Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/21

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Subject: [Leica] AW: Leica Users digest V14 #91
From: Stefan Kahlert <S.Kahlert@gmx.de>
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 09:07:25 +0100

- ---Original Message---
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 17:35:10 +0100
From: "Hans Pahlen" <hans.pahlen@mark.komvux.se>
Subject: [Leica] Bessa R & lenses

A tip to European LUGers:
I just got the latest issue of the German FotoMagazin in my mailbox 
(February issue).
They have a 2 page article with pictures of the Bessa R, and tests of the 
25-35-50-75 mm lenses. The lenses got splendid results:

[Results deleted]

A Bessa R is reported to cost less than 2000 DM (complete with either the 
35 or 50 mm lens). A black 75/2.5 will cost 849 DM, according to 
www.ringfoto.de (They have not updated with Bessa R info yet).
I am not so keen on the Konica Hexar, as I like manual wind lever better 
than a noisy winder on this type of camera. But the Bessa R & lenses is 
really nice, I think!

/Hans
- ----------------

Hans,

I agree about the results you quoted. The numbers are really impressive. 
However, flare was rather strong in their tests which FotoMagazin 
attributed to straylight in the body, a Bessa L. As the Bessa L and the R 
share the same body with a rangefinder added I'd put my money neither on 
the L nor on the R.

But this is just one possible explanation for the flare observed. As 
FotoMagazin did not repeat the tests with a different body it may well be 
the case that the lenses themself are the source for the sraylight visible 
in the test pictures. Personally I doubt this, because it seems unlikely to 
see a similar effect with all these different designs from 25 to 75mm, but 
testing isn't guessing. And FotoMagazin *is* just guessing here. This test 
doesn't tell us if in real life photography these lenses or the Bessa L/R 
themself may be flare-prone or not.

My conclusion from this test is simple: Keep your fingers of that System 
untill there are more reliable sources than FotoMagazin!
Truth may or may not be in their numbers when it comes to slides or 
enlargements.

Stefan Kahlert