Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/09/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Sal DiMarco,Jr. wrote: >>> From extensive personal experience with this lens, I had definitely > state the lens is SHARP wide open.<<<< Hi Sal, I have to concur, as this is one of my hardest working lenses since 1984 when it came out and like you, I was the first to have one in use in Canada on a regular basis. Used wide open it's amazingly crisp and sharp. And this is during hand held shooting and not fiddling with testing it. As in many of my photographs I like to use the highest possible shutter speed and the widest possible aperture and the 280 2.8 is a solid film cutting image maker used in that manner. And if one owns the book "75 Years of Leica Photography" look at page 280 for an example of the 280 in action as the winner crosses the finish line during the 1988 Olympic 100 meter race. Adding to the quality of the lens is the 1.4 extender which makes this an amazingly fine 400mm f 4.0 that holds it's own against many prime 400's of any make. And with the 1.4 attached you have absolutely no loss of quality while the lens stays hand holdable. Even using the 2X to produce a 560, f 5.6 there isn't any discernable loss. But to get really carried away attach both 1.4 and 2X, that gives you an 800mm f 8.0 that has produced and saved my butt for long lens images on many occasions. Yeah yeah I know Leica tell you not to do that, well they tell people lots of things not to do, but don' t believe it, as it works very well. And surprise.... you can still hand hold it! ;-) If one is available at a good price grab it, you wont be sorry and if you don't like I bet you can sell it for a profit. ted Ted Grant Photography Limited www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant