Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/12/02

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Subject: [Leica] Leica 70-210 /f4
From: mehrdad sadat <msadat@pacbell.net>
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000 10:17:16 -0800

Does anybody have this lens? how the performance? where has it been built?

 
- --------------------------------------------------------
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 mehrdad
sadat
Sent: Saturday, December 02, 2000 6:25 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: RE: [Leica] 35-70, 28-70 R Zooms


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