Double Negative Posted January 27, 2012 Share #1 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Sure, we've all heard it before - Leica is a "luxury brand." While that can certainly be said about Leica products, there's a whole lot more to consider. In our newest article, "Why Buy Leica?" we explore the many reasons to consider a Leica system as a photographic tool, rather than merely as an object of desire or luxury good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 Hi Double Negative, Take a look here Why Buy Leica?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
payasam Posted January 27, 2012 Share #2 Â Posted January 27, 2012 A Leica, or any other camera, or any other device, can be treated as a luxury or as a tool: just as the good or bad use to which a gun is put does not depend on the gun itself. It is true, though, that Leica products are priced beyond the reach of many people who could use them productively. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 27, 2012 Share #3 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Umm...asperical lenses? Leica has been making them before WW II for microscopes, one of the first photographic lenses in the world to use them was the first Noctilux, blank pressing was. leica development, thet were the pioneer of the technique... Floating elements is highly disputable too... Coating? Amongst the first again. You might reconsider that part... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share #4 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Umm...asperical lenses? Leica has been making them before WW II for microscopes, one of the first photographic lenses in the world to use them was the first Noctilux, blank pressing was. leica development, thet were the pioneer of the technique... Floating elements is highly disputable too... Coating? Amongst the first again. You might reconsider that part... Â I'm not talking about microscopes. I'm talking about the M system in general and the M lenses specifically. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted January 27, 2012 Share #5 Â Posted January 27, 2012 "You also won't hear any rattles in Leica gear..." You must not have read the many threads on the 35 Summilux like this one. No effect on performance, however. Â One needs to be careful about descriptions of Passport and other warranties, as these differ depending on international (e.g., Europe) and the US, as discussed in numerous threads. Â Also, Jaap is right about lens innovations...these apply to camera lenses as well (as he states), not just microscopes. Â Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 27, 2012 Share #6 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Ok They were the first to produce aspherical camera lenses, the first to use computers in camera lens design, a pioneer in photographic lens coatings, etc. "slow to adopt" is widely off the mark. They invented most of it... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share #7 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Very good points Jeff and Jaap! I appreciate the feedback (keep it coming) and I've updated the article to reflect the corrections! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 27, 2012 Share #8 Â Posted January 27, 2012 It is controversial(there is a Honeywell iirc patent) but they were the inventors, or at least amongst the inventors of autofocus, although they didn't realize the scope of the invention. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share #9 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Hmm, some fact-checking reveals some additional details: Â - Thin film anti-reflection lens coatings were invented in 1935 by Dr. Smakula of Zeiss. - Aspherical lens elements were described as early as 1678 (Huygens) but Leica was the first to use it in the Noctilux 50mm f/1.2 in 1966 and later improved the technique in conjunction with Schott and Hoya via molding/pressing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumen Posted January 27, 2012 Share #10 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Wondering if you might be able to help here, but were Leica (one of?) the first designers of the zoom lens? Recall reading something to that effect in an article on R lenses... cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 27, 2012 Share #11 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Actually, it was Voigtlander, IIRC, with the Zoomar. Â Regards, Â Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
haroldp Posted January 27, 2012 Share #12  Posted January 27, 2012 Sure, we've all heard it before - Leica is a "luxury brand." While that can certainly be said about Leica products, there's a whole lot more to consider. In our newest article, "Why Buy Leica?" we explore the many reasons to consider a Leica system as a photographic tool, rather than merely as an object of desire or luxury good.  Interesting.  As an aside, Nikon is the other 'primarily photographic / optical company ' and they share one distinction with Leica. Neither has changed the basic lens mount, any Leica 'M' lens (and screw mount) ever made will fit and work on the latest Leica 'M'. Any Nikon 'F' mount lens ever made will fit and work (within it's own limitations ie: autofocus / exposure) on the latest Nikon 'F' mount camera.  Lets get back to Leica:  Objective factors:  The M9 is a sweet spot between size / weight and Image quality. All other full frame digital camera / lens combos are much bigger and heavier.  Any digital camera / lens combos that are as small / light, have worse IQ because of smaller sensors.  Seeing 'outside the frame' is a distinct advantage when 'stuff' is moving.  No blackout or mirror allows slower shutter speeds. (for me).  