Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/18

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Subject: [Leica] Portrait Lens: Summicron, Elmar, Elmari
From: "Gib Robinson" <robinson@sfsu.edu>
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1999 21:18:34 -0700

I haven't followed every turn in the discussion of portrait lenses, but I get the impression that for a number of people, it pays to
have a lens of lesser quality to soften portraits and that lenses like the 100mm f/2.8 APO are considered poor for portraits because
they're too sharp. That's not my experience, and I'd be interested in hearing from other LUGers who have used their best lenses for
portraits. I certainly have. My absolute favorite portrait lens was the Zeiss T* 150mm on a Hassleblad. On Leicas I use the best I
have -- 90mm Elmarit and 100mm Elmar. I've always felt I could create appealing portraits by controling all the other variables --
lighting, development, printing, film selection, etc. I've never felt the need to use a mediocre lens to flatter a subject.

- --Gib