Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/11

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Subject: Re: 28mm/20mm
From: "Henning J. Wulff" <henningw@archiphoto.com>
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 15:40:37 -0700

Tom A. wrote:

> I have tried several of the various 28's available. Current inventory
>includes a 28/2,8 Elmarit 3rd version and a 4th version, as well as the Orion
>28/6 and my latest toy, the Ricoh GR 28/2,8. The Orion is a great little
>"pancake lens", the aperture ring is difficult to see and operate ( communism
>did not include ergonomical design parameters), it is very sharp and makes a
>great point and shoot lens for the M2. The 28/2,8 Elmarits are really good,
>particularly the latest version. Extremely sharp across the neg and
>contrasty. The Ricoh 28/2,8 is very much like the Summaron 28/2,8 in size and
>although I haven't had a chance to print from it yet, the negs look good.
>Today the weather seems to co-operate and I will shoot some Tech-Pan with it
>and really try it out. It has 2 Aspherical surfaces and is very well made. It
>feels like a Leica lens, brass barrels and hood. The finder is OK ( also
>brass and weighs a lot) but could have better bright lines in it. I got this

I ran into Tom today at a camera store and can vouch for some of the
comments on the Ricoh 28. The conical hood for the thing seems to weigh as
much as my 35 (old style) Summicron, and so does the finder. If this finder
happens to slide off the shoe, watch out for your toes! The lens basically
seems to be a classic symmetrical design, so light falloff might be a
problem, although, as with the Summaron, sharpness and contrast should be
excellent. It appears to be multicoated and very well made. The finder is
of a similar style to the Contax 21, but in black and weighing at least
twice as much. No scrimping on the brass! Tom also had the 50/2.4
collapsible Hexanon in 'chrome', which was not as convincing in
construction, and especially in finish, where it had the grainy look that
some inexpensive chrome items tend to have.


   *           Henning J. Wulff
  /|\     Wulff Photography & Design
 /###\      henningw@archiphoto.com
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