Leica Lenses????

[Superdan138]

Why have I only seen Leica lenses that are 35mm, 50mm, etc....do they sell the 35-150mm type lenses that are adjustable, and what do people think of those vs a 35mm, 50mm, etc.... lens that you cant change the "mm".

-Dan

 

[Celloman]

Well... this is a "Rangefinder" forum and these type of cameras don't really use zoom lenses, except for the Leica "Tri" lenses, which are the closest thing to a zoom for Leica M Rangefinder. There are zoom lenses for Leica R system as well as the Panasonic digital.

Mike

 

[dof]

My first seven years with rangefinder cameras were spent using a Tri-Elmar 28-35-50 lens exclusively. On the plus side, the optics are excellent, the handling is good, and the flexibility is of course great. The negatives are that it is a long-ish lens that covers some of the viewfinder framelines for all focal lengths, and to a lesser degree its slow speed of f4.0. Having shot medium format for years prior, the speed wasn't an issue for me. Until I got my first f1.4 lens anyway.

Even in the SLR world, the fastest lens designs are typically prime lenses. What you lose in flexibility is made up for not only in the extra two, three, or four stops, but in the unique imaging characteristics of many high-speed designs.

Both are great in their own ways. Both are limited in their own ways.

As a matter of personal preference, I haven't shot the Tri-Elmar in more than a year.

-J.

 

[swoop]

I was going to say something rude. But I'd probably just come off looking hostile.

They don't make zooms for rangefinders. That's why you can't find any. Because of the way a rangefinder works. It's unable to use zoom lenses. Even the lenses like the Tri-Elmar aren't zoom. They're designed to use an intended focal length. Not the in betweens.

A single focal length lens. Known as a prime lens, is usually much sharper and provides better image quality than zoom lenses. They're also able to use faster apertures. You'd be hard pressed to find a zoom lens faster than f2.8. Zoom lenses are typically found on SLR cameras. I don't really like zooms. But they are convenient.

 

[payasam]

Dan, the M Leica viewfinder has a fixed magnification -- only the frame lines change for lenses of different focal lengths. You do not see through the lens as with an SLR.