Re: [Leica] 90 mm APO-ASPH M Box BS!

["Dr. Joseph Yao" <yaojkfdr@netvigator.com>]

Don,

As far as I understand (and I may be wrong!), in recent years a given
lens model is only manufactured in one place.  The current M line up are
all made in Germany, including the latest APO 90/2.0 ASPH.  The last
lenses that 'migrated' from Canada to Germany, I believe, are the
Noctilux and Summilux 75/1.4.

I can only speak from my limited experience.  I have been buying Leica
equipment for only three years and have amounted to no more than a dozen
of bodies or two dozen lenses.  Perhaps we have a slightly different
retail system here, my dealer let me inspect every item before I pay.  I
have on many occasions rejected defective Leica products and my dealer
will get me another piece for me to inspect until I am completely
satisfied.  When shopping for the Elmarit-M 28/2.8 it was the 7th
example he took out that I eventually accepted.  The other six had
either coating defects, or with focusing or aperture rings being too
stiff or loose.  One of them had a few bubbles in the elements.  I
understand the 28/2.8 was German made.

I also had similar problems with the Summilux 35/1.4 ASPH.  In one
afternoon I also rejected four R7 bodies, all of them had one thing
wrong or another.  These are all German made if I am not mistaken.

In my VERY VERY LIMITED experience, it does seem my Canadian lenses have
represented themselves better than their German cousins.  But hey, this
is just a VERY SMALL SAMPLE and one cannot generalise that German made
Leicas are in any way inferior.  Perhaps I just had very bad luck.

As I mentioned earlier, I do not really care where the lens or camera is
made.  So long as it is not sub-standard I will enjoy using them.  I
just check them very carefully at the time of purchase.

Cheers,
Joseph
   
> <<
>  If I may say so, the better lenses I have, are also Canadian.  Lenses
>  such as the Noctilux and Summilux 75/1.4, at least to my eyes, appear to
>  be better built than the latest German ones.  Also, they seem to have
>  better quality control, as every Canadian lens I have bought so far is
>  100% perfect straight from the box.  And I may be flamed for this, the
>  Japanese made Leica lenses are not bad either.
>   >>
> Thanks for this information since it has not been clear whether the Leica
> lenses made in Germany measured up to the Leica lenses made in Canada, and
> you advise the Canadian lenses are more likely to be perfect right out of the
> box.
> 
> Your post also causes three questions to come to mind:
> 
> 1.  If I read your post correctly, you are suggesting a 90 mm APO-ASPH M made
> in Germany is inferior to one that is made in Canada?  This may be the reason
> one owner of the 90 mm APO-ASPH M made in Germany advised today on the net
> that he did not see much difference between his new 90 mm APO-ASPH M and his
> old 90 mm Elmarit.
> 
> 2.  You believe Canadian lens quality control is better than German lens
> quality control.  What has happened to German quality control?
> 
> 3.  Would you suggest a buyer be wary of buying German made Leica lenses,
> especially if the same Canadian made lens is available?
> 
> Currently, I am seriously considering the purchase of a wide angle and
> telephoto for my M-3's and both are supposed to have been made in Germany.
> If one cannot be assured these lenses will be perfect right out of the box, I
> will have to think about the purchase.
> 
> Thanks so much for your info.
>