Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/09/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>At 06:20 PM 9/10/96 -0700, Stephen Gandy wrote: >> >>>Also the latest Summicrons are marginally sharper than the earlier ones. >> >>Hmm. Not certain this is true. In any event, the first, eight-element, >>lens is probably a happier lens for use on colour slides and is an all-round >>fine performer. When Leica reduced the number of elements to lower >>production costs, the compromise was a marginal reduction in quality. >> >>Marc >> >Well, I did an exhaustive test comparing all 35mm for the M, including the >newest aspherical, using the Leitz optical bench and of course my own >(magazine) testwall and a series of 'normal-use' pictures (however all on >Velvia, technical Pan and tripod). My findings are as follows: >The 8 element Summicron (in comparison with the newest 7 element >Summicron)has a much lower contrast from f/2 to f4 in the center and the >corners, more flare and more astigmatism. The resolution ia also >significantly lower. The full aperture performance is absolutely no match >for the new lens. From f/5,6 both are in the same class, but the new >Summicron has a slight advantage, due to the better MTF values. There is >therefor not a marginal reduction in quality but a significant leap >forward. >The Summilux is very flare prone at full aperture and is generally speaking >only really useable for critical work (more than 12 times enlargment) from >f/2.8 on. It is one of the Leica lenses that are easily outclassed by the >competion. >The Summilux ASPH is absolutely topclass. Its full aperture performance >gives you really a punch in the eye. >The same story goes for the Summicron 50 mm (newest version) againt the 7 >element (classical) Summicron. The new one is far ahead in all optical >disciplines.The original Summicron was and is a good lens certainly from >f/4, but wide open it is a low contrast lens, good in the center but weak >in the corners. >I asked the head of the optical department a few months ago why Leica >continues its drive for optical perfection when the optical performance of >the older generations already is sky high (or so the story goes). Well his >answer quite frankly is that the older generations of Leica lenses are not >so well corrected as many people assume. There is certainly room for >improvement (and if you can reduce costs while improving the optical >quality there is one clear winner: the Leica customer). How does the current ASPH 35 summilux compare with the earlier Aspherical summilux? Dan Cardish <dcardish@spherenet.com> <http://www.spherenet.com/dcardish/photo.htm>