Leica (and potentially EVIL / Mirrorless of which none are yet FF) has an advantage in lens design in the 50 or less mm range because their lenses do not have to clear a mirror with retrofocus design, which gives the designers additional options, which means fewer elements and better corrections (all other things being equal).  Practical Asph and exotic glass modified this somewhat, but retrofocus lenses of superb optical quality (Nikon 24mm F1.4, 14-24mm F2.8 etc.) are all much larger and heavier than equivalent RF designs.  In longer lenses (58mm or greater for 35mm) the RF designers advantage disappears and it is a contest of designer skill, glass selection, build quality and appetite for cost.  For short (less than 50mm) lenses, rangefinder focusing is more accurate, particularly if it is not a 'fast' lens. RF is as accurate regardless of lens DOF, where SLR / auto focus requires shallow DOF.   Non Objective Factors:  As a backyard mechanic I use only the best professional grade tools, even though 'consumer' tools would probably last through my lifetime of use. They just 'feel' better. I do not consider this a luxury.  Leicas have a tactile feel that makes me want to go out and use them.  When in places where a good DSLR represents several years of even professionals per annual income, Leicas attract very little attention.  We should not feel obligated to justify any of this, just as I do not justify driving an Audi rather than a Hyundai. (Ferrari's are another thing altogether).  Regards to all .. Harold                 For me, it is not a question of better, but of fit to the mission, my style, and comfort factors.  Happy shooting ... Harold Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share #13 Â Posted January 27, 2012 All very good points, Harold. Â I didn't mean for this article to be about "Why Buy a Rangefinder" so much as why a Leica, specifically. That's going to be a subject for a different article. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 27, 2012 Share #14 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Hmm, some fact-checking reveals some additional details:Â - Thin film anti-reflection lens coatings were invented in 1935 by Dr. Smakula of Zeiss. - Aspherical lens elements were described as early as 1678 (Huygens) but Leica was the first to use it in the Noctilux 50mm f/1.2 in 1966 and later improved the technique in conjunction with Schott and Hoya via molding/pressing. Â The coating story is convoluted as it is intertwined with the working up to the 2nd world war -apart from the original Zeiss patent there was a Dutch company involved in the early experiments as well, the patents were "exported" to Germany in 1940. This was considered a military sensitive technology, so it is unclear who perfected the practical applications. The first coated Leica lenses were for military use only ( a condition for acquiring the technique??) The lenses for public use only appeared after the war. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share #15 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Good stuff, Jaap, thank you! Â I'm not going to update the article any further except to make corrections for the most part. The point of it isn't a history of Leica so much as the general reasons why one should consider buying Leica. There's already enough on the history of the company out there both online and in print. Though as mentioned, I'll probably do a "why a rangefinder" so similar article in the future. Â Though in doing some research to check the facts, it does seem there's no concise article or list of Leica's groundbreaking efforts. At least not online. Maybe this will make an appearance in a future article as well... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted January 27, 2012 Share #16 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Though in doing some research to check the facts, it does seem there's no concise article or list of Leica's groundbreaking efforts. At least not online. Maybe this will make an appearance in a future article as well...Maybe not on-line, but Erwin Puts's Leica Compendium will probably reveal all. I write 'probably' as I have not yet got past page 49 of this seemingly all-encompassing tome... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Negative Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share #17 Â Posted January 27, 2012 Maybe not on-line, but Erwin Puts's Leica Compendium will probably reveal all. I write 'probably' as I have not yet got past page 49 of this seemingly all-encompassing tome... Â I have the latest version as well as the older subset published online (see "Leica M-Lenses - Their Soul and Secrets") and indeed, there's a lot of info there. In fact, that's where I got some of the historical information mentioned above. I'll give the latest printed version a good going-over this weekend and see if there's more "meat" to the topic in there. Still, I'm thinking of something a little more concise and focused. Â Just an idea. Of course, if anyone would like to suggest other ideas for articles, I'm all ears. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deliberate1 Posted January 27, 2012 Share #18 Â Posted January 27, 2012 ....because I can. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted January 28, 2012 Share #19 Â Posted January 28, 2012 Hello Everybody, Â I think the 1st civilian autofocus for amateur cameras was called "Correfot" or "Correphot" invented by Leitz. Sold or licensed to Honeywell in 1976 or 1977. Â I think it was based on contrast measurement. Â Best Regards, Â Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 28, 2012 Share #20 Â Posted January 28, 2012 Yes. The contention is whether Leica or Honywell was first. Most sources indicate Leica. My suspicion is that the idea ended up at Minolta and that they took it up with other Japanese companies to make it the success it is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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