karl_keung

early M7 with serial number in the range of 27xxxx should be cheaper, as they use M6

finder, later MP finder should be your choice, transition starts at around 28xxxxx, any serial

number past 29xxxx should be perfect, I have not seen M7 with serial number over 30xxxxx.

the new digital platform allows Leica to be more versatile, apart from M8, they are also

rolling out digilux 3 (which is panasonic/olympus), and the compact digacams from

panasonic. a wider product range is key to their survival.

apart from the first year batch (or thereabouts), subsequent batches dropped the auf/zu

engravings on the base plate, the film sprocket is made of plastic, as opposed to the metal

ones in M3/M2, and again, the early batches of the sprocket had a reputation of

scratching the film, the metal frame at the eye exit pupil of the early batches is the one

from M2 (ie retangular one, as opposed to the later oval shaped one, Leica was still

upgrading the viewfinder coating for the M4, because the early ones still had the blueish

tint of the M3/M2, the elimination of lens release guard sucks, the plastic tip on the frame

line selector and timer sucks (still more so if the tip fell off, and if you ever get to see the

other side of the selector, you will see how cheap the new design is), the screw at the

bottom of the advance level (used to fasten the plastic tip again) can sometimes scratch

the body, if ever the screw got loose through use, it is elite because not many were made,

not really elite from the construction point of view.

try shallower hood like HS-9 and HS-11, the HS-12 is almost as big as the lens body itself.

regarding 55/1.2's performance in relation to other nikkor 50s, my personal experience is

that 55/1.2 adds a level of transparency to the pictures in low light situation. of course at

its widest aperture, quality is not that stellar, quite unerstandable there being not any

aspheric element, but from f2.8 downward, and provided you have good sample, you will

be impressed by the suppleness of the pictures. 50/2 can be quite dry sometimes, while

50/1.4 is middle choice. of course the noct 58 is another league wide open. comment on

55/1.2 is mixed, but it has a production span of almost 10 years, while earlier ones might

not be that good, try out the later ones, I have a very late native AI version of the 55/1.2,

maybe that is a particularly good sample, it beats all the 50/2, 50/1.4 and 50/1.8 I have.

 

as one review site puts it: try them out.

thanks dave, is the performance of 55/1.2 SC the same as 55/1.2 AI you know?

the same problem with 28/1.4 AF-D, I guess nikon just wants to to save money costs on the

material.

and how does 55/1.2 compare with the 50/1.2?

agree with Dan on coll. cron's technical performance. it also seems to be less flare prone than

the rigid summicron that follows it. its coating also seems to be more stable than those early

rigid summicron.

can you just input lens data, like nikon does with their D200/F6, via M8's menu system?

thanks peter!

lens below serial number 2473251 could not be used with M5/CL, or made prior to circa

1971, according to Leica Pocket Book.

according to Luigi/Umana, the thing with viewfinder would cost around euro 3300.

read from Leica LFI that the latest 90 asph Summicron uses CNC sand blast polishing or

something like that to polish the asph lens surface, because the diameter is too large for

bold blank.

once when I pressed the backdoor hard enough I even saw "ASA" sign. but the "floating" shutter speed display is really cool.

you are sure it was not a RD-2?

... and both look ugly and bulky.

why Americans put up with Nikon USA? from what I can see, they hold up the whole country

for ransom.

the all plastic battery door cap of my M7 is not impressive, equally less so is its lock

mechanism.

thanks to Jerry and all, I will try it out.

I find F2's focusing screen rather dim, is it possible to use those from F3 and F4?

I have a 24 mm f2.4 Ai, sharp yet smooth, smooth focusing, nowadays with D200, those Ai/Ais should have a second life lease again. the second thing I found out with D200, with its quick reply, is that the so called auto focusing thing is a hit and miss affair, manual focus is slow but at least you have got the control.

the same lens was sold early this year at igavel:

 

<a href="http://auction.igavel.com/Bidding.taf?

_function=detail&Auction_uid1=628708&_UserReference=7F0000014718CA478A4EA7A0D9

3F44C4CD3B">

 

 

not bad, huh?

the sigma is a nice lens, but my personal experience in relation to the auto focus is rather

negative, i aimed at the same target, and 3 out of 5 times, the distance registered will be

different, maybe sigma has got the glass compartment right, but the electronics not so. it

seems nikon has kept some secrets to its own. Manual focus with sigma is fine, and it feels

better than those plastic nikon AF lens.

i guess the seller must have found an adaptor to allow him to use the Noct on the latest Canon/Nikon digital SLR. :-)

i just wish Leica will standardize the built material between the two, the M7 uses cheap plastic cap whereas the MP's has metal inserts.