Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/17

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Age Differences
From: "David Kieltyka" <daverk@msn.com>
Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 21:50:01 -0400
References: <013a01c0f78e$bf4e72a0$0300a8c0@nerf>

Phil Marcus <pmarcus@swbell.net> wrote:

> I've been told that there are big differences in the contrast/overall
> rendering between new lenses like my Summicron and ones
> about twenty years old or so like my Elmarits. Folks have gone
> so far as to say my Tele-Elmarit doesn't look like a 90mm Elmarit
> should - that it's a hybrid. To me, it is far more like other Leica
> glass than anything I've ever shot from Japan!
>
> What's going on here? If you want relatively close color from all
> of your lenses, must they be of the same vintage?

My Leitz/Leica lenses are all over the map age-wise...I have every decade
covered from the 1930s through the '90s. :-) The only ones that really stand
out from the pack in terms of color rendition are the 35mm and 50mm Elmars
(mid '30s and late '40s vintage respectively). These two have noticeably
cooler color rendition than the others. There are minor differences among
the others that I notice when I compare slides side-by-side, but compared to
my Zeiss RF lenses or my old Pentax SLR lenses they're all in the same
ballpark.

I've been considering a 90mm Tele-Elmarit for my M2 kit, particularly if the
12504 hood clamps onto it properly. This would let me use the same series
VII filters, via the same hood, with 35, 50 and 90mm lenses. With my M3 kit
every lens has a different-sized filter thread, which is a bit of a pain.

- -Dave-

In reply to: Message from Phil Marcus <pmarcus@swbell.net> ([Leica] Age Differences)