Quality of 28-70 3.5-4.5

[gvaliquette]

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I have the Vario-Elmar 28-70. I have not used it since i bought the Vario-Elmarit 28-90. The Vario-Elmar 28-70 is fine in terms of sharpness, but the distortion is the worst of all Leica-R lenses, short of the Elmarit 16 fisheye. The following are from the Leica data sheets:

 

28 mm: -5.5% (barrel)

35 mm: -1.0%

50 mm: +2.8%

70 mm: +4.2% (pincushion)

 

It's not just for architectural photography, shots at the beach with the horizon not centered will make this painfully evident. You may say it's no big deal for Photoshop, but not if you shoot film.

 

P.S.: I still have the .pdf file of the lens's specs from Leica if anyone wants it. PM me your email address.

 

Guy

[gisling]

35-70 is not a wide angle zoom, it is useless for me, II will never buy any, however good it is

[gisling]

quite true 28-90 is much better lens, also a bit longer.

 

Ten years ago while travelling to Angkor Wat, I found that 28mm is not wide enough

 

I switch to R19, and never look back

[masjah]

.... the 21-35 zoom really is also very good indeed.

[gisling]

I found that no R zoom lens can satisfiy my travel needs. I need at least 600mm at the long end, 1200 meter even better.

 

For the long end I use FZ30, with long end eqv to 600mm or FZ40 with 1200mm at the long end

 

The following picture of Putuo Zongcheng Temple on top of a hill in Chengde Mountain Resort. with FZ30 at the long tele end (600mm)

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[gisling]

1) Iron Pagoda in Kaifeng, taken with

 

Canon 5DII +R19

 

2)close up detail of lion glazed tile of the Iron Pagoda, taken with Limix FZ40

at long end(1200mm)

 

No R zoom can take these shots

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[Ray N]

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Have it.  Like it.  Good results.  It is heavy and rather big compared to its Sigma sister, but it does cover a nice range as a walking lens.  I use it with an R5 or R7.  The built in lens shade is crap and it does flare, but when not shooting into a light source the results are really very good if lacking that Leica 3D quality.  As for it being a Japanese optic, remember the many Minolta lenses that round out the R line with excellent results, in particular the 15mm fish eye, 24/2.8, 70-210 and 500/8.  

[dpitt]

7 hours ago, Ray N said:

... The built in lens shade is crap and it does flare, but when not shooting into a light source the results are really very good...

Exactly that is the worst Leica mechanical flaw I ever seen. It is a good lens for the money however. In general I prefer a faster prime. Better quality and e.g. a 35mm Summicron could take the same shots with todays high resolution sensors (cropping to 70mm) and a bit of legwork.

[edstock]

I have the Leica 35-70 f4. This is probably the most respected of the 28-70, 35-70 range. Out doors is superb, indoors I use a fast ISO to compensate for the f4.