Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/06/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I think you have a very sound attitude, Fred. Over the years, I have been using many Nikons along with my M-cameras. During the last ten years have had 2 F3 and 2 F4S, along with a lot of lenses. But my point is, that only the very best Nikkor lenses can reach the level of Leica lenses. To make it simple: There are, in my opinion, some average Nikkors, but only good/very good Leica lenses. The best of my current AF Nikkors are 20/2,8 24/2,8 50/1,8 135/2,0 and 180/2,8. I cannot honestly claim that Leica lenses are better than any of these, when I look at the practical results. On the other hand, I have a friend, who claims that different examples of the second generation M Tele-Elmarits 90/2,8 varies a lot. He says, that he had to buy 4 examples, before he found one that he was satisfied with. If this is true, I don´t know, as I have been pleased with 3 out of the 4 that I have owned. The same friend got an assignment to make a landscape picture that should cover the wall in a bank. For this, he borrowed a second generation Summicron 35 (the one with the lever aperture ring), as he claims this one to be the sharpest 35mm of them all. We all have different experiences with our photography. Last summer, on a trip to Italy, I brought a Nikon F4 with a 28-70 zoom along with my M-cameras. I used the Nikon a lot, but the pictures I chose to use when I got home were all made by my Leica Ms. Aside from the fact that prime lenses produce sharper pictures than zooms, the difference was that the Leica forced me to move close to people. People are not afraid of a Leica M, but they become tense when you use i big and noisy SLR. As a photographer, I also tend get lazy with the zoom, standing beside zooming in for tele pictures. >fewer test chart shooters. I feel that Leicas are just like all other >cameras... made to be used, and to make photographs. Not to cuddle, >coddle, and look at without touching. I really wonder about dreaming of Here I cannot agree with you Fred. Have you missed the "Leica feel" and the "Leica-myth". I must confess that it makes me feel good to use a 30 year old M3, it is like enjoying great music, a fine wine or a good book. It is a ful- filment of something not easy to define, to use any old Leica. But I think that you are 100% right when you state that very few of us really need the most expensive lenses. But I must confess, that I would be glad to have them anyway, if I could afford it...