[Leica] Are Leica lenses muliticoated?

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Subject: RE: [Leica] Are Leica lenses muliticoated?

 

Dr Lieutenant Colonel Small <he grins broadly>  offered:

>>>Dear Dr Grant (hc)

I realize that, after Mel Brooks, you are the 

oldest man alive on this Earth, and your opinions 

and thoughts are highly valued.  But bear in mind 

that this is a LARGE group and includes folks 

with many, many interests.  I am a 

"number-cruncher" and an analyst of optical 

history and lore.  Hence, this discussion is of 

some interest to me, not just for its Leitz 

aspects but also for the broader question of the 

Zeiss and JSK and Rolleiflex and Pentax and so forth involvements.

 

I certainly agree that the claims for the 

efficacy of lens coatings are a bit 

over-stated.  In almost all conditions, a lens 

hood will do as much good.  For that matter, most 

surveillance lenses, including those made by Leica, are uncoated.

 

Let the guys talk on. It is of interest, at the 

least, to me, and I am always interested in determining shift-points in
production technology.  I would suspect that Leitz went to multi-coating on
photo lenses from mid-1975 but I am hungry to learn more.

 

My dear Dr Lieutenant Colonel Small <he grins broadly>

I realize at times during techie discussions such as the "multi coating
topic" I must annoy my fellow LUGGITES no end when I sound like a hard assed
RSM (Regimental Sergeant Major) biting off a recruits butt.

Therefore I offer an answer, good, bad or ugly to my sometime irrational
responses. :-)

My life career as a photographer has always been the end result image before
me as slide or print! So far I think it's fair to say, without me knowing,
nor ever having any interest in the mechanics and theories of "How it
happens;" Other than my own physical ability to manipulate the shutter
button at precisely the correct moment. And I feel I've not done too badly
at this picture taking thing so far. :-)

 

So when a topic, I realize of interest too many who are also talented
photographers, but with a greater degree of interest in "How and Why" it
happens, I do tend to lose it.

 

I suppose it goes way back to my earliest times of constantly asking. "How
does it do that????"  About things photographic, when I was severely
chastised by a grouchy old fart member of a camera club I briefly attended
to learn more about photography. When one evening he loudly before the
gathered group, offered:

"YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW ANY OF THAT STUFF! JUST TAKE THE DAMN PICTURES AND
IF YOU DO THAT RIGHT YOU'LL DO FINE!!"  I cringed before one and all and it
ended any interest in things of "How and why does it do that?" But
constantly about pressing the shutter release at precisely the right moment.
Seemed fair enough so far.

 

So now lads and lasses, you may understand why I become and sound like an
old grouch when a topic is technical rather than the "look at this picture
without knowing how it happened!"

Thank you.

Dr. Grant

Naw it's still ted!