[Leica] Puzzled in Alberta would like to know....

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

I have been reading the LHSA archives and came across a curious statement by
Dick Gilcreast in his article on the 21/3.4 and 21/4 lenses:

http://www.lhsa.org/angulons.htm

Here is the quote I am puzzling over but please read the whole article to
get everything in context:

"The 21mm f/3.4 Super-Angulon is very sharp and relatively reflection free
at all apertures. And, unlike a retrofocus design, it can be handheld at
quite long shutter speeds because of the very short distance between its
principal plane (where the diaphragm is located) and the film."

Now why would there be a difference in the effects of camera shake between
symmetrical and retrofocus designs of the same focal length? It does not
make sense to me but that is hardly surprising as I was repeatedly dropped
on my head in my youth and thus am unable to understand the simplest of
concepts (such as the point of the UV filter thread for instance). Please
shed some light into the great void that is my brain.

Cheers,

Puzzled in Alberta