I think we all know Erwin Puts and his reputation as a Leica Guru. He has a new book coming out called "Leica Lens Compendium". It will be published by HOVE and will be out according to the LUG a bit later in the year because Puts is including the lenses that have been introduced at Photokina...(pretty timely). I have many books that are essentially lists, but this book has test for the lenses, as well as impressions from shooting real world subjects. That would make it pretty useful for those times that a lens makes itself available and you want to know a bit about its performance....(I know about sample variations, but Leica is probably better than most companies for being consistent.)

The two web site are for 1. the book, a general description... and 2. the list of lenses covered and the testing methods.

http://www.hovebooks.com/leica_titles.htm

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/lensreports/lensreport.html

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), October 10, 2000

Answers

I have visited his site and read the reviews he has done. You can tell he is extremely knowledgable about optics and testing procedures, but I find the tests to be super technical and well, a bit dry. He sure favors the newer current stuff. I'm not sure exactly what I would do with the book- I really can't afford the lenses he tests to be the "best", and doubt my photography would improve if I could. My favorite lenses in the M mount are a 35 2.8 Summaron, a 40mm MC Rokkor from the CLE (has to be the best deal per dollar in a M mount lens), the DR 50mm f2.0, and the 90mm f2.8 Elmarit. I recently borrowed the 15mm Cosina lens from my camera store and shot with it, and I must say it was a heck of a lot of fun, and the image quality was outstanding. I didn't really see what all the fuss was about "edge light fall off" that I read about in the tests. I didn't really see anything very noticeable in the shots I took.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), October 10, 2000.

Puts is more like a Leica employee than an objective observor. Of course, the whole Hove series reads like that, so he will fit right in.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), October 10, 2000.

More reading, less photographing. I think the historical comparisons will be interesting as it is nice to be able to find good lenses used. I must confess that I read Erwin when I have trouble falling asleep...works like a charm. :-)

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), October 11, 2000.

Erwin is good for us in that he reaffirms the fantastic quality of Leica lenses. But....I think we know that by now from visiting his website! :-) I don't, however, think he is in Leica's pocket. I DO think he keeps them on their toes. Good for us, good for Leica.

-- Steve Hoffman (musicmavin@earthlink.net), October 11, 2000.

Jeff Spirer wrote:

> Puts is more like a Leica employee than an objective observor. > Of course, the whole Hove series reads like that, so he will fit right in.

This is pathetic and useless assertion, which only dishonor its perpetrator.

Lucien

-- Lucien van Dievoet (lucien@ubi.edu), October 11, 2000.

I don't think reading and photography needs to be an either / or proposition. It is quite apparent when perusing the numerous web sites out there related to photography, (not this one), that many of the forum users should have sat down with some books. Maybe it is a generational thing, but most of the questions being asked are from "Photography 101", and would have been in the first three chapters of any Photographic technique book. We didn't have the internet when I was learning photography, so books were it.

As far as Leica books, this brand has the longest continuous history in 35mm cameras. With the availability of used equipment out there, it is a good thing to have reference materials covering them. When I read about someone shocked to find out his newly acquired M3 doesn't have a 35mm frame line... all I can think is, "Damn, why didn't he do his homework?" I also have many books on my other cameras, Nikon and Rollei TLR's, and have used information from those to save money by not buying equipment that would not have been compatible or desirable. My books have paid for themselves by preventing erroneous purchases.

I don't hold any Leica writer up to be THE SOURCE, I try to get several books and get corroboration. I'm shocked at the discrepancies in things like serial number ranges and dates from book to book. But since I am a user of gear and not a collector, I believe I will be able to get useful information from Puts' book. He is pretty dry, as were most of my College text books... but there is a lot of detail and information... not the typical fluff such as, "It's wonderful!"

Read it or don't read it... but it is there and I look forward to getting my copy.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), October 11, 2000.

I hope the book is a success.I read his sight often.True there is a bias.Who are we here at this site to throw e-mails?We are all Leica-nuts!Sure we can see the difference but can others,civilians and other photographers who only can afford C cameras and L lenses? If you hav`nt read Puts`s article on the M3,than you have forfeited your M6.I will collect them forthwith!

-- jason gold (jason1155234@webtv.net), October 11, 2000.

What and where is Puts' article on the M3? Thanks,

-- Jack Belen (jbelen@aol.com), October 11, 2000.

Jack, Go to the site below for the M3 article. When you get to the bottom, click on "LEICA" to go to the rest of Puts' site.

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/leicam3.html

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), October 11, 2000.

You can find the M3 article at:

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/leicam3.html

-- Ross McLeish (loksi@dingoblue.net.au), October 11, 2000.

That is a very strange article. I thought that I'd read all of Herr Puts' Leicastuff, but apparently I somehow missed this one. Interestingly, while the actual design of the M-3 was done post WWII, most of the innovations were left over from prototypes that Oskar Barnack conceived before his death from asthma in 1935. Anyhow, I never liked it as well as my IIIf -- it's just too big and heavy for a real Leica!

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), October 11, 2000.

FWIW Erwin Puts is Dutch.Calling him Herr would be a mistake and an insult.I find his views remarkeable.The tests of the Voigtlander/Cosina lenses very imformative. Puts` stated that the V/C lenses often superior to Leica lenses one generation back.On that basis I can afford 2 Voigtlander lenses new,for one used not as good Leica lens. Having used many Leica lenses ,not always owned,I agree with most of his statements. I hope the competition will spur Leica to new designs....

-- jason gold (jason1155234@webtv.net), October 23, 2000.