RE: [Leica] Crisp looking images

[Jem Kime <jem.kime@cwcom.net>]

I've no experience with the 40mm F2.8 Apo Companon, but I'd expect it to be 
more like the Apo Companon reputation than the Focotar, but that's in 
assuming that the 'Leica' lens might not be manufactured by Schneider but 
by Leica themselves, and that if they were the same/similar then surely 
Leica would have used the 'Apo' sales point, eh?

I'd look for a dealer who might let you try one out. Do be aware that the 
small differnces in nominal focal length design may well be sufficient to 
negate the autofocus if say, the Leitz Focotar is really 42mm and the 
Schneider really 38mm (for example). There would have to be some leeway in 
the autofocus camming for individual unit variance but that might stretch 
it too far. Of course, they could well be identical 40mm designs.

best of searching,
Jem

- -----Original Message-----
From:	S Dimitrov [SMTP:sld@earthlink.net]
Sent:	05 January 2001 17:14
To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject:	Re: [Leica] Crisp looking images

Jem;

The lens I have in mind is the 40 f2.8 apo-componon-HM. If it has the
approximate results as the focotar, then I'll stick with the leitz lens. 
What
do you think?

Slobodan Dimitrov


Jem Kime wrote:

> I've no idea if the 40mm f2.8 Focotar is a wider formulation of the 
(44mm?)
> f4.5. Although I'd heard a rumour that Schneider make the Leitz Focotar
> enlarging lens, I hadn't heard this confirmed. Note that Schneider's
> current Apo lens is a 45mm F4 rather than a 40 or 44mm.
>
> Mid range values and print brightness just as clean and seperated as the
> Focotar at its better apertures, one to two stops down. Perhaps this was 
an
> unfair comparison in that at F4.5 maybe the Focotar would be just as 
good,
> I shall have to compare those settings sometime.
>