Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/12/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>....if I did want to sell off my Nikon gear for some reason, a Contax system was all I was really >interested in until now. This gives me more options. >Godfrey - Cupertino, CA, USA - ramarren@apple.com Godfrey, I did just that about five months ago, trading in my Nikon F4 system for a Contax RTSIII. After years of comparison with my less used but much loved M6 system, I decided that I definately could see significant differences between the Leica and Nikon produced images, particularly in 16X20" Ciba exhibition prints which I was producing for a show that was about to be hung. Working on the assumption that R lenses are as good as, if not superior to M glass, I tallied up the cost of the 1 body, 6 lens system that I wanted.... about US $20,000. Groan. My only alternative was Contax, and a similarly configured system came to about $10,000 -- half the price of the Leica R system. As well, the RTSIII body was far superior in features to any R body (the new R8 possibly excepted). I had tested the Contax G1 when it came out, and while I was severely underwhelmed by the camera, I was blown away by the lenses. On the basis of that positive experience with Zeiss glass (and from years ago with a Hasseblad system when I was a working pro) I went for the Contax RTS system. I am totally impressed. Though the Zeiss glass has a somewhat different "look" to M glass, the images I've produced so far are completely satisfying. The 60mm Makro Planar and 180mm are particularly wonderful, and the 28mm is one of the most distortion and vignetting free wide angles I've had the pleasure of using. Mechnically, the build quality and feel of the Zeiss lenses is superb -- in every respect on a par with Leica. This raises the issue mentioned in a message here the other day about why R lenses may not be selling well. Someone, with their tongue not firmly in their cheek said, could it be the price? In my case the answer is emphatically yes. I've used and loved M glass for more than 30 years, but when it came to buying a large number of lenses to equip a complete SLR system, I was blocked, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to usually afford most things that I want. The $10,000 differential though was just too much to swallow. Pitty. Regards, ______________________________________ Michael H. Reichmann E-mail: michael.reichmann@alphanet.net ______________________________________