Why are Leica Lenses The Best in the World?

[Herr Barnack]

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From LHSA, here's a short but interesting read about Leica M lenses and the optical engineering virtuosos who have designed them over the decades. 

With tomorrow's coming announcement of the APO 35mm Summicron M, the world of photography is about to receive the next installment in this ongoing demonstration of (near) perfection.

 

Why are Leica Lenses The Best in the World?

The answer lies at the nexus of objective science, an enduring passion for excellence, and a lineage of inspired optical designers steeped in a great tradition

https://lhsa.org/2018/08/why-are-leica-lenses-the-best-in-the-world/

Edited March 3, 2021 by Herr Barnack

[Kim Dahl]

I do not know if it applies anymore ?  There are even better MTF tests on Leica SL and APO and other brands today than Leica's 50 summilux. 
Thinking we mean the same thing.  Today  there are so many choices with really good optics.  Not like in my young days where Leica was something very special in terms of optical quality. This is one of several.  Camera handling, size, AF and so on, have a big influence on what we choose today. ☺️📷

Edited March 4, 2021 by Kim Dahl

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[Ko.Fe.]

Meh... 

[vanGeist]

»Sharpness is a bourgeois concept« Cartier-Bresson

The most important and iconic photos of all times were made with lenses and cameras out of the photographic stone age. Even an APO lens can't work wonders on boring and mediocre images. 

[colonel]

12 minutes ago, vanGeist said:

»Sharpness is a bourgeois concept« Cartier-Bresson

The most important and iconic photos of all times were made with lenses and cameras out of the photographic stone age. Even an APO lens can't work wonders on boring and mediocre images. 

 

yes but one always has regrets taking an outstanding image on a mediocre lens. 

"If only I had ........ at the time"

 

[colonel]

I agree that up to only 5-10 years ago, Leica lenses were simply the best for 35mm photography

Although other manufacturers have caught up somewhat, mostly due to the improvement in design software and materials, e.g. grinding machines, you can pick any Leica lens and it will be superb. With Sony, Nikon and Canon, you need to know which lenses are the best.

And despite all, IMHO the 21mm & 24mm f1.4, 28mm f2, 50mm f2 APO, 75mm APO and 90mm APO are the best anywhere at these FLs

rgds

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by colonel

[Ray Vonn]

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They probably were, possibly before the release of the Nikon D700 and more so D800. After that? I dunno...

[Aryel]

The article is interesting but the title is very pretentious... It is also a silly question to start with. We all have different definition of best and this forum is a proof of it.

The article is completely ruined by its title.

Ps: does anyone know where to find a w-nikkor 35 f1.8 in m mount. It looks like it could be the very best 35mm for me 😋

[pgk]

In reality Leica have had a very chequered history of lens designing. Mandler's outstanding and extraordinarily compact 35/1.4M was not even mentioned in the article linked to. Nor was the fact that Leica have used designs from other extensively over the years - Xenon, Super-Angulon, various lenses from Minolta and Sigma - and are somewhat unusual in being prepared to do so rather than design and build their own lenses to fill the gaps which bought in designs filled. Today Leica produce some state-of-the-art lenses and in (relatively) compact sizes. However the world changes and many other manufacturers also produce outstanding designs although few have to size constraints imposed by the M camera and mount. And things will continue to change with newer lenses from many makers becoming exceptionally good, and at very reasonable prices I have no doubt.

Leica have the advantage of a purchasing base prepared to support esoteric, exceptional designs, but which come at a very high cost indeed. For me these are too expensive and offer too little to make them viable. My current lens line up delivers as much image quality as I could possibly want (and probably more in most cases) so I am not a part of the purchasing base that supports such designs although I applaud Leica for being prepared to invest in (and hopefully learn from) producing them. "Best in the world" is too pretentious, too all encompassing and patently untrue. Some Leica lenses are at the pinnacle of what is available, but not all, as they never have been.

[colonel]

I dont think hand made lenses in Germany with glass elements some the price of silver, are expensive at £6000. A Rolex or Omega or Patek can be alot more. If you want mass produced at 90% as good for much less thats fine.

The Leica Man or Woman is only concerned with the best, if you have to ask the price ....

Edited March 5, 2021 by colonel

[Harpomatic]

4 hours ago, colonel said:

I dont think hand made lenses in Germany with glass elements some the price of silver, are expensive at £6000. A Rolex or Omega or Patek can be alot more. If you want mass produced at 90% as good for much less thats fine.

The Leica Man or Woman is only concerned with the best, if you have to ask the price ....

But that has nothing to do with photography, only with status and pleasure of ownership.

Like the Rolex, Omega or Patek watches have nothing to do with checking what time it is, which a Swatch will do exactly as well.

[colonel]

12 minutes ago, Harpomatic said:

But that has nothing to do with photography, only with status and pleasure of ownership.

Like the Rolex, Omega or Patek watches have nothing to do with checking what time it is, which a Swatch will do exactly as well.

Yes but ...

