Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]IMHO, the real deals are in the used market. The 180 3.4 APO, 135mm 2.8, 90mm Elamrit and Summicron, 60mm macro, the 28mm Elmarit (previous version), 35mm Summicron (current version) and Elmarit, 21mm SA, all seem to go in the $700 range when I have seen them sell on ebay. The 21mm SA and 35mm Summcron might be a little more, the 135mm and 28mm a little less. The 21mm is a little less contrasty and slightly more flare prone than the current 19mm, but focuses closer and takes 72mm filters. The 28mm may be a little less contrasty and more curved field than the latest version, but is excellent nonetheless. The 90mm lenses work nicely with an Elpro for going down to 1:3 macro. Erwin says the newest 180mm lenses blow away the 3.4, but it is still a lens that can challenge the best of your technique, and takes 60mm filters, for a nice combination with the 35-70 f4. The non-APO 2x is also a bargain at $400 or less - and works very well with the 135 or 180 3.4. The older Series VII (54mm) 90mm Summicron is a real bargain as it is the same formula as the later lenses -- a 54-55mm step up ring gives you the functional equivalent and can save lots of $$. Tom > As it's a perspective rarely discussed topic, and offers huge opinion > skewing, I thought I would share some thoughts on cost/value of some Leica R > lenses. > First, the 50mm Summicron R. Renders beautiful images, Leica sharp. Turbo > bokeh! One stop slower than the 50mm Summilux R, the current version of > which costs twice to three times as much as the Summicron. > > Second, the f4 35-70 zoomer. Very good results, fine color rendition, > quirky rotating front element, but about a third the cost of the > extraordinary f2.8 R lens of the same lengths. Third, the sleeper f4 > 80-200. Light, small, easy to use with 60mm filter thread, this lens makes > very Leica-ish images in terms of color and sharpness. If its comparator > would be the f 2.8 70-180 APO, the 80-200 is around a fifth of the cost. > Neither of these zooms equal the quality of the faster, similar length > lenses, but we are talking very good quality from Leica designed lenses at a > fraction of the costs.