Re: [Leica] Leica Goody Review (long)

[Charles Dunlap <cdunlap@es.UCSC.EDU>]

>It sounds like the M6 .85 is a better investment if I'm going to use a
>90mm lens with any degree of regularity, even though a glasses wearer using a
>35 mm lens is somewhat cumbersome. Your reply would be appreciated. This is a
>major investment and I'd like to  make the right choice.

If you can get to a Leica dealer then you owe it to yourself to go and look
through the viewfinders. I can type til I'm blue in the fingers and not
help you know what is tolerable in a viewfinder. If you want to use the
35mm lens primarily and wear glasses then the regular M6 is the better
choice from an objective standpoint. But you might decide that the M6 HM is
acceptable (if you get a 90mm to go with the 35 then you have a very good,
compact travel set-up). If you must buy without seeing them get the regular
M6.

I haven't shot with the 35 Summilux ASPH. The obvious advice is that if you
know you will need the extra stop and you can afford it then buy it. There
is not $1000 worth of difference (or even $100) in the overall performance
of the lenses: the extra money buys you top performance at f/1.4. Another
approach would be to spend that $1000 on a 90/2.8. A 35 ASPH and 90/2.8
would give you the two best lenses in the world at those focal lengths. A
late model used 35 Summicron would be an equally fine choice. Take the
money saved over the ASPH and buy a good little camera case to put
everything in and bank the rest to save up for the next lens purchase.

You're really not going to go wrong. Leica lenses hold their value. Use
whatever lens you get for 100 rolls or so. If you want to trade up to a
different one consider the first lens as a leased car. You recover 70-80%
of the value on resale.

- -Charlie
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             Charles E. Dunlap
         Earth Sciences Department
          University of California
            Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Tel.: (408) 459-5228    Fax.: (408) 459-3074

         mailto:cdunlap@es.ucsc.edu
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