Re: [Leica] 21mm.

[Thomas Kachadurian <kach@freeway.net>]

Alberto:

Just for the record, the Canon EF 24mm 2.8 is among the best lenses around.
I know this is reason for flaming around here, but it rivals some MF
lenses, and certainly even the best Leica has to offer.

Tom

At 10:45 PM 4/26/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Thanks Jim for your encouragement!
>
>I used the 21mm Asph. with a junky Leica filter and without it.  I see
>the same problems in both images.  With your lens make an image of a
>white wall and see if edges and the corners have the same density as the
>center.
>
>Probably the lens is a bad one.  But what is happening in the quality
>control stage at the factory?  How can you explained that the last four
>lenses that I've tried have had the following defects: 
>A- Summilux 50mm. 1.4 new, had a piece of scrap in between the elements
>B- Summilux 75mm. 1.4 new, latest version, was unable to focus, it was
>one feet off in the focusing scale.  Your subject was at a 6 feet
>distance, measure with a measuring tape, compare the focus with a 50mm.
>Summicron and a 35mm. Summilux and the Summilux 75mm. 1.4 gives you 7
>feet when you focus through the range finder.
>C- 21mm Asph. 2.8 that has vignnetting at all apertures and the focus is
>poor on the edges and corners.  BTW the B&W enlargements up to 8x10 full
>frame, image area 6x9, looks as if the photo were taken with a Nikon
>point and shoot.  The lens was properly focus, by the range finder and
>using the depth of field scale.  You cannot see the background in focus
>even on some of the shoots the scale will tell you that everything from
>3 feet into infinity will be in focus.
>
>D- 24mm. Asph. 2.8 with vignetting.
>
>I made the same shoots with the 28mm. third version and with the latest
>version, 35mm. 1.4 Asph., 35mm f2 Asph. 35mm. last version, 50mm. coll.,
>50mm. Summicron and 50mm. Summilux 1.4 and those images were sharp and
>with proper focus corner to corner.
>
>I used Kodak Elite slides, Fuji Neopan 1600 and Tri-X.  I developed the
>B/W film in a JOBO and I made the B/W enlargements on a Beseler 45MXII
>with Schneider 50mm lens and an Aristo V54 head.  The prints were made
>on Ilford MG IV FB 8x10 paper and processed in Dektol 1:2 for 3 min..
>
>The B&W negatives were read in a Riteway transmission densitometer and
>they showed a light fall off of 1.5 stops from the center to the corners
>and 2 stops toward the left upper corner.
>
>I'm wandering about my luck when I'm buying Leica products.  I don't
>know if they send the defective products to Latinamerica with the hope
>that we don't have the same standards as the Germans for the optical
>qualities or is just that the Germans don't have a strict quality
>control as we use to have in our factories in America.
>
>Anyway the quality control have been extremely poor from my experience
>as a customer.
>
>BTW I also made the same images with a Canon EOS 1N and a 24mm. 2.8 and
>a 20-35 2.8 L lens and those images came out in sharp focus and without
>light falloff nor vignetting.
>
>Everybody on this list knows why we prefer Leica M cameras to shoot in
>the steet and in an unobtrusive way.
>
>Next week I'll send back the 21 and 24mm. Asph lenses and try the 21mm.
>Biogon on a Contax G-2.
>
>Well, Thanks to everybody that has been supportive and to those who has
>challenge my trust in the Leica glasses.  I'll give it a chance and try
>another 21 and 24 Asph. in the near future. 
>
>Alberto
>
>
>Jim Laurel wrote:
>> 
>> Alberto--
>> My experience with the new 21mm asph has been very positive and I don't
>> notice any of the problems you cite.  In fact, Karin and I have been
>> pleasantly surprised at the performance of this lens.  Are you shooting
with
>> anything (like a junky filter) in front of the lens?  Maybe yours is
>> defective?
>> 
>> --Jim Laurel
>> Seattle, WA
>>
>
>
==================================
Thomas Kachadurian
WEB PAGE: http://members.aol.com/kachaduria