Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/07/23

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Subject: [Leica] The IIIF still works
From: mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)
Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:49:40 -0400

Also as far as the M system goes the technical challenge which they have
with every lens they design is compactness. It has to not block the
viewfinder rangefinder. This is no minor issue. I think the spare time they
may have NOT dealing with AF and anti vibration algorithms goes into that.

The Leica M system is all about the mechanical rangefinder and what that
does that ground glass focusing does not. We don't need a bloated large lens
to make for a bright groundglass screen to pop in and out when we focus an
M. its going to be many times more accurate than groundglass focusing anyway
regardless of f stop; so we can go with a compact optic with a very small
outer element for optimum flare controls and low profile. And all the things
an optic can do when the marketing department has not decided that the lens
needs to be much faster than current modern optical science and common sense
would allow; just to compete.


Mark William Rabiner


> From: Jim Nichols <jhnichols at lighttube.net>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:49:30 -0500
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] The IIIF still works
> 
> Paul said:
> 
> "I think one of the advantages the M series will continue to enjoy in
> terms of performance is the ability of the designers to ignore the
> requirements of AF and IS, which has to be a huge part of current
> optical design for the mainstream companies."
> 
> I agree with you, except that they must continue to improve the matching of
> RF to lens focus cams, in order to meet the needs of the more demanding
> focus requirements of the digital sensor.  I continue to be amazed at the
> number of instances on this forum  where cameras and lenses are returned to
> Leica for adjustment.
> 
> Jim Nichols
> Tullahoma, TN USA
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul Roark" <roark.paul at gmail.com>
> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2011 10:31 AM
> Subject: Re: [Leica] The IIIF still works
> 
> 
>> Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote:
>>> ...
>>> Optical science has not stood still ...
>> 
>> I had an interesting discussion with a Canon technical rep some years
>> ago.  He made the point that most R&D went into not making lenses
>> sharper per se, but rather making them "affordable" while still good
>> enough.  That reality even affects Leica -- although at a higher
>> price-performance point.
>> 
>> Along this line, it appears one of the main advances may be in making
>> molded aspherics better.  One simply can't make a top notch, very wide
>> or very fast lens with only spherical elements, and the cost of
>> grinding one aspheric at a time is even out of Leica's cost structure.
>> I think what we'll see, going forward, is the move to more and more
>> aspherics -- not just a single element per optic.  In line with this
>> thinking, I'd guess that the slower telephotos, where aspherics are
>> not needed, would be the area where the older Leica lenses can best
>> match the newer ones (at least in a low flare situation).
>> 
>> I think one of the advantages the M series will continue to enjoy in
>> terms of performance is the ability of the designers to ignore the
>> requirements of AF and IS, which has to be a huge part of current
>> optical design for the mainstream companies.
>> 
>> Paul
>> www.PaulRoark.com
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information




In reply to: Message from jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols) ([Leica] The IIIF still works)