RE: [Leica] Lens Questions: thank you! Now, about wide angle....

[Buzz Hausner <Buzz@marianmanor.org>]

Treat yourself to a pre-aspheric 35 Summicron...a dynamite performer in a
small package...relatively under-priced as people continue to swap up to the
aspheric...the second best deal in Leica lenses after the skinny
Tele-Elmarit.

	Buzz Hausner

- -----Original Message-----
From: Adam Bridge [mailto:abridge@idea-processing.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 2:31 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Lens Questions: thank you! Now, about wide
angle....


Thanks to everyone for their replies to my questions. I always wondered what
the flat "ledge" on the top of the 50mm lens was for! Now I know.

Unfortunately I am unable to comply with the request to surrender the 90mm
lens. It seems to work just fine for me! <grin>

Now a question to really reveal my ignorance:

I've never shot with a lens wider than 50mm. (okay, you know the awful
truth)

I'd like to buy a lens in the 25-35mm range for shooting in confined spaces.
Last summer I was on deck at the US Olympic Swimming Trials in Indianapolis.
While I'm please with the photos, the best of them were actually shot at a
distance with the 90mm because I was always too close or surrounded by
crowds for the 50. I CRAVED something wider.

But these lenses are, ahem, pricey. Because I don't need the latest and
greatest I'm wondering if you have thoughts about what to look for in a good
used lens. I'm sure a dealer would say "buy a new one" but I could almost
buy a Cannon D30 for the cost of one of those puppies. Well almost.

Which is an interesting aside, I note that with many cameras the body is the
most expensive purchase. A D30 is $3k but an optically stabilized zoom lens
is well under $1k. An M6 is going to run about $2k or so (roughly) but a
lens will be at least that if I look for something wide. I find that
interesting.

Anyway, I'm learning a LOT from my M6. I still can't estimate focus fast
enough without looking. I try but I can't learn how to gage focus so when I
bring the camera up it's nearly set the right focal distance. Is there a way
to be good at this?

I ramble. My apologies.

Adam Bridge