Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/11/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Photodo ratings for 35mm Summilux -MASPH and 50mmSummilux-M
From: Tom Christiansen <tomchr@softhome.net>
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 22:43:47 -0800
References: <5.1.0.14.2.20011101102700.00a40c30@pop.softhome.net>

Hi Barney,

>I agree about the
>numbers thing, and how it leads to dissatisfaction, and sales. Let's say
>one has the lens with a rating or 3.5. The marginal utility, IMHO, of
>getting the 3.7 lens because one "just has to have it" is very, very
>low. I've been down this road and cost myself lots of money I really
>didn't have to spend.

First things first:

1) Sometimes it leads to personal satisfaction to buy a renowned lens. 
Those lenses are after all usually quite good. But you're right. Most times 
throwing 10x the money at stuff doesn't yield 10x the quality.

2) My point about PhotoDoDo is that they combine a lot of rather complex 
measurements into one single number. I really don't like that. I would 
rather have all the MTF curves, distortion curves, etc. and a really good 
explanation of what each curve means and how the stuff shown in the curves 
relates to the pictures I'm getting with this lens. Then _I_ could 
interpret what I wanted from that data. I could determine which parameters 
were important to me. But PhotoDoDo wants to make it "easy" for everybody 
by just providing a single number. Just pick the highest number and you've 
got the best lens. This is not science (IMHO). It is BS presented in a 
scientific form.

>When you ask him about it he will tell you that he spent a
>modest sum to get himself 90% of the way there. The next step up would
>require spending another $10,000, and his plan is to sit in front of the
>speakers he has and enjoy drinking every drop of that ten grand! I never
>thought about it this way before, but maybe he's the Ted of audio! :-)

:-) I like that. I'm an EE myself (in case you for some reason weren't able 
to conclude that from my first email... :-))


Tom

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Replies: Reply from "Barney Quinn" <Barney.Quinn@noaa.gov> (Re: [Leica] Photodo ratings for 35mm Summilux -MASPH and50mmSummilux-M)
In reply to: Message from Tom Christiansen <tomchr@softhome.net> (Re: [Leica] Photodo ratings for 35mm Summilux -MASPH and 50mm Summilux-M)