Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/06

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Lens evaluations
From: "Matthew A. Cenzer" <mcenzer@nwu.edu>
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 15:41:59 -0500 (CDT)

While we are on the topic of testing, has Leica changed the way the
evaluate their own lenses?

Laney's book "Leica Lens Practice" claims that Leitz (and later Leica)
prefer "Edge Spread Function" over MTF measurements. The former is supposed
to be a more accurate way of quantifying the characteristics of a lens
associated with the "Leica look." (I even read some of the technical papers
by Leitz staff cited in Laney's first edition and their rationale seems
sound.) I now see that Leica is publishing MTF graphs of new lenses (e.g.
in the PDF files available on the Leica web site). Does anyone know if this
marks a change in Leica philosphy or are simply yielding to the fact that
more people recognize MTF graphs and know what to do with them?

Thanks
M. Cenzer

- --
Matthew A. Cenzer
Department of History
Northwestern University
mailto:mcenzer@nwu.edu