Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/04/25

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Subject: [Leica] 28/35-70 R zooms: recommendations?
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:03:59 -0400

As I read this pdf it seems Erwin is hot on the 1998 designed 2.8 aspheric
lens designed by Leica who by that time would seem to be sick of the
mediocrity being put out for them by Minolta or Sigma.
I think at least  the view could be thought of as Leica was at that time
finally was able to view zooms seriously. Not a decade too soon.  Which if
you are going to be in the SLR biz you'd think you'd need to be in the mind
set of.
http://tinyurl.com/3clqktr
>From the Leica en site and he wrote it in 1995

Minolta  in 1983 the 3.5 LEICA VARIO-ELMAR-R 35-70 mm
Sigma in In 1990  the  f/3.5-4.5 LEICA VARIO-ELMARR 28-70 mm

Both as Erwin is concerned are a huge compromise that people concerned with
Leica quality would not be bothered with and nor would the Leica design
team. And didn't stop their wide use.  Again you'd need to read it yourself
as this is my phrasing.
He says that not only does not the 2.8 ASPH zoom not lag behind the fixed
lens offerings but steps ahead of it.
Reading between the lines I think I'm getting that size and weight wise the
trade off being that the 2.8 ASPH was a bit of a monster.
But what saves the day for Leica R glass users is that a year before in
1997, Leica had come out with the f4  35-70 mm LEICA VARIO-ELMAR-R with
Leica quality and design but without the high speed and is an ASPH without
saying so.  And has design similarities with the TRI-ELMAR-M 28-50!?!
I take  an unusual view of not caring at all for  ubiquitous 2.8 zoom
monsters that most serious shooters seen to find necessary to be seen with
and use.  If I need large apertures I'll just use a fixed focal length lens.
And I'm like that now last time I looked. Even though I'm now using a
backpack with an internal frame for my camera hauling.
Erwin seems to be saying that the f4 is the "first choice" which to me means
he'd use it over the 2.8.  If that's what he's saying than I'm glad to have
the same view of that. F4 is a very nice f stop. I've always liked it. I
never met an f4 I didn't like.

To me  on the LUG I don't see the point of talking about zooms made by
Minolta and Sigma in the same paragraph as those made by Leica.
Just became Leica put their name on it does not me we have to blur that line
as well.

I have to say that the concept that a zoom can exceed fixed glass in any way
is one I have always had little problem with - even reading  it here from
Erwin.


The Rabs




> From: Michiel Fokkema <michiel.fokkema at gmail.com>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:10:04 +0200
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] 28/35-70 R zooms: recommendations?
> 
> Puts is enthusiastic about the 4/35-70. I agree with him. I had the
> 28-70 and it's not worthy of the Leica name. The 3.5/35-70 is not too
> bad but the f4 outperforms it easily.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Michiel Fokkema
> 
> On 25-4-2011 23:07, Stan Yoder wrote:
>> There is the Sigma-designed 28-70, the Minolta-designed f3.5 35-70,
>> and the Solms-designed f4 35-70. Puts is not especially enthusiastic
>> about any of them, though the last-mentioned above seems the least worst.
>> 
>> The Solms 28-70 would be too big/heavy for me.
>> 
>> What do 'yinz' (Pittsburghese for 'you all' or 'you ones') say?
>> 
>> Stan Yoder
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> -- 
> -----------------------
> Fokkema Fotografie
> www.michielfokkema.com
> +31(0)615569576
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information




In reply to: Message from michiel.fokkema at gmail.com (Michiel Fokkema) ([Leica] 28/35-70 R zooms: recommendations?)