Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/10/06

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: Emotive lenses
From: dmorton@cix.compulink.co.uk (David Morton)
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 96 18:21 BST-1
Cc: dmorton@cix.compulink.co.uk

In-Reply-To: <2.2.16.19961005114152.56ff5ee0@postoffice3.mail.cornell.edu>
Charles E. Love wrote:

> I took a course at the Leica School some years ago, and one of the 
> teachers,
> in answer to this sort of question, said that Nikon and Canon produce 
> some
> excellent lenses, and they can produce lenses as good as Leica's if 
> they are
> committed to spending the money.  In what you say, the case is made: on 
> the
> complex flagship teles that pros need, Nikon and Canon do spend the 
> money.
> On a 50 mm. low-end lens, they don't--so you get a low-quality, poorly 
> built
> piece.  Others fit somewhere in between.  Of course, in all this, as you
> say,  you have to make allowances for economy of scale (I don't expect 
> Nikon
> sells a whole lot of 400 2.8's, so prices get closer).

Actually I understand they sell more 400mm f2.8s than anyone else.

And I can't agree with your description of a Nikon 50mm as "low-quality, 
poorly built", I have a 50mm f2 which I bought new in 1975 (very first of 
the AI lenses) and it's perfect mechanically and still as good optically 
as it ever was. I also have a mid 60s 50mm f1.4, which is good optically 
if a little sloppy now (though aren't we all after 30 years?). The low 
cost of these is mostly due to the *vast* numbers produced.

Of course these days the 50mm is a specialist lens, how many new bodies 
(of *all* camera makes) are bought with that, rather than a zoom?

Personally I think a zoom lens belongs on a movie camera and nowhere else 
(well, OK, I use a 28-50 and 80-200 as back-up)...

dmorton@cix.compulink.co.uk      |  "The loss of an old man
david@cassandra.compulink.co.uk  |  is like the destruction
Kilburn, London, England.        |  of a library"