Re: [Leica] 75mm alternatives

[TTAbrahams@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/30/99 4:54:17 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
michaeljohnston@ameritech.net writes:

<< Subj:     [Leica] 75mm alternatives
 Date:  11/30/99 4:54:17 AM Pacific Standard Time
 From:  michaeljohnston@ameritech.net (Mike Johnston)
 Sender:    owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
 Reply-to:  <A HREF="mailto:leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us">leica-users@mej
ac.palo-alto.ca.us</A>
 To:    leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
 
 I have one friend who's had the 75mm f/2.5 Cosina lens for weeks, but he
 hasn't made prints from it yet as he's waiting for some darkroom
 construction work to be done. I'll post when I either hear from him or
 see some prints.
  >>
 I have been using the 75/2,5 since early September and I have actually had a 
chance to print from it. It is a nice little lens, compact and comfortable. 
It feels more like a 'long" 50 than a short 90. Optically it resembles the 
90/2,8 Tele-Elmarit in its performance. Slightly soft at 2.5 but tightens up 
by the time you hit f4 or 5.6. It has a slightly lower overall contrast than 
the 90/2,8 Elmarit-M. I did shot some Astia with it in Tokyo and there seems 
to be no noticeable color cast to the lens. It is not a lens that is a 
substitute for the 75/1,4 by any means, but it is a very 'comfortable "lens 
to shoot with. Combined with a 35/2 it makes a nice lightweight 'walkabout" 
package. The finder that Cosina makes for it is superb, all painted black 
brass, feels rock solid and is very bright. At the moment the lens is sitting 
on a M3 with the finder and with Tri-X rated at 800 it can even cut through 
the grey of the Vancouver early, rainy winter. The lens I have is the black 
version and as I reported on the 50/1,5 and the 35/1,7, the paint has a 
tendency to chip. It will soon take on a proper brassy look and match the M3.
Tom A