Re: [Leica] Heliar impressions

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

sam wrote:
> 
> Having had the Contax (f8) and, for the past month, a 15mm Heliar (f4.5!)
> I see no difference in the build quality or final picture results, and, if
> used properly, the Heliar is no more a novelty lens than any extreme wide
> angle.  Perhaps it is difficult for us to accept the fact that there is (the
> 15mm), and probably will be other non-Leica lenses for our M's that perform,
> for all real world practical purposes, as well as Leica, for a fraction of
> the cost.

I think you have made at least two classic errors of basic logic here
which I wish I had the chops to analyze for us.
If the Heliar is a good as the Contax lens ported to a Leica great. But
this is not a case of 

"non-Leica lenses for our M's that perform, for all real world practical
purposes, as well as Leica, for a fraction of the cost."

This is a case of one non Leica lens performing as well as another non
Leica lens both of them being a lens which Leica is not even competition
with as They don't make a 15 for an M. Leica glass is not being shown
up. They are simply presented with a cheaper, usable but not comparable
in quality option.
Mark Rabiner