[Leica] Auto vibration reduction

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> Rabs you confuse me because often you say "Face facts Leica lenses are
> better than everyone else's, quite noticeably so when you're printing in
> large format, etc. Get inside that darkroom and print at 21 by 24 and 
> you'll
> see that Leica glass makes Nikon look like yesterday's snot on a ripped
> tissue grrrrrrr." (That's really what you say.)
> 
> Then you got your Nikon head on and you say (or appear to be saying) "Well
> the pros who are out there every day are using Nikon and Canon and these
> guys know what they're doing so it's not up to the likes of us dweedleheads
> with our element counts to question them they're bringing home the bacon
> after hitting the pig over the head with the Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor
> 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED."
> 
> As part of the latter contention you also said that people who argued the
> merits of these newer coffee can sized lenses are "purists" meaning in this
> sense Luddites who don't know the world is changing.
> 
> So my argument was: yeah, somewhat true, but do keep in mind that many of 
> us
> are not kneejerk purists we have a real aesthetic rationale or two behind
> why we like Leica lenses and uphold the values (like keeping things solidly
> attached unlike in VR/IS technology) that make those lenses so historically
> great and unmatched in performance.
> 
> See? You're two mints in one baby.
> 
> But that's okay we all are. If I went out today to buy me a Nikon 55-200mm
> for my D40x believe me I'd get the VR version. I just love Doug's argument
> because this is a guy who sits there with the giant lens on the tripod or
> not but as he remarks, 1/250th isn't always fast enough and the thing he's
> looking at is like a mile and a half away and weighs less than two pounds.
> And if he says one thing works better than another then I'm like, OK you
> know what you're talking about.
> 
> For a schmuck like me if I'm going to have a $200 Nikon DX lens nothing is
> going to suffer by having it with VR. And a few things might well improve.
> 
> Vince
> 


This is where I jump in and ague with you except I agree with everything you
say. I do wear a nikon hat sometimes as in the last 3 years and when I do so
I'm proud of how cheap my glass is sometimes not how expensive it is.
Though my favorite Leica lens I got used the 40  Summicron C costing way
less than my Nikon 28mm 1.4 a lens which I could see for thousands and three
times more than what I got it for new.
Nikon could use rare glass types and better materials and sell some even
more premium options for 5 grand and compete with Leica directly but they
choose not to.
Maybe some day they'll change their mind if I was running the company I'd
have them do that.
I do prefer Rangefinder shooting over SLR so for me its more than just
glass.
Leica gives you the option to got for the gusto and head out shooting with
the best glass in the world. Its good to have at least one of those lenes. -
puts a gleam in your eye.

[Rabs]
Mark William Rabiner