Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/01/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 05:03 PM 1/29/97 -0800, Stephen Gandy wrote: >And before Marc can mention it, the Russian lenses CAN be sharp, but it >is a real problem in my experience to find one which works well both >optically and mechanically. Would you believe lenses which don't even >screw on the camera bodies properly? > >I didn't, but I have found quite a few such Russian beauties. Hmm. I've owned more than 35 LTM Russian lenses and never had a one which didn't mount perfectly. I've even had some Ukrainian lenses, and, again, all mounted without a quibble. I've seen hundreds more at camera shows, and every one I've tried has mounted. Not denying your experience, Stephen, but it certainly isn't mine. You might want to post the factory and years of production, by the way, so we can spread the news of which to avoid. There are a slew of wonderful European lenses. Stephen, have you ever shot with some of the Italian lenses? Or the Zeiss LTM lenses? Or Wray? Or Ross? Or Kilfitt? Or Novoflex? What about SOM Berthiot? Voigtlander? The list runs to several hundred. Sure, the American market is flooded with Nikon and Canon thefts of European designs. Sure, they're cheap. But I'll stick with the originals or with the 'proper' thefts of the Soviets -- at least, they stole the machinery on which the original lenses were made! By the way: Canon fouled up the proper dimensions of the Leica thread-mount. A bunch, though not all, Canon LTM lenses will NOT mount properly on a Leica. (See Dechert's CANON RANGEFINDER CAMERAS) Nikon did the same, but not as egregiously, and most Nikon lenses WILL mount, though a little force is required. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!