Why are Leica Lenses The Best in the World?

[Oswalt]

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13 minutes ago, Herr Barnack said:

What a laughable attempt at misdirection.  It is you who said -

It is therefore on you to offer substantiation for your claim - but you don't because you can't. 

As for the title of the article to which I posted a link - "Why are Leica Lenses The Best in the World?" - if that causes you cramps, address that issue with Jason Schneider of LHSA who is the author of the article.

@lct hits the nail on the head with his observation, "Some people cannot refrain from raining on others parade, such is life..."  which is obvious. 

However, it does not answer the larger question of why a small minority of those who claim to own and use Leica M cameras and lenses have a compulsion to exhibit a faux intellectual contempt for the company, their price structure, the wording of their promotional endeavors, the shade of red or font used in the Leica logo or the price of goose eggs in Wetzlar on the summer solstice of 1963. 

I have hit the limit with regard to wasting my time with that exercise in futility. 

 

Oof. That went right over your head I’m afraid, Huey Barnicks. 

Edited June 24, 2021 by Oswalt

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[Ray Vonn]

IMO they are not the best lenses (nor cameras) and it often takes a lot of effort to get the best out of them - which is why I love them. The results of my efforts are all too often rewarding and unique. I know I’m not the only one with this view.

[hamey]

I have owned and used Leica producds  since 1973, and I must say I loved their equipment, my heart still has that soft spot for them.

Over the last few years however I  have criticised Leica for a number of reasons, and I won't discuss it any longer, probably to old now.

So do Leica make the best Lenses, probably years ago they did, but I am firmly convinced that the Japanese are equal  to the task and if not surpass  Leica at the same price.

Currently using Fuji X system for my Digital imaging and Nikon F6 with Milvas lenses for my film work, and I must say I am very satisfied  by  their performance.

However on occasions I still dream about Leica, then I wake up, oh just DREAMING, then I fondle my Fuji and Nikon then realise there is more in this world then Leica.

Cheers.

 

[M11 for me]

Am 23.6.2021 um 01:24 schrieb steve 1959:

My take on things is that  leica and cosina voigtlander make beautiful well made lenses and that  is a wonderful thing.

Is the 2008 21mm summilux better technically  than the 2020 voigtlander nokton? i very much doubt it myself.

I own 3 leica lenses and my fave is the 28mm f5.6 summaron which just astounds me with the clarity of the images i take of my grand kids.

But my 21mm f1.4 nokton is so sharp its stunning and my 40mm f1.4 nokton sc  just renders people in its own special way.

I believe there are people at the top of leica and cosina who are enthusiasts at heart and want to create beautiful optical instruments over and above commercial concern.

Romantic maybe? but that is what i believe.

I can not understand anything about you anymore. Are you now against Canon or Vogtlander? Its actually Voigtländer. Sorry, but thats not the same. Your argumentation here is so aggressive and niw you claim that you have only a few Leica lenses plus an okd camera. What is your point? I feel like in a german forum. There everybody is right of course . . .

[M11 for me]

This is one of the most destructive threads. And if course many here beliebe that Keica is the best in the world. What a silly thesis. 

And @pippy You wrote: And (IMHO) Canon lenses for their DSLRs are (in the main but with some notable exceptions) garbage in comparison with Leica lenses - and I say that as a Pro using Canon stuff for all my Pro work.

How do you come to such a creasy conclusion. Do you think that about one third of the Pros use garbage? Or are you above of them all?

Is that the level here? This is the most disapointing thread in that forum. That agression. That incompetence. That arrogance.

Fact is for me: No Pro (at least not in my surounding) uses just an M for his/her Pro work. How can you just ignore the new AF capabiltities of an R Canon Body and pretend that Leica lenses are the best in the world. What kind of Pros post here?

The title of that thread is totally out. First it does not ask if Leica has THE  best lenses. It just assumes that Leica has the best. Even best in the world. Then the TO wants to know WHY. 

