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From: gary@ixhte.UUCP (Gary Heermann)
Newsgroups: net.rec.photo
Subject: Re: sharpness
Message-ID: <127@ixhte.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 23-May-84 14:12:23 EDT
Article-I.D.: ixhte.127
Posted: Wed May 23 14:12:23 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 26-May-84 12:19:33 EDT
References: dartvax.1647 <282@wxlvax.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 30

Leica lenses are made from select glass.  If you dis-assemble a leitz lens
you will find each element marked with a glass batch number.  Glass from
various parts of the world have different characteristics.  A leica rep once
told me that Leica combines different glass into the various elements of a
lens to produce a particular contrast ratio.  I believe this means that most
of the light goes directly to the film without reflections, etc. within
the lens.

I can pick out negatives shot with a Leica from a stack of negatives lying
on a table.  The Leica negatives are so crisp they look like they were
shot on different film. 

I remember going to a photo exibition and seeing a large (30x40 or so) print
way across the room.  I just knew it had to be shot with a Leica.
It was an exibit for Agfa paper and the label on the print said it was
shot with a Leica.  There was a contact print attached just to prove it
was from a 35mm.

As for mirror vibration, the same Leica rep told me that they didn't produce
a single lense reflex because they couldn't get the same sharpness.  When
they introduced their first SLR some years later, I remember I was very
disappointed because I figured they were compromising themselves just to
make a buck.

I own two Nikons (both rangefinder), they are good but no comparison to
the Leicas I have used.

					Gary Heermann
					AT&T Bell Labs