The new version of the 19mm does include a floating element (rear lens focusing!)for improved close-up performance as this was one of the weaker points of the previous version The mechanical construction of a floating element is demanding. As example: the lens moves only 0.7mm from infinity to .5 meter. From 3 to 2 meter the lens moves 0.05mm! The mechanical movements are very small and need a high precision construction to function properly after many years of use. Between this version and the older one, there is a time span of 15 years. A floating And a change in generation of designers. The new one has at full aperture high contrast and outstanding performance on axis with a clear and crisp rendition of very fine details. In the field the performance drops gradually to weak, with fine detail now recorded very soft and with blurred edges. At full aperture the new is as good as the previous one at 1 :4 to 1 :5.6. And at 1 :5.6 the current 19mm version reaches its llcforweb Page 127 of 223 own optimum with outstanding imagery over the whole image field. This lens shows the progress the Leica designers have made with retro-focus type of lenses.

A floating And a change in generation of designers. The new one has at full aperture high contrast and outstanding performance on axis with a clear and crisp rendition of very fine details. In the field the performance drops gradually to weak, with fine detail now recorded very soft and with blurred edges. At full aperture the new is as good as the previous one at 1 :4 to 1 :5.6. And at 1 :5.6 the current 19mm version reaches its llcforweb Page 127 of 223 own optimum with outstanding imagery over the whole image field. This lens shows the progress the Leica designers have made with retro-focus type of lenses.