Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Vondauster@aol.com wrote: > Hi All, > > OK. As someone who owns and shoots both systems, I'll throw in my two cents > worth on this issue. I find, after considerable use, the optics are roughly > equal in quality. In my opinion, the 21s are equal, the 28 Biogon is superior, > the 35 Summicron ASPH superior, the 45 and 50 very close, and the 90s very > close. Having said that, Leica has a number of considerably faster lenses that > the G system simply cannot match. > > The G autofocus and metering systems are excellent when used within their > design limitations. The G system is an excellent value versus the M system. > Its durability is unlikely to match the M system. > > This might be a good place to invoke Walt's maxim on lens quality arguments - > in use the lenses from these two systems are sufficiently above that of most > others in quality that quibbling about them borders on the neurotic. > > Will von Dauster It's a slow day, so I'll jump in here too.. I had a G1 with the 45, 28 and 90 - which I dumped to get my M6. I did this for only two reasons: the G1 autofocus sucked - sorry, but there's no other word for it. It was slow. It wasn't particularly accurate. And in dim light? Fagetit! The second reason I got rid of it was that the "manual focus" was nothing more than a hand adjusted auto focus. Now, having read a fair amount, and having played with a G2, I gather that the autofocus is much better - although the "manual focus" is still not manual. As to the lenses - Sorry Mark, but they were terrific. To my eye they were every bit as sharp as their M counterparts. The color rendition was really terrific, although I am primarily a B&W person. They may not do as well in Irwin's tests as the Leica lenses, but then it will be a cold day in a hot place before I can extract that extra bit of whatever out of the Leica lenses. The meter? Dead on. My conclusion? When I can no longer deal with a manual rangefinder because my eyes can't hack it, I will definitely go to the Gwhatever-it-is at that point. I will lose the quiet of the M, as well, I am sure, as some of the long-term reliability and Zen of engineering. But I will be getting good glass and good images. Meanwhile, I'll just click away with my M6 .. :-) B. D.