Zeiss vs Leica 5X loupes

[chip j]

I have both, but I can't make up my mind which is better. Although they are both 5X, the Zeiss shows a significantly larger image ( and is also brighter). The colors are mysterious w/the Zeiss. Leica colors are posh and more "real-looking", but they don't have the ineffable quality of the Zeiss. The Leica also has a much better sense of 3-dimensional space. But the the Leica also has a huge, expensive glass element right at the bottom, easy to scratch, and is a lot less ergonomic. So, I look @ a slide w/them both, enjoying the virtues of each!

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

I read at somewhere zeiss corrects the lenses for red and leica for blue. And they say uncorrected red gives smoother images with little bit blur at red. Its a mystery how leica succeeds at 3d , I found 3d transfer function could be responsible but there is only one good scientific arti,icle on that 50 years old.

I found linear transformation thing but I am not sure about that , may be awesomely wrong , may be prophecy.

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

By the way , I think Leica uses abbe 60-65 for their lenses and may be zeiss is little bit higher. When reading optical glass books , lower abbe tends to blue , number 60-65 tends to orange and higher numbers tends to red.
I used 9 leicas until today not for body but for lenses and their umber colors at night or heat lamb. I have sonnar 40 and it tends to more reddish at above conditions same as planar.

I think if you change lighting warmer - heat lamb- you would see egon schiele like colors with leica and even more 3d.

 

[chip j]

I use a Cabin Light Panel on AC.

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Hello Chip , If you keep everything normal , Leica is tamed animal. If lights goes extreme , you see what leica is capable at. Its similar to Rembrandts youth age portraits - light is normal , grades are natural , everything is like a normal photograph - and his older portraits are WILD , lots of color changes , ultra details , wild

 

[chip j]

I have every vintage of Leitz enlarging lenses, but they tend to seem a little stuffy to me (and I use them on a 1c or Durst M-35 Micromat). And may I add, Mustafa, the Zeiss loupe looks more "alive", but in a futuristic, disturbing kind of way. What's old looks kinda new w/the Zeiss, while it looks "old', like it should, w/the Leica. Love your posts, Chip

 

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

Good night Chip , Thank you for your kind words. I found zeiss tends to render 3d in strange futuristic way just like as you said , its like British Rock Group Yes LP Covers. I think zeiss does it to render anatomy in a high frequency detailed - pencil graphite - way. When it comes to humans or concrete , its excellent but trees are comes from martian planet. Leica is like an oil or watercolor painting , its closure to human sprit.
But sometimes zeiss renders people hands like dürer gravure and matchless. I want to buy an linhof 220 with rodenstock. If I start to collect money today , there are 2 years.