Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Wed, 10 Jun 1998 TEAShea@aol.com wrote: > << It surprises me that so little has been said about the lens optically. > While all zooms are optical compromises versus lenses of prime focal length, > this one has made some impressive images under some challenging > circumstances. >> > > Your point about zoom lenses is well taken. While I prefer fixed focal length > lenses for most situations, some zooms are quite good. I don't have this > lens, but I can say that at least one Canon (28-70 L) and some of the Zeiss > Contax zooms (eg. 37-70; 28-85; 35-135; 100-300) perform very, very well). > > Tom Shea > I'm not up on information about this lens, But...It may not be a zoom, unless the same focusing cam is used for all focal lengths. In my experience with zoom lenses zooms have usually exhibited at least one major flaw. The Zoomar 38 to 80 (I think that was the range) of the 1960s exhibited this flaw greatly. That is pincushion and barrel distortion ateach end of the zoom range. I remember this being mentioned in a Modern Photography report on the lens. I was part of the testing team at the time. The importer threatened to withdraw advertising if a retraction was not printed. I don't think Burt Keppler printed a retraction and I don't remember if the importer pulled the ads. I was a long time ago. Anyway, does this Leica marvel of slow lens speed exhibit typical pincushion and/or barrel distortion? Ed Meyers