Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/11/24

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Subject: [Leica] Are Leica lenses multicoated?
From: kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)
Date: Mon Nov 24 07:31:13 2008
References: <20081124021122.246B4BE4078@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com>

excellent Marty, thanks...Steve


On Nov 23, 2008, at 7:11 PM, Marty Deveney wrote:

>
> I find that understanding why something works makes me better able  
> to capitalise on its strengths and avoid its weaknesses.
>
>> how much does it cost and who did it?
>
> It was done in a research lab that doesn't take commercial work.  If  
> you could find someone to do it and had it done, I'd imagine it  
> would cost $US 200-250/surface - a lot more than Focal Point charges  
> for excellent modern single coating.  Arax in the Ukraine has  
> stopped offering a polish and recoating service.
>
>> Can every one imagine the Edward Weston, Man Ray, HCB... and many
>> others improved pictures?,
>
> H C-B had his collapsible 50/2 Summicron multicoated by Leica.  He  
> thought it was worth it.
>
> The difference between uncoated and single coated is HUGE, the  
> difference between single and multicoated is less enormous.  Modern  
> coatings are hugely advantageous for maintaining lens condition into  
> the future.  The increased control of flare is interesting to  
> observe and the design freedom that they allow is amazing.  The  
> Tessar was designed to work as an uncoated lens because Planar types  
> flared too much because they had too many air-to-glass surfaces -  
> few of our post-WWII designed lenses would work at all if coating  
> did not exist, including 'classics' like the seven element 50mm  
> Summicrons.
>
>> low contrast combined with very high resolution allows a unique  
>> smooth look...and you can always increase the contrast if desired...
>> I am not sure how the coating impacts, or what the coating is for  
>> the DR...
>
> This is not about coating - this results from lens design and glass  
> types.  The contrast/resolution paradox applies only to lenses that  
> are limited by spherical aberration.  Modern glass types and design  
> allow spherical aberrations to be almost eliminated, meaning that  
> you can now have a high contrast _and_ high resolution lens.  The DR  
> and other lenses are very nice but their look is derived mostly from  
> the available glass types and design limits of the 1950s and 60s.   
> Many users would find a DR with good modern coating an improvement -  
> you retain the look but the flare is decreased.  Out-of-focus  
> rendition is also a function of design and how the design controls  
> aberrations, and is not related to coating.
>
> Marty
>
> Gallery: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene
>
>
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In reply to: Message from freakscene at weirdness.com (Marty Deveney) ([Leica] Are Leica lenses multicoated?)