Do Leica lenses have "built-in sunshine"?

Theo Sulphate · Jul 23, 2017

Alan Klein said:
... whenever I take my car through a car wash, it drives better afterwards. It's smoother, quieter and faster. Anyone else notice that?

Sure. Everyone knows this. Why else would anyone wash their car?

LeftCoastKid said:
... I have yet - after over a decade-and-a-half of Leica ownership/extensive use - to have noticed this phenomenon when using any of my Leica gear ... I use a pair of M6s, and M4 and an M4P ...

Ok. Hate to tell you this, but you have only one real Leica. That's why you can't stop the precipitation. See, the M4P is an M4 with features hacked off; it's not the real thing. So why have it? Exactly. It's worthless, so just throw it away. Now the M6... I bought two of these before I realized they weren't real Leicas like my M3s. First of all, they replaced the excellent, excellent!, and useful self-timer with a battery for some reason - WTF, eh?!? I suppose it's for those red focus confirmation arrows in the viewfinder - which don't work! - and aren't needed because the rangefinder patch is just fine - except it ought to have the depth-of-field notches. Then there's the red dot... Seriously, you can't get sunshine from that.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 23, 2017

chip j said:
That's what I read in an old Leica review.

nonsense.from what I can see, Leica's lenses seem to be designed for max resolution. I prefer Nikkor lenses, which give more contrast.

removed account4 · Jul 23, 2017

NB23 said:
I'm a Leica nut. I won't go into my collection here.

And although I own the exotic stuff, I still think it's all Bullshti. The fun is all in the fiddling, not in the supposed optical magic.

it must be the exotic style is designed by movantica, they make lenses
for every camera type, and cameras too .. seems to cause a movantic-moment for everyone who uses them !
sean, where's that special emoji that sounds like patrik stuart !

Kawaiithulhu · Jul 26, 2017

I just like my M3 and summicron DR combo because it came from my Grandfather. That's about as fanboy as I get.

I can pretend it has built-in sunshine because of all the time he spent in Saudi Arabia building oil pipelines, if you'd like!

LeftCoastKid · Jul 26, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
Sure. Everyone knows this. Why else would anyone wash their car?

Ok. Hate to tell you this, but you have only one real Leica. That's why you can't stop the precipitation. See, the M4P is an M4 with features hacked off; it's not the real thing. So why have it? Exactly. It's worthless, so just throw it away. Now the M6... I bought two of these before I realized they weren't real Leicas like my M3s. First of all, they replaced the excellent, excellent!, and useful self-timer with a battery for some reason - WTF, eh?!? I suppose it's for those red focus confirmation arrows in the viewfinder - which don't work! - and aren't needed because the rangefinder patch is just fine - except it ought to have the depth-of-field notches. Then there's the red dot... Seriously, you can't get sunshine from that.

But, Mr Sulphate, I haven't been able to ever discern built-in sunshine from any combination I've used, and that includes any of my lenses with my M4! Surely, I should have experienced this "built-in sunshine phenomenon" at some point during my photographic odyssey?!? Maybe the M4 isn't a real Leica as well?!?? As far as the other two bodies go, perhaps you are correct and the cosmetic mutilations somehow act to encumber the "built-in sunshine" feature from being activated? Any idea why the folks at Leica would do such a thing? Seems odd to make note of a particular product feature then deactivate on certain models without informing consumers! Maybe I'll just sell or throw away all my Leica gear and stick with my Nikons and my Hasselblads!! Neither has ever made such a claim!

Shootar401 · Jul 26, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
Then there's the red dot... Seriously, you can't get sunshine from that.

Not exactly true. If you remove the red dot and turn it around it becomes a sunshine generator. But ONLY if you use a 5cm elmar between S/N 372118 and 448584.

Do Leica lenses have "built-in sunshine"?

Theo Sulphate

RalphLambrecht

removed account4

Kawaiithulhu

LeftCoastKid

Shootar401

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