Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dan and others: Dan, I agree with your observations and your use of an older Kodak Xenon 50/2.8 lens on a 1954 Retina IIc for portraits. Just returned from Italy, where I shot 30+ rolls of Portra 400VC & NC-36. One of the lens I was using is great for material (statutes, buildings, towers, with people in the background, etc.) shots, but not so great for just "people," and that is the APO f/2.8 100 mm Macro Elmarit-R (on a R7). For my friends and shots of them (8 other couples) I really wish that I had had the f/4 100 mm Macro Elmarit-R that I had last year in France and Italy. The f/4 100 mm Elmarit-R is a more "friendly" lens for close-ups as it does not show all the "blemishes." The lens that does surprise me is the f/1.4 35 mm Summilux-M; it is very people friendly but probably because you are not quite as tight as the the 100 mm, and that the f/1.4 allows you to obtain photos in very difficult shooting conditions. For "people" shots (especially over 30 years of age) the older lens are probably the better choice. And no I don't want to use a filter to soften the APO f/2.8 100 mm. Best Regards, Bill Caldwell <sneeker@erols.com>