Re: [Leica] Re: R vs L lenses (WAS: moving to Leica SLR)

[Five Senses Productions <fls@san.rr.com>]

I just may keep the M6 after all.
I performed a non-scientific test of my own yesterday.
I took out my M6 and my R7 together, handheld,
and shot the same things with both cameras.
On the M6 I used the 50/2, and on the R7 I used the 
100/2.8.  On both cameras I used an aperture of
5.6 to 8, depending upon light.
I found that my M6 slides were WAY sharper and 
clearer than the R7 shots.  Now I know it may not be entirely fair
because I used different focal lengths, but the difference was
absoultely dramatic.  The M6 shots were stunningly sharp
for being handheld (1/250 to 1/500), and looked as if they 
were tripod shots.  The R7 shots were fuzzy, with not much appearing
to be focused sharply.  The results were consistent throughout all the
R7 slides, not just on a few.  In some, it seemed that the point that I had
focused on was not in focus, but another point was.  Very disappointing.

I have determined the following, and maybe you can comment on 
whether these things may or may not be true.
Either:
(a) I have a hard time handholding the R7 (weight, size?)
and the M6 is better suited for my style of shooting because
of size and ergonomics
or
(b)  Something is wrong with the focusing screen or diopter
setting on my R7

Can someone comment?

Francesco






At 12:52 PM 10/6/98 +0200, Pascal wrote:
>On 06-10-1998 00:29 Francesco Sanfilippo wrote:
>
>>I just worry because I hear so much about the lens tests and ratings
>>of M lenses, but not much on R lenses.  I want to make sure I am getting
>>THE BEST of Leica.....if the best lenses are M, I will go with M.
>>If R lenses are coming out ahead, I will choose R.
>
>Francesco:
>
>no need to worry. Maybe M lenses do get more attention because they 
>belong to the legendary Leica M system. By comparison, the R system is 
>less "legendary".  The French photo magazine Chasseur d'Images treats 

>both series the same way without favoritism.
>As far as optics are concerned, there is really no meaningfull difference 
>between the two product lines.
>
>During my visit to the Leica factory in Solms last week, we were showed 
>both R and M lenses production rooms, as well as the M6 manufacturing and 
>finetuning rooms.
>I asked a couple of questions on lenses, while we were being shown the 
>production process of aspheric lenses, like why the M series get all the 
>ASPH treatment, unlike the R series (until the Japanese made zoom 
>35-70/4.0 -where the aspheric element is not even advertised- and the new 
>Solms made 35-70/2.8 ASPH).
>The reason is quite simple: until recently it was practically impossible 
>to have excellent quality aspherical glass for such large diameters as is 
>needed for R lenses. This has changed now, with a new method of grinding 
>the lenses (instead of the way the Summilux-M 35 ASPH, Summicron-M 35 
>ASPH, Elmarit-M 21 ASPH and Elmarit-M 24 ASPH were made), which makes 
>things practical for R lenses as well with the same high quality as the 
>aspheric treatment for M lenses. Maybe Erwin can tell the difference 
>between these two production methods.
>
>The main practical consequence of this is that we may expect to see some 
>more ASPH's in the R lenses, like e.g. the much-awaited and much-rumored 
>replacement of the Summicron- R 90 with an ASPH version in the very near 
>future, and the replacement of the Summilux-R 35 with an ASPH version a 
>bit further off. I am not sure whether the addition of an ASPH element in 
>the Summilux-R 80 is seen as an urgent need, although it would certainly 
>be useful (I myself am not too satisfied with its performances at the two 
>widest f-stops).
>
>It looks like there are a couple more exciting things to come from Leica 
>in the future !
>
>BTW, I wanted to try out the new 35-70/2.8 ASPH zoom, but not even the 
>Leica Akademie had this lens available. It apparently only exists in very 
>small numbers for now. Rollout should follow in Q1 of 1999. But the price 
>in the new Leica pricelist brochure (German version) is pretty steep and 
>well over 5,000 DEM.
>
>Pascal
>
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>With that unique design and above all: that ergonomics.
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