[Leica] Older lenses

[Stephen Kobrin <kobrins@wharton.upenn.edu>]

>What a refreshingly on the mark comment! :-) I wonder how many of us eve
come close to getting the absolute best out of our previous generation
Leica equipment, much less how many of us are restrained by its limitations
and need the best, latest, and most expensive lens redesign.

I got back into Leicas about four years ago with an M3 and a collapsible
Summicron 50.  I later added a f2.8 Summaron 35 and an Elmar f4 90mm.
Until very recently, I had always assumed that they were way stations; that
when I could I would trade up to newer lenses.  All of the discussion on
the LUG about the very impressive differences in sharpness and contrast
gained from the latest, or at least the later lenses just whetted my
appetite or perhaps my lust.

However, within the last few months I realized that I really do like using
the older lenses.  I am sure that a side by side comparison with the latest
Summicrons would blow me away, but in its absence, I am really pleased with
the results from my 1950s and 1960s generation lenses.  I have a long ways
to go in developing my own eyes before my glass eyes will make a
difference.  But more than that, it is just a lot of fun -- for me -- to
use the earlier generations of lenses and cameras.  (I get a real kick out
of my IIIf, although as I have mentioned previously, it is getting very
hard to use as I get more and more farsighted.)  

There are a lot of older Leica lenses out there in good shape just waiting
to be used.

Steve


Stephen J. Kobrin			Tel.  (215) 898-7732
The Lauder Institute			Fax.  (215) 898-2067       
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The University of Pennsylvania
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