Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/07/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 10:21 PM 7/24/96 -0400, you wrote: >Since the lens is the bottom line in a good camera system, I think we should >compare Leica with Nikon lenses. There the gap is closing rapidly. And so are >the prices for certain special purpose objectives. AF lenses are an entirely >new ballgame. I have no idea how Leica will meet that challenge -- if at all. > > >Footnote: The best lens I've ever used is a Nikon AF f3.5/4 35-70mm zoom. It >meets the standard set by my 50mm 1.5 Summarit and then goes ahead and does >the same at other focal lengths. Whether it will do that as long as the >Summarit has is an unanswered question. Carbonate plastic is one thing; brass >is another. From what I've seen, Leica doesn't make its own zoom lenses; but >things may have changed. Bob, Leica does makes two of its zooms now. Parly the 35-70 since the move to Solms, and they completely make the 70-180 2.8. There is also a new 80-200 f/4 that is made by Kyrocera, so we hear. That should be outstanding, considering the Contax zooms they make are about the best (with the above 70-180 being the main exception). As for Nikon closing the gap in lenses, more like Canon. Even then, they have nothing to match the latest stuff coming out from Leica over the last 10 years. The 100 Apo Macro, the 180 f/2, the 280 f/4 are all best of breed in their categories, not to mention the 35 f/1.4 R, and the 35 f/1.4 ASPH M, and the 19 2.8. All superb lenses with no peer anywhere. I think Leica is metting the challenge very well. Everything they've come out with recently is amazing. Not a dog in any category. And they'd better keep it up. =================== Eric Welch Grants Pass (OR) Daily Courier NPPA Region 11 JIB chair Don't take life too seriously, you won't get out alive.