Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/10/07
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At 10:31 AM 10/7/96 +0100, Hubert Nowotny wrote:
>George,
>
>The moulding process is far cheaper than grinding aspherical faces,
>one face is cheaper to produce than two. There was no reason at all
> for any change of design seen from the point of optical quality (sigh).
>
>(The lines above tell a personal sight only of highly complex facts.
>Never would any manufacturer issue an official statement like this. It's
>only fiction out of my small personal brain ...)
>
>I'm happy to have an old ASPHERICAL - and I wouldn't trade it for
>anything else. I didn't do any A-B comparison but a close friend of
>mine did and told me that there was definitely no improvement seen
>from the point of optical quality. The old one is the superior lens
>(better colors, more intermediate colors, ...).
>
>But the moulding process is far cheaper seen from the point of the
>manufacturer, however. (sigh again). Also there were only some 2000
>pieces made of the old design, the lens was practically not available
>(you needed "to know somebody at leica"). The new model can be bought
>by far more simply and surely is a good lens, superior to the other
>35 mm M lenses. Therefore (as the old model practicaly isn't
>available) there is not much use in building up a myth about it.
>
>But: If you can get hold of such a beast - go for it!
>
>Have a nice day all of you
>and please don't tell me too often that the new design is far better
>than the old one (it'ssimply not true).
>Hubert
I don't doubt your contention, Hubert, but here we go again. Without an A-B
comparison you believe the extremely subjective evaluation on color from a
close friend. I guess I'd be happier if you had merely said that you like
the old ASPHERICAL a whole lot and let it go at that.
After reading what I just said, I guess I do doubt your contention because
it is so open ended. Boy, this stuff is difficult to deal with for mere
mortals. We're a pretty predjudiced bunch because we've got our money in it.
I really think the non- photographers out there have the best ability to
judge. They have the same physical sensory abilities as us without the
baggage of ownership. What "they" like best might influence me most.
--
Roger Beamon, Naturalist & Photographer
Docent: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Leica Historical Society Of America
INTERNET: beamon@primenet.com