Anyone interested in swapping evenly (or otherwise) a 21 ASPH for a mint- (9 to 9+) black Leica 21/3.4 Super Angulon? This SA has great glass, a pristine finder, original rear cap, original hood, UV filter & wonderful build quality. Email me directly, if interested----

-- Patrick (pg@patrickgarner.com), March 15, 2002

Answers

I don't get it! Why on Earth would someone want to do that ?

-- Stephane Bosman (stephane.bosman@2ci.net), March 15, 2002.

Compact size, virtualy no distorsion...

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), March 15, 2002.

But not quite as sharp, more fall-off and won't meter with the M6. Truth be told, it sounds like a true 21 afficianado should have both!

;-),

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 15, 2002.

I agree, and so I do ;>)

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), March 15, 2002.

The answer to the question of why would any do that is that not only is the 21/3.4 an excellent performing and beautifully machined lens (not to mention compact), but it is a very collectible lens. And the finder, if it is the older metal Leitz 21 mm finder is worth $ 450 by itself. There is a fair amount of collector demand for the 21/3.4 lens in both chrome and black mounts. This increases its value well beyond that of a user only lens. Despite the fact that the 21/3.4 lens was catalogued for 17 years (1963-1980), relatively few were made.

-- Eliot (erosen@lij.edu), March 15, 2002.

I have the 21 ASPH but would not trade it for the 21 SA. Image quality of the ASPH is significantly better than that of the SA lens.

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), March 15, 2002.

Hello Patrick. I made the mistake that you might soon be making and ended up rebuying another user f3.4 after selling my original mint f3.4.The issues of vignetting,sharpness and lack of TTL metering capability in practice in the f3.4 versus the f/2.8 in retrospect were not a worry.I missed the f/3.4's compactness,lack of distortion and very importantly,close focus ability. Regards.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), March 15, 2002.

Uh... that's a trade would forsake gladly :D

-- Alfie Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002.