Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/03/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Lenses are easier to make when they need to cover less film area. They are or can be also faster ( F-stop), lighter, smaller, and overall less expensive. But trying to use a smaller image circle lens on a larger negative leads to vignetting, either total ( black corners like in a 135 hood on a 21 lens effect) l or partial ( darker corners) as the light drops off at the extreme of the image circle. A lens that is designed to cover a small format, and designed to cost as little as possible ( not necessarily Leica's point of view) would, most likely, not cover 35mm adequately. The manufacturer would be chastised for a bad design if he even mentioned that it would. OTOH, if the lens were advertised to cover a smaller format, but not advertised to cover a larger format, even though it did indeed cover that larger format, would be a winner.....a real winner....at a price point. The other question is the cost..... Leica's latest offering ( 50 ASPH Lux) is around $3K MSRP. It is not exotic, in terms of what it offers .... 50mm F1.4 operation. It is 10 times the cost of other 35mm lenses of similar specs. If you wish to make certain assumptions, then a 18mm lens that covers 35mm format, well, let's just say that it would cost a lot of money! Cheap? Don't hold your breath.......Leica has not been raising prices 10% a year for nothing...... Frank Filippone red735i@earthlink.net