Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Richard: I had an 80-200/4 zoom. I didn't like it that much. It is a compromise in speed and weight -- f4 to make it light -- and I found I did not like the compromise. It was both too heavy and too slow. That being said, I got rid of it partly because I had a problem with the 3-cam version on the R8 -- it does not show maximum aperture (so if you get one, get the ROM version) -- and partly because I wanted other lenses instead. If I had more money, I might buy another one for those occasions when I wanted the range of focal lengths and did not need speed. I like the fixed focal legth lenses Leica offers -- they are slightly better than the zooms except, I hear, the 70-180 APO, which is to expensive and too heavy. I use Leica because it has the best optics and do not need the convenience of zoom with corresponding quality loss. The loss is _slight_. If you like the 35-70/4 you might like the 80-200/4 and not mind the slow max. aperture. It is a good lens and worth checking out. Personally, it was not for me now. Jay Coleman