Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/02/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yes! My similar experiences with the Nikkor 35-70mm 2.8 AF and 20mm 2.8 AF were what drove me to Leica. And not necessarily limited to a specular light source being directly in the field of view -- even if just outside the field of view. True regardless whether the sun, a streetlight above the subject at twilight, a spotlight in a cafe or on a stage, or a light on a building at night. Veiling flare predominating over the entire image, like placing pre-exposure on Zone VI! I asked the online Nikon rep on compuserve at the time, and got no response. Several chimed in, asking if I used a lens hood. "Uh, ... yeah, but last I heard a lens hood doesn't help a lot when the light source is in the field of view!" A Leica user said said to try the 19mm R lens, and the rest is history. The only Nikon feature I miss is the narrow angle spot meter the N90 had! Tom > Here's an interesting side note on flare, ghost images, and the Nikon 80-200 f2.8 zoom. In normal (non-backlit) situations the lens performs quite > well and is the mainstay in most photojournalists camera bag, but try and shoot a backlit subject where the sun (or other light source) is directly > hitting the front element, and you might as well use a coke bottle instead. It is that bad. In harshly backlit situations, fixed focal length lenses > still reign supreme. >