Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/06/29

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Subject: [Leica] M lens 21mm F2.8 pre ASPH
From: henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff)
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:53:54 -0700
References: <CA2FC4B4.DF41%manolito@videotron.ca> <CA3008FC.10F49%mark@rabinergroup.com> <00ac01cc360a$1e478c00$5ad6a400$@earthlink.net> <p0623090cca307ff5a81f@10.0.1.4> <BANLkTik4nUO6BYmmxyBeAu15_iNVJ4vpBg@mail.gmail.com>

This is all relative. Compared with most SLR lenses of similar 
specifications at the time, the Elmarit was a completely competent 
performer. It was just not the outstandingly better performer that 
the 21SA had been in it's time, and that most current Leica lenses 
are.

And most importantly, as I've mentioned often, most people gravitate 
to certain lenses regardless of their technical (im)perfections 
because for a whole lot of reasons other than MTF curves they can 
create successful pictures with them.

I've been fortunate that I've been able to try out almost all Leica 
lenses and many of the other lenses that fit on Leicas, and often 
multiple examples so that now I can often choose the right lens for a 
particular purpose. But mainly, I've learned with which lenses I can 
take pictures that please me more than others. Sometimes, that's a 
technically outstanding lens like the 75/2, but just as often it's a 
lens like the 90T-E or the f/1 Noctilux.



At 6:20 AM -0500 6/29/11, Sonny Carter wrote:
>On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 2:28 AM, Henning Wulff <henningw at 
>archiphoto.com>wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>
>>  Retrofocus lenses tend to mustache distortion. Note: the pre-ASPH Elmarit
>>  does not have the most. What it has is astigmatism, coma and chromatic
>>  aberrations in the corners that is worse than the others; ie, it is 
>> softer
>>  and has more flare in the corners.
>>
>>  When you're at f/5.6 all this is largely irrelevant, as usually other
>>  factors conspire to make your pictures not as good as you'd like, rather
>>  than the lens faults. But if you want to shoot at f/2.8 to f/4, the other
>>  candidates are all better than the pre-ASPH Elmarit in the corners.
>>
>
>I use the lens on an M8, and usually crop.  Ninety-nine percent of my images
>go to electronic publication or small print.  The lens works for me.  It
>handles nicely, There is no filter issue, and it cost me 3000 less than an
>Asph.
>
>  I'll live with that for now.
>
>
>
>--
>Regards,
>
>Sonny
>http://sonc.com/look/
>Natchitoches, Louisiana
>
>USA
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information

-- 

       Henning J. Wulff
  Wulff Photography & Design
mailto:henningw at archiphoto.com
   http://www.archiphoto.com


Replies: Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] M lens 21mm F2.8 pre ASPH)
In reply to: Message from manolito at videotron.ca (EPL) ([Leica] M lens 21mm F2.8 pre ASPH)
Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] M lens 21mm F2.8 pre ASPH)
Message from red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] M lens 21mm F2.8 pre ASPH)
Message from sonc.hegr at gmail.com (Sonny Carter) ([Leica] M lens 21mm F2.8 pre ASPH)