Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/21

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Build Quality of Lenses
From: "Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 12:07:45 -0400

> The "look" is the optical inferiority of lenses of that era.:-) They have
> more flare, more fall-off at the edges, etc. etc. Call it Leica glow, call
> it Coke Bottle Bottom, the bottom line is that it isn't something lens
> designers were trying to achieve, it is simply the best they could achieve
> given the tools they had.
>
> One may like the "glow," but it doesn't make a lot of sense to tout it as
> "superior" to the images produced by modern lenses.
>
> I note that having gone from the Pre-asph 21 to the ASPH 21 for the M, while
> I was thrilled with the pre-asph when I used it, the results I get with the
> ASPH are far superior, in terms of edge-to-edge sharpness, lack of flare,
> and lack of light fall off...
>
> B. D.
>
>
B.D.
I do not disagree with anything that you say about the 'look' in fact I am
pretty sure that I understand (finally) everything (well almost) Erwin has
said on this point. To me the razor sharpness of modern lenses is not real
important to me for everything that I shoot. We have all heard about the
'glow' and, I think there is something to that even when I compared my
current Summicron 50mm with a Nikor 50/1.4 I could see a glow that the razor
sharp Nikor did not have. For me what lens I use boils down to what I am
shooting and the effect that I would like to achieve.
Steve
Annapolis