Tom A:
Size is relative to the user. My hands are not particularly large but in my personal style of shooting I adjust aperture while the camera is to my eye rather than taking it down. I used the v4 summicron for years and found with the hood on it was difficult to get my fingers on the aperture ring and adjust f stops. I also seriously dislike the focusing tabs and the variation between tabs on various Leica lenses. My personal preference is a focusing ring with serations that I can grasp easily. The variations in size and design between various Leica lenses is also an issue. I use a variety of focal lengths in my documentary work and find the variation from my 21 Elmarit convex focusing tab compared to the v4 concave focusing tab and the sharp edged concave tab on my asph summilux 50 to de a major annoyance and distraction. The aperture rings are all different as well. If you own all new genration lenses or all lenses from a single generation there is more consistancy but if you own a variety of lenses from different generations there is no consistancy between desigh, opperation and feel. Every Leica lens that I own has a different focus tab, ring etc. and aperture ring design. With Zeiss every lens that's out has a uniform design in focusing ring, bump and aperture ring design and placement. For my style of shooting and my personal taste I find there is much more desirable. Consistency is good in my book. I do not find the Zeiss large at all. In fact i like tha larger size and find lens changing easier and general opperation easier. I think most people would only say the Biogon is too large if they feel the 50 summicron is too large. I still have and will continue to own and use Leica glass but have added the 25, 35 and 50 Planar and could not be happier with their ergonomics, build and optical performance.
