Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/02
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Pete Meyers,
>>I'm a Canon 1N user considering moving to the R8......reason for the move up<<
>>would be to gain optical quality.....(bokeh)<<
>>appreciate the perspective of someone else that has shot with the Canon 1N<<
>>system & gone to Leica.......how are the new 28 f2.8R & the 35f2<<
First & foremost, I'm now a total Leica user, who was shooting with a Canon Eos
1n
system; auto focus was not essential for my work. Advent of the R8 gave me a
superb camera body with high quality optics; it's brilliant viewfinder, matrix
metering system, minimal mirror vibration ( low shutter speeds ) & superb
ergonomics, were the value add that made the Eos 1n redundant for me ;~)!
Canon makes great glass & in some focal lengths ( "L" optics ) compete with
Leica; however, current Leica R optics such as their: 1.) 19 f2.8. 2.) 35 f2.
3.) 90 f2. 4.) 100 f2.8 APO Macro. 5.) 180 f2 APO. 6.) 180 f3.4 APO. 7. ) 70-180
APO zoom. 8.) 280 f4 APO-Telyt, are 2nd to none in sharpness & contrast. I've
either shot ( seen slides ) or own the Leica glass that I've just described.
Having said all of that; I'm unable to compare bokeh for your benefit; I just
learned about it's existence via an excellent article in the May/June 1997 issue
of "Photo
Techniques". In that article, the Leica M 35 f2 is described as the "king" of
bokeh; whether or not, the Leica R 35 f2 is as good, is unknown to me ;~)! On
the other hand to balance it off, Mike Johnston, editor of "Photo Techniques"
claims ( on CompuServe ) that the Canon 35 f2 & 100 f2 have superlative bokeh.
Good luck on your quest; I'm sure others on the LUG will be able to fill in the
gaps!
Tom D.