From Leica you get both:

1. Scintillating ethereal sharp gorgeous images

2. A beautiful object d'art to use

3. A lovely silky process

4. A subtle low key tool

Its the combination of everything

The main difference between a Leica M and a piece of jewellery is that you have to be an expert in photography to get the best out of it. You need to understand aperture, FL, focus, speed, ISO and their interplay. And we are not even talking about framing, composition, subject, etc. Its not spray and pray. It therefore has more in common with a Ferrari F50 in cars or a BAE Hawk in plane flight.  

I don't give a cr@p if I can get good pictures out of a D850, I hate using it. 

Your money your choice ...

Edited March 5, 2021 by colonel

[BradS]

Crap like this is what makes people want to hide the red dot. I may use a Leica but please do not associate me with this loathsome and  nauseating marketing hype.

Edited March 5, 2021 by BradS

[jdlaing]

6 hours ago, colonel said:

I dont think hand made lenses in Germany with glass elements some the price of silver, are expensive at £6000. A Rolex or Omega or Patek can be alot more. If you want mass produced at 90% as good for much less thats fine.

The Leica Man or Woman is only concerned with the best, if you have to ask the price ....

Well........they are not hand made. They are assembled by hand as are most lenses made by every manufacturer.

[colonel]

9 minutes ago, BradS said:

Crap like this is what makes people want to hide the red dot. I use a Leica but please do not associate me with this kind of nauseating marketing hype.

It makes me want to display the red dot. Proud of the quality and luxury

You know there are lots of alternative photographic equipment right ?

You pays your money you makes your choice etc.

[Herr Barnack]

8 hours ago, colonel said:

...

From Leica you get both:

1. Scintillating ethereal sharp gorgeous images

2. A beautiful object d'art to use

3. A lovely silky process

4. A subtle low key tool

Its the combination of everything

The main difference between a Leica M and a piece of jewellery is that you have to be an expert in photography to get the best out of it. You need to understand aperture, FL, focus, speed, ISO and their interplay. And we are not even talking about framing, composition, subject, etc. Its not spray and pray. It therefore has more in common with a Ferrari F50 in cars or a BAE Hawk in plane flight.  

I don't give a cr@p if I can get good pictures out of a D850, I hate using it. 

Your money your choice ...

And -

Quote

If you want mass produced at 90% as good for much less that's fine.

These are the attributes of Leica M cameras and lenses that the Leica Hater Brigade either cannot grasp or refuse to even consider.  They simply hate Leica because the M cameras and lenses "cost too much" and are [supposedly] made for "wealthy, obnoxious @$$holes with no photographic ability or vision." 

Well of course.  That explains why probably 90% or more of Magnum photographers have used Leica M cameras since the agency was founded in April of 1947. 🙄

As for "hiding the red dot" - I don't, never have and never will.  I never put black gaffer's tape over the Nikon logo on my F100 or F3, either. 

I bought the camera behind the red dot because -

1.)  I love the images it makes possible for me to create,

2.)  I love the process of using the camera, and

3.)  It is truly a beautiful object d'art that can be used in the creative process of making photographic art. 

I bought the camera for me to use, not to impress others or to cause them envy or anger.  If they see the red dot and have envy or anger, that's their unfortunate choice.

I can see no logical or rational thought process by which any of those reasons make me or anyone else who uses a Leica camera an evil person or a "wealthy, obnoxious @$$hole with no photographic ability or vision." 

 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Herr Barnack

[Al Brown]

Maybe worth checking this thread as well.
 

 

[Herr Barnack]

JMHO but some Leica lenses are the best in a given focal length and maximum aperture category. 

Are all Leica lenses better than all other lenses all of the time?  Likely not; probably not.  Even Superman is not super 24/7/365.  Sometimes he has to be Clark Kent, and that's allowed.

There's more to the Leica experience than just the "best lenses" aspect of it, though.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Herr Barnack

[lct]

Leica M lenses are indeed the best compact lenses in the world, with a couple exceptions though: ZM 35/2.8 perhaps and ... [fill in blank] .

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Aryel]

3 hours ago, Herr Barnack said:

These are the attributes of Leica M cameras and lenses that the Leica Hater Brigade either cannot grasp or refuse to even consider.  They simply hate Leica because the M cameras and lenses "cost too much" and are [supposedly] made for "wealthy, obnoxious @$$holes with no photographic ability or vision." 

I never saw this, but let's also be honest, claiming to be the absolute best and adding pretentious claims kind of make them right. 

A lens is a tool for a purpose. It can be the best for a specific situation and according the photographer's taste and vision. Luckily, we do not all have the same taste. I started my 'serious' (ok not so serious) photography journey with a Nikon D810 and a sigma art 50.  The lens holds its own as the best 50 as well (ok, maybe not for compactness, but for other criterias).

It is not because it cost 10k or is a Leica that it is the best. It may be the best for you and this should be more than enough. If you do not want to feed leica haters, don't tell photographers that it is the best because it is not. It is just pretentious.

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I don't know if it is the best but my Lomo 30$ lens is definitely better than any leica I know of in this situation.

I better go and make pictures 😅