A review by Michael Reichmann of the Leica Lens Compendium on the

Luminous Landscape web site.

-- Lucien (lucien_vd@yahoo.fr), July 31, 2001

Answers

I have had this book for three months now. I have one complaint as far a its readability is concerned. I have a big problem with Leica books that simply go lens to lens with no differentiation of the mounts. Most of us (the readers) have an area of interest, for example on this forum I would estimate about 70% of these threads are about the M mount, 25% R mount and 5% LTM. It is very hard to sit and read through a section, like the massive 50mm section, when it goes chronologically within an f-stop range from 1925 to 1994, and the next lens is from 1930. Additionally, there is quite a bit of variation on whether or not the heading for the lens Identifies the type mount or not. One time the lens is clearly marked "M", while another time it will simply say "type III", with no mention of the lens' mount. Add to this the fact that there is no photograph of the lens being discussed and you could still be wondering what lens you are reading about. This is a particular problem for lenses that were produced in multiple mounts, like the transitional period in the late 1950s when LTM and M mounts were produced for the same lens.

A better style can be found in Dennis Laney's "Leica Lens Practice", which after the general sections on optics, uses of lenses, and building an outfit, ends in a clearly segregated section for the particular mount... from the widest to the longest, and from the slowest to the fastest aperture. Every lens has a clear photograph, a narrative taken right from the Leica tech sheet that comes with each lens.

Erwin's book is thorough, especially the science of lens evolution, but it is less than user friendly for people that don't care about some 1925 lens that they will never own or use, but simply want to check out the three or four lenses actually in their bags.

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), July 31, 2001.