See, for example, https://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/M-Lenses > > If you click on the lens of interest, then at the page on the lens click on > "Downloads" just above the picture of the lens, you'll be able to download > the Leica Technical Data sheet for it. That contains the MTF curves, which > are the best measure of lens performance I've found. I might add that the > Leica MTF curves are the most believable ones I've seen published. (I'd > guess this is due, in part, to the construction/assembly being much closer > to what the designer/computer intended.) > > For landscapes and large prints, the edges and corners are where weaknesses > show up. While no optic is perfect, the M glass on Sony bodies with the > KoloriVision Ultra Thin cover glass gives me the best I've been able to > produce with a camera that is light enough to carry easily. My M9, of > course, was outstanding for it's sensor resolution, but Sony, the company > that invented our sensors, is a bit ahead of the competition in that area, > in my opinion. So, basically, I'm trying to combine the best optics with > the best sensors. And it works very well for my landscape photography. > (Forget fast shooting and all the automatic stuff of modern SLRs, however.) > > I do avoid older design wide angles. Digital cameras are most happy with > light rays that are coming in as perpendicular to the sensor as possible. > Even 50 mm lenses are affected by this. Note the Leica APO 50mm design. > It's basically a rather standard looking 6 element double-gauss but then > with a doublet added at the end to straighten out the rays. It makes the > 50 a bit less compact, but much better for the sensor. > > Paul > www.PaulRoark.com > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >