Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/20

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Nikon 35mm f2.5 LTM lens
From: Ken Iisaka <kiisaka@pacbell.net>
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 22:13:45 -0800

I think it is one of Nikon's greatest lenses.  It is somewhat soft and
flarey at wide open, but it is extremely sharp and contrasty by 5.6.
For a lens that was designed in the early fifties, mere few years after
the end of the war which devastated Tokyo where Nikon is based, it is a
remarkable lens, arguably better than Leitz Elmar and perhaps Summarons
of the equal focal length.  It is in a classic double Gauss
configuration, I believe, with six elements in four groups.  35mm focal
length providing 60 degrees of coverage is really a practical limit for
this design, and there is some vignetting at wide open, as well.  It is
interesting to note that Nikon's equally venerable 28mm 1:3.5 is in
Orthmetar configuration, also with six elements in four groups, but with
outer elements being cemented.

It is interesting to note that virtually the same lens, save one
element, is still produced as the normal lens for Nikon's underwater
Nikonos system.

Ken Iisaka kiisaka@pacbell.net
Lost in Mill Valley in Marin County, California
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Browne <rbrowne@iopener.net>
To: <Leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2000 8:59 PM
Subject: [Leica] Nikon 35mm f2.5 LTM lens


> Dear LUG,
>
> Does anyone have any opinion on or personal experience with the Nikon
35mm f2.5 LTM lens? I plan to use it on my IIIf with an old Alpex
viewfinder I've had forever.
>
> Thanks in advance for your replies.
>
> Robert Browne
>