Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/01/28

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica-Users List Digest V2 #125
From: dannyg1 <dannyg1@IDT.NET>
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 13:05:05 +0000

Mike,

> the Leica R line
> does have its relative weak points, but, for the most part, the best R lenses
> are the _ne plus ultra_ of what is available to consumers in the 35mm format.

Welcome to the LUG Mike. Now we all know that the 100/2.8 APO, the 180/2 and 
the 70-180 are the finest available, but isn't it also true of almost all of the larger 
35mm manufacturers to have a good number of lenses in their respective lines that 
are the finest as well? 

Olympus has the 35-80/2.8, the 50 and 90/2's, the 21/2 and the 24 shift (plus the 
250/2 and 350/2.8). Canon has the three T/S lenses, the 50/1, the 85/1.2, the 135/2, 
the 180/3.5 and the 200/1.8. Nikon has the 18/3.5, the 55 2.8, the 85/1.4, the 
105/1.8, the 200 macro and the 400/3.5. Contax has the rightful claim (unless you 
count Pentax, who co-designed the lens with Zeiss) to the 15/3.5 and has the 
commonly accepted finest versions of these lenses: 21/2.8, the 35/1.4, the 50/1.4, the 
60/2.8, the 85/2.8 and the 135/2.8. This list could include pretty much every 
manufacturer, all the way to Ricoh, which has the finest cost-performance ratio 
with their 28/3.5, 45/2.8 and 55/1.2.

Further (and conversely), Leica hasn't been on the SLR short end for a good while 
and there are good reasons to think of the R cameras as the best to be found. They're 
obviously built to a finer standard than any other current camera line (though 
Olympus gives them a good run and the still available F3 is probably the best 
currently built single body). In terms of features, you're fully correct but the R 
camera line is certainly as capable of properly done results as any. 

I'd also agree that the R lens line is the finest overall line in terms of build;
I'd just like a fatter disclaimer when I read  that any lensline is the superior one 
overall. 

Regards,
Danny Gonzalez