Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/03/28

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: R6 and R7
From: Eric Welch <ewelch@gp.magick.net>
Date: Thu, 28 Mar 1996 23:12:16 -0800
Organization: Grants Pass Daily Courier
References: <9603282246.AA13648@thillana.lcs.mit.edu>

Patrick Sobalvarro wrote:

> same (like the 135mm/2.8 Elmarit-R), but many of them are different.
> Marc Small has made the point that starting a few years ago, a lens
> designer at Leica had decided to remove from new R lens formulas the
> residual spherical aberration that gives M lenses their characteristic

No, that is not true. Residual sphercial aberration is not and never was 
a feature of R or M lenses. It is simply a fact of life to some degree 
in every lens. And will be 'til lens elements are flat. It's not what 
gives them their "look." Any more than resolution and contrast are 
adequate determinants for lens quality. 

Lens design is an incredibly complex situation. If you want to know what 
Leica does, check the book "Leica Lens Practice." Very good book. It 
squelches many myths about what Leica does.

The new APO lenses show the "Leica look" just fine. I had one of the 
best (the 280 Apo Telty 2.8) and it was stupenously good, but it was 
also every bit the Leica of my other lenses. Leica has very good control 
over the look of their lenses. And they even tell you when a lens shows 
anything different in color characteristics. Just try that with any 
other manufacturer.
-- 
Eric Welch
Grants Pass, OR


In reply to: Message from pgs@thillana.lcs.mit.edu (Patrick Sobalvarro) (Re: R6 and R7)