15mm f/3.5 Super-Elmar-R

[Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>]

At 12:23 AM 11/9/97 -0800, Jim Brick wrote:
>Now try the 15mm.

Allow me, please!  This is a phenomenal lens and, by itself, is a cause to
buy into the R system.

It was originally made as the 3.5/15 Distagon in the dying days of Zeiss
Ikon for the Contarex -- it is exceptionally rare in that mount and only a
couple are known to exist.  It next appeared as a Contax SLR lens and is
still in production in that mount.  Leica and Zeiss have cooperated to
produce this lens in R mount.  (Leitz/Leica rather pompously say that
'Zeiss builds this lens to Leica specifications' but I have some problem
with this:  'Leica specifications' may be identical to those of Carl Zeiss
and its many offshoots (Carl, like Buddha, has many attributes), but are
surely no higher and I do love the 'gotcha' in that phrase!)

This lens may have been available in Rollei QBM as well:  Zeiss wanted to
sell the lens to Rollei, but I don't know that they bought it due to the
horrendous complexities in its construction.  In any event, I cannot find
anything but rumours that it has ever been offered in QBM and I have yet to
have one documented in that mount.

The lens is a monster of complexity, 13 elements in 12 groups (it is NOT an
Elmar, despite its badge-engineered name).  It focuses to 6", but who
cares?  With that DOF, does it matter whether it focuses or not?  It is a
rectilinear lens, not a fisheye.

This is an uncompromising lens built to uncompromising standards by an
uncompromising company and sold to another uncompromising company.  If you
really want the ultimate wide-angle and can't quite afford a Hologon, this
will do well in the interim.

I want you all to note this well:  I finally have words of praise for
SOMETHING in the R system!

Marc


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