Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 15:13:04 -0700 From: Jiri_Dvorak@idx.com Subject: Re: [Leica] Comments on 80/1.4R... I've heard so much praise about the 50/1M and the 75/1.4M, what a special "finger print" they have, and so on. What about the 80/1.4R? Since I'm contemplating the purchase of one fast short tele in near future, I'd like to hear from users of the 80/1.4R: Does it also have some special qualities? How does it compare to 75/1.4M and 90 Summicrons (both M and R)? How's flare control, bokeh and sharpness? How does it balance on R cameras (especially on R7)? Or is the 75/1.4M so special that one should rather live with a partially obstructed viewfinder? Thanks. Jiri D.<< Jiri: I have used to 80/1.4. It's a great lens. Flare is not a problem; it is very sharp; the bokeh is nice but not as smooth as the 90 Summicron R. It is however sharper than the 90 Summicron R. The 90 Elmarit is also excellent and some consider to be the best optically of thses 3 R lenses (the 100 PAO being the aabsolute best in this range) but it is slower. Erwin Puts discusses the 80/1.4, as well as other lenses in this range, on his site in his review of the 90 APO Summicron M. According to him it is not quaite as good as the 75/1.4. It balances fine on the R7 but is best on the R8 (it is depicted as the normal lens in Leica R8 advertising). Regards, Jay