Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/01/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mike: Which R lenses would you say are the BEST and the WORST? Francesco At 11:04 AM 1/28/98 -0500, you wrote: >>>>Please, one more time, why is the Leica R superior to other SLR >cameras? Dale<<< > > Dale, > They're not. It's the lenses that are superior. If you can't see the >difference, or don't care, then there is little reason for using Rs instead of >one of the oftentimes cheaper, more capable, and more ergonomic Japanese AF >cameras. > If, however, you're addicted to the very finest lenses, then the Leica R line >is, overall, the world's best--yes, folks, even better than the M line <g>. >Other lens lines have specific designs that approach (or in rare cases exceed) >Leica's equivalent offerings (the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/2 Macro, for instance, >is a better lens than the Leica 50mm Summicron-M IMHO), and the Leica R line >does have its relative weak points, but, for the most part, the best R lenses >are the _ne plus ultra_ of what is available to consumers in the 35mm format. > > --Mike > >P.S. To Jim Brick: I agree with you about filters, with the caveat that it only >really makes a difference with the best lenses and presumes that the >photographer cares about--and knows enough to recognize--optimum optical >quality. With some lenses a filter will add unacceptable flare or reflections, >or cause contrast reduction, and in some other cases its effect may not be >noticeable. But as many LUGgers have no doubt discovered, the better the lens, >the more likely it will be that you won't want a filter on it. To quote >Kornelius Fleischer of Carl Zeiss, "No filter ever _improved_ the technical >performance of any lens." > Francesco Sanfilippo, Five Senses Productions webmaster@5senses.com http://www.5senses.com/