Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/12/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks everybody for their comments on the zoom lenses, I think I will got with the 35-70 f/4.0. I wonder if there are some ZEISS stuff in this lens since Kyocera builds them?? I am planning to make this lens the normal lens on the camera at all times (out door only, with plenty light). as for 35-70 /f2.8 besides being very expensive, you can not find it anyway, may be leica should also farm this one to kyocera. It should then be cheaper and more available!! - -------------------------------------------------------- Thanks Mehrdad Sadat - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of gbicket Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2000 5:45 AM To: msadat@pacbell.net; LUG Subject: [Leica] 35-70, 28-70 R Zooms Mehrdad, The easy winner side by side, is the f4 35-70. Unless you are going to drop big buck$ on the f2.8 35-70, the f4 35-70 is the right way to go. Kyocera makes both this lens and the f4 80-200, they are well made, and go with me everywhere I take my camera. Light, sharp, robust color, near macro. Handy. The f4 28-70 is made by Sigma [at least early examples], and in my opinion does not favorably compare, the zoom and focus mechanisms lack the feel of the f4 35-70, and many feel the optical quality is not in the league of the Kyocera lenses. I have been told that more recent production of the f4 28-70 has been shifted to Kyocera, and that construction quality has improved. The archives to LUG contain lots of information about these lenses. You should scan the opinions there, too. Also, Erwin Puts, who writes often on the LUG has a test of it at his site. You should read his evaluation of the f4 35-70. In my opinion, the f2 R 50, and the f4 R 35-70 are Leica's best R lenses in terms of price/quality/value. Now it is a zoom, and I still believe most zooms reveal performance compromises in comparison to the best lenses of single focal length. I will concede there is probably not a perceptible difference in some of Leica's cost-is-no- object f2.8 35-70 and APO zoom 70-180 lenses in most shooting situations. As an amateur, and a purchaser who includes cost-value in decisionmaking, I feel I got what I paid for with R 19, APO R 100, and APO 280 R lenses, although expensive. But it is a handy traveler, has great ergonomics, a near macro function. If I lost it, I would replace it in a week! That's a good test. Here are my only complaints: I wish it were faster; sometimes f4 is cumbersome. When I have a polarizing lens mounted on it, I have to remember to re-do the polarizing setting because the front of the lens rotates with focusing. I have wished for a more convenient lens cap. That's it. Semper R. Enjoy the light. Greg