Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/03/31

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: Which lens to buy?
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 1996 18:35:02 -0500
Cc: cmiller@berkshire.net

Two quick points.

First, there are two and three element lenses which HAVE received rave
reviews.  For instance, many of the Leitz Telyts have been two-element
designs, as was the 8/500 Zeiss fernobjektiv.  And the 4/85 Carl Zeiss
Triotar -- the Postwar Contax model -- has been rated by quite a few folk as
one of the classic designs of all time, and the older design (Pre and
Postwar Jena production) was no mean performer, either.

Second, the basic 4/90 Elmar design has four elements and is a Zeiss Tessar
clone.  There is a variant with three elements, but this is a late
development and quite rare -- less than 6,000 were made -- and the lens is a
collector's gem and of less interest, due to its price, to users.

I was speaking of the collapsible four-element design.  It's a neat lens and
of no mean optical performance but, obviously, not up to the standards of
the 2/90 or 2.8/90 designs.  Its virtues are its utility and light weight,
and relative low cost, though this IS climbing.

Best,

Marc
msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!