[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>Also, a friend keeps telling me that Leica rangefinder cameras produce much
>sharper photographs than photos taken with Nikon lenses of similar focal
>length.
They are certainly much more expensive like by a factor of five or so.
I would hope they are much sharper.
>Does anyone have an educated opinion on this?
I have used a friend's Leica rangerfinder and I do think it is sharper but
I wouldn't say "much" sharper. I certainly could not justify the price
of Leica for the small increase in sharpness. If I need something really
sharp because I will make a large print I will use my medium format camera.
My friend's Leica comes no where close. Yes, the handling would be better
with the Leica but if you are talking pure image quality, which the Leica
people tend to do, any major medium format manufacturer blows Leica into the
weeds at a lower price (but Hassy and Rollei are higher). My experience with Leica is
that it is mechanically much better than Nikon and optically only subtlety better
than Nikon.
IMO, Leica and Nikon are not competitors. Their features, handling, and pricing
are in different universes. I doubt too many people's needs are met by
both companies simultaneously (outside of p&s cameras), hence they are not
competitors of one another.
David Johnson