Edited June 24, 2021 by M10 for me

[pippy]

18 minutes ago, M10 for me said:

...And @pippy You wrote: And (IMHO) Canon lenses for their DSLRs are (in the main but with some notable exceptions) garbage in comparison with Leica lenses - and I say that as a Pro using Canon stuff for all my Pro work.

How do you come to such a creasy conclusion. Do you think that about one third of the Pros use garbage?...

I didn't say that Canon lenses are garbage uncategorically. Re-read what I wrote.

Philip.

[M11 for me]

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@pippy Do you step back now? What else did you write. I citated you literally. You wrote: they are garbage with some exeptions.

What a wrong asumption in comparison wirh Leica. And this has nothing to do with Leica hater. What another silly assumption.

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by M10 for me

[pgk]

20 minutes ago, M10 for me said:

This is one of the most destructive threads.

So don't bother with it. This is a classic thread which misuses words. Nobody attempts to define 'best' which means so many different things to different peopl,e that trying to discuss lenses without defining what you actually mean is utterly pointless.

Leica certainly make good lenses. And for their intended purpose they work admirably. They are also very long lived lenses for the most part and have a variety of attributes which are important to some but not to others.

If you really want the 'best' lens then I would suggest that apo corrected, fixed reproduction ratio, process (graphic arts copy) lenses are up there about as high as it gets as regards pure optical performance. But they are specialist lenses and for absolute perfomance that is the way you would have to go.

Leica M lenses are a mix of high optical performance, small size (short back focus), excellent engineering and longevity. Best? Well, sometimes but at others not. And it depends entirely on your definition of best of course.

As someone who has made their living from photography for over 30 years all I can say is that I've never lost an image sale due to a poor lens, although as pippy says, some are certainly not that good. There is a particular zoom from a major manufacturer which I found to be unusable for example - mechanics, ergonomics and awful distortion. But some seem to like it nevertheless. Each to their own. And AF is relevant when its relevant and often its not.

[M11 for me]

That whole thread is wrong. The initial question is fully odd. And somehow shocking: People here statrt to speak of Leica haters: whoever does not agree with the thesis of best in world must be a hater. The whole bunch is then supported by some "Pros". 

@Herr Barnack What was your intention with such a deplorable title?

Edited June 24, 2021 by M10 for me

[pippy]

22 minutes ago, M10 for me said:

Do you step back now? What else did you write. I citated you literally.

You quoted me in full but then you missed out the "in comparison" bit immediately afterwards. Not quite the same thing.

Shall I tell you why Canon lenses leave me dissatisfied "in comparison with Leica lenses"...?

Currently I have eight Canon lenses for my DSLRs. If at all possible I will ONLY use their prime lenses - which are amongst the "notable exceptions" I also mentioned (but a part of the sentence which you chose to ignore) - because all the zoom lenses without fail have shortcomings for the type of work I do. The IQ of all the Canon lenses is good-enough for my clients' needs but "in comparison" to Leica they are at a level well below the products from Wetzlar. Every one of the zoom lenses - without exception - has a zoom-ring which fails to stay in place if the camera is tilted much beyond the horizontal. This is a hopeless situation when shooting carefully-controlled studio still-life. Furthermore unless these lenses are being used in their 'comfort-zone' focal-length wise there is (in comparison) a horrendous amount of chromatic aberration - especially at the shorter end of the f/l range.

I won't go into the failings of the electrical ribbons which control all automatic lens functions which has resulted in my having four lenses fail on me.

As I said; the IQ of the prime lenses is fine and my clients are still happy with the (rescued) images they get from the non-prime stuff so for as long as Canon's software gives me what I need I will stick to using their kit.

I'm not going to get into a bunfight over this Canon V's Leica nonsense - I really couldn't care less - but when someone praises Canon lenses as being somehow superior products to Leica lenses then things are plainly getting a bit ridiculous.

Nothing more to add.

Philip.

