Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/04

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Book Review: The Leica Lens Book
From: "Lee, Jonathan" <Jonathan.Lee@hrcc.on.ca>
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 16:16:21 -0400

For lens information, Erwin's and Stephen Grandy's site have far more useful
information. Plus they are free.  Not that anything in The Leica Lens Book
is baltantly wrong, my objection to this book is that the photographs are
bland, bland, bland.  Moreover, the lack of B+W and available light photos
is absurd, it'd be like doing a book on Hassleblad and not mentioning
wedding photography.  My Leica brochure (sent to me kindly by Kindermann)
has better pix and it is also free. For the money (I think is was $44 cdn),
there are a lot better books around.

Jonathan Lee

- -----Original Message-----
From: Robert Rose [mailto:rjr@usip.com]
Sent: Monday, October 04, 1999 3:20 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] Book Review: The Leica Lens Book


I have this book and love it.  From the intensity of abuse two other people
have given this book, I am either a complete dolt, or a naive amateur.
Maybe both.

Bower describes each of the lenses, old and new.  What experience I have had
with a lens has been echoed by his assessment.  It is not true that
everything is given rave reviews.  He suggests combinations of lenses, and
which lenses to get first.  He suggests the best buys in older lenses.

It has helped me in purchasing decisions.  For example, I learned that the
new 19mm was an improvement and an outstanding lens, but that the old 19mm
was itself a terrific performer.  I had a chance to pick up a mint old 19mm,
and do not regret it one bit.

I am very happy with the book, and I think anyone who is just getting into
Leica camera will find it interesting and useful.

Robert Rose