Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 08:27 AM 7/5/99 -0400, David W Almy wrote: > > >Second, the Viewfinder just published a fascinating article which >alleges that the 50 Summicron version produced from 69-79 is in fact the >definitive performing 50 Summicron, owing to its cost-no-object design, >later abandoned for the current simpler/cheaper-to-manufacture design. >Stephen Gandy (cameraquest) had one up for sale on Ebay before the >article came out, it didn't reach his reserve, so I asked what he >wanted, and he's now keeping the lens. So what's the deal? Can anyone >comment on the performance of 11817? Well, the article in VIEWFINDER isn't terribly accurate in that it relies upon supposition and guesswork. I seriously doubt that Leitz ever designed lenses with a "cost is no object" philosophy, as the company has never been especially flush with money, though the current approach is closer to this than at any time in the past. In any event, Leitz was closer to bankruptcy in the late 1960's than at any other time, and, hence, would be less likely to follow this attitude then than earlier or later -- they just lacked the funds to build a lens such as the author describes. The lens is a real disappointment in use. I have owned three and have sold all of them, cheerfully. It is a clumsy lens to use, especially on an M3, where the lens continues to travel past its minimum focusing of 1m. The optical performance is slightly better than the rigid/DR first-generation lens but not sufficiently to cause me to want to keep it over the convenience of a DR. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!