RE: [Leica] First Tri-Elmar available.

[Jim Laurel <jplaurel@microsoft.com>]

I had the opportunity this morning to handle a Tri-Elmar and shoot a few
frames outside Glazers Camera Supply in Seattle.  It is smaller than I
expected, but the focusing doesn't have the same silky feel as my other
Leica primes.  Also, the one I tried seemed defective -- the focal
length-switching ring was rough-feeling and the 50mm frame lines were only
"half-activated" when switching from 28 to 50mm.  Switching from 35 to 50mm
worked fine, however, and the correct frame lines were activated.  Focus
doesn't change when you switch focal lengths.

I shot some quick handheld frames of the side of a building at 1/250 at f8.
I also shot some at the same time with my 50mm Summicron 2.0.  It will be
interesting to see the results, however subjective.  We'll have to get Erwin
to do a more scientific test.

- --Jim Laurel

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	TEAShea [SMTP:TEAShea@aol.com]
> Sent:	Thursday, April 02, 1998 3:10 PM
> To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject:	Re: [Leica] First Tri-Elmar available.
> 
> << 
>  Granted, this is the first sort-of-zoom for a rangefinder - right? But
> given
> the quality of each of the individual lenses, and given the small size and
> weight of each of the individual lenses, and given that while not all of
> us
> have 28s but virtually all of us have 35s and 50s that will fit in the
> same
> coat pocket and will produce razor-sharp images, what gives? >>
> 
> 
> This is a legitimate question.  I cannnot speak for others who are
> interested
> in this lens.  For me it would provide a good lens for certain
> applications -
> casual shooting when I only want to carry one lens.  I agree that it will
> probably not be as sharp as the Leica prime lenses.  
> 
> 
> Tom Shea