Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/07/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Marc James Small wrote: > > I have a IIIc with the expected APDOO and Geiss Kontakt, 5.6/20 Russar MR-2, > 6/28 Orion-15, 2.8/35 Biogon T, 2.8/35 Jupiter-12, 1.5/50 Sonnar T, 1.5/50 > Jupiter-3, 2/50 Summitar, 2/50 Summicron, 2/50 collapsible Sonnar T, 2/50 > rigid Sonnar T, 2/50 Jupiter-8, 2/85 Sonnar T, 2/85 Jupiter-9, 4/135 Sonnar, > 4/135 Jupiter-11, and a slew of Viso and bellows stuff. > > I shoot with the sucker all the time. It was my first Leica and is still my > favorite. I just want to add a footnote to Marc's list of lenses - Ages ago via private e-mail he recommended the 5,6/20 Russar MR-2 to me as worth exploring, along with Joe B who pointed out a very good review of it in Photon. Well , after two months of owning this curious little couple (it comes with its own view finder) I have to agree with him, the lens is fantastic. It has excellent contrast, almost no distortion, and seems rasor sharp to my eyes. I have just returned from a trip to London where I was using it for the first tiime, and got some wonderful (to me!) images of the entrance court to the British Museum which really capture the characterisitics of the collonaded apace. Obviously the 20mm view is the crtitical element but the ability to work on the scale setting relying on the enormous depth of field gives great freedom (it is not rangefinder linked, nor does it need to be). It was a great delight to find a 20mm lens of this quality and character at such an affordable price. I generally shoot semi architectural/abstract images and so any distortion tends to reveal itself all too painfully - happily with the Russar all you reveal is your(my) occassional inability to identify the horizontal plane when shooting. The 20mm view provides amazing scope to explore different viewpoints in any situation, whether your shooting more geometric settings - or clearings in the tropical rainforest!! I can wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone looking for such a lens. It is not Leitz build, and the aperture control is a bit of a fiddle, but as an interesting lens for use on any Leica its fantastic. I'm sure the Leitz equivalent will have the edge in all sorts of ways, but for those who can't afford one try one of these. I use it on a Leica IIIfrd alongside a 50mm f2 Summitar - both very nice. They travel everywhere with us which is there greatest asset... as well as the wonderful images they produce of course.. Nick Jackson Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia