Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/09/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Just remembered a conversation heard years ago between M enthusiasts here, they were debating on the actual FL of varied Leica 50mm - and got out impressive differences between luxes, crons, elmars, etc Anyone knows more about this? Ph Le 17 sept. 2016 ? 19:46, Bryk Oliver <oliverbryk at comcast.net> a ?crit : > In 1953 I was a student in the US Army Signal Corps Photography School in > Ft. Monmouth, NJ. After passing still photo school (4x5 Speed Graphic) I > was selected for ?Combat Cameraman? class (35mm b&w cinematography) using > the Bell & Howell ?Eyemo? handheld newsreel cameras well as Mitchell and > Maurer studio cameras. 50mm was the normal lens for these 35mm cameras. > > A booklet ?Instructions for the use of the Leica Camera Models c, f & g? > (referring to the Leica III series) published by Hove Books Ltd. states > that ?THE STANDARD LENS OF THE LEICA is the world famous ELMAR having a > maximum aperture of f/3.5 and a focal length of 50mm?. > > In the book ?Leica M Advanced Photo School? by G?nther Osterloh, 2nd > English ed., published by Lark Books in 2005 (the original German edition > was published in 2002) is a section ?Normal focal lengths?: > > "Lenses with focal lengths that correspond approximately to the diagonal > of the negative format are called normal lenses. In the 35mm format of 24 > x 36 mm the diagonal measures about 43 mm. For practical reasons and for > reasons of better quality, however, more than 75 years ago Leitz decided > to use a standard focal length that is nearly 10 mm longer. And that is > still the case today; standard lenses for Leica cameras have a focal > length of 52 mm. This holds true even when the engraving around the front > element of the lens reads only 50 mm.? > > ?For the novice, taking pictures with this lens is easy because its angle > of view of about 45 degrees most closely corresponds to the natural > coverage of the human eye.? > > Respectfully submitted, > > Oliver > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information