Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Many thanks to the LUGers who took the time to write about my SLR choice question. I have certainly received the kind of expert opinions I was looking for and it has helped me to narrow my choice down. Unfortunately my choice isn’t between bodies alone, but is also dependent on the lens I choose and lens quality if anything is probably the biggest issue to me - otherwise I’d probably get an Olympus OM-1 as the closest match to my M4-P. I have done some searching of the archives and gather that the Leica 35-70 f3.5 is optically a good lens. I know it’s Minolta designed but built in a better machined body than the Minolta-badged lenses which I think justifies its higher price over the Minolta. I also know that there are f4 and f2.8 35-70 Leica zooms which are allegedly better but these are out of my range and are ROM, which I don’t want since the conversion would be an extra $200.00. The main competitor to this lens would (in my mind at least) be the Zeiss 35-70 for Contax. They are about the same cost on the used market and I’d expect both to be excellent, but my specific question is this: Is there anybody out there who has had the opportunity to compare the Zeiss 35-70 f3.4 with the (German or Japanese) Leica 35-70 f3.5 R? If not, has anybody at least used the Zeiss, or perhaps come across such a test in a publication? My problem is that I live in a quality camera shop deficient area so I will probably have to buy sight unseen, but I trust the opinions I read here and would very much appreciate the help. Simon Stevens Camera Craftsman (703) 548-7548 http://www.camera-craftsman.com