Edited June 24, 2021 by pippy

[Herr Barnack]

1 hour ago, M10 for me said:

That whole thread is wrong. The initial question is fully odd. And somehow shocking: People here statrt to speak of Leica haters: whoever does not agree with the thesis of best in world must be a hater. The whole bunch is then supported by some "Pros". 

@Herr Barnack What was your intention with such a deplorable title?

@M10 for me Next time, you just might want to consider clicking on the link and actually reading the article before going off half-cocked. 

I didn't title the damn article, the author titled it - but at this point, rest assured I regret like hell that I ever bothered to post it.

 

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Edited June 24, 2021 by Herr Barnack

[pedaes]

20 minutes ago, M10 for me said:

deplorable

I guess English is not your first language , and make allowance for that, but some of your adjectives are a bit extreme.

[M11 for me]

vor 13 Minuten schrieb Herr Barnack:

@M10 for me Next time, you just might want to consider clicking on the link and actually reading the article before going off half-cocked:

 

Come on. Look at the result of your thread. I called many statememnts simply arrogant. Before posting half-cocked things think of the effect of your actions. Or what is your view now after more than 70 posts? 

Edited June 24, 2021 by M10 for me

[M11 for me]

vor 10 Minuten schrieb pedaes:

I guess English is not your first language , and make allowance for that, but some of your adjectives are a bit extreme.

No it is not. You are right. But there is nothing extreme with "deplorable". Anyway not with google translate.

Edited June 24, 2021 by M10 for me

[pedaes]

15 minutes ago, M10 for me said:

nothing extreme with "deplorable"

Not a big issue, but it is in the context you use it, especially when OP is just repeating the words from use elsewhere as referenced.

I suggest most of us see these threads discussing such topics as a bit of fun and nothing to get to serious about. With over 2k posts I would think you know this.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, M10 for me said:

I can not understand anything about you anymore. Are you now against Canon or Vogtlander? Its actually Voigtländer. Sorry, but thats not the same. Your argumentation here is so aggressive and niw you claim that you have only a few Leica lenses plus an okd camera. What is your point? I feel like in a german forum. There everybody is right of course . . .

I have read and reread your post but i am not really sure what your driving at?

I praised voigtlander lenses in this thread.

Regarding canon i dislike big cameras and lenses as well as extensive use of plastic and when i moved to digital that seemed like all the cameras i looked at  so i was pleased to finally be able to afford a leica 18 months ago.

I have two  m262 cameras and my lenses are leica 28mm summaron reissue--- 50mm summicrom V 5 ---90mm tele-elmarit thin....voigtlander 40mm f1.4 sc---voigtlander 21mm f1.4 nokton..

I used to have two zeiss lenses but sold them to fund buying the summaron.

I am at times too combative on here i agree,i need to improve on that.

[BradS]

On 6/24/2021 at 1:02 PM, Herr Barnack said:

.... I regret like hell that I ever bothered to post it.

 

...and yet you felt it necessary to revive it after it had passed.

Do us all a favor and ask the mods to close it and let it die.

[Guest]

Maybe change the thread title to 

LEICA LENSES ARE OK BUT SONY<CANON<FUJI< NIKON ETC ARE MUCH BETTER OBVIOUSLY.

Then everyone would be fine with it.

Whats the point of being on a leica forum and fearing the hatred that leica get elsewhere in social media land?

F**k em i say!!

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[logan2z]

3 hours ago, steve 1959 said:

Whats the point of being on a leica forum and fearing the hatred that leica get elsewhere in social media land?

+1 I always wonder why someone who has disdain for a brand hangs out on a forum dedicated to discussion of that brand.  I see it in the watch world too, perplexing.

[Herr Barnack]

21 minutes ago, logan2z said:

+1 I always wonder why someone who has disdain for a brand hangs out on a forum dedicated to discussion of that brand.

Perhaps because they are afflicted with Rectal Personality Disorder?