Where can I read Leica lens tests & reviews online?
Photodo.com has the most comprehensive listing of MTF charts for Leica lenses publicly available - see:
Keep in mind MTF charts aren't the be-all and end-all for lens performance, mainly because they're only done at infinity focus. They also say nothing about lens colour handling or flare. See these URLs for more info:
<contaxg.com/archive/articles/beyond_the_mtf.htm> and
<Photo.net: #00ElP9>
In Nov 2003 Leica themselves released PDF-format lens datasheets, which contain specs, MTF charts and vignetting characteristics of most of their R lenses - see:
<en.leica-camera.com/service/downloads/lenses_for_single_lens_reflex_cameras/>
Ditto their M lenses — see:
<en.leica-camera.com/service/downloads/lenses_for_rangefinder_cameras/>
The following URL features sample JPEG pictures taken by just about every lens in the Leica R line-up:
<itntokyo.com/…/rlensgallerymenu.html>
The following URL features comparative photographs taken under completely unscientific conditions using 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 90mm Leica, Nikon and Voigtländer lenses at:
<members.home.net/chefurka/…/LensTests2.html>
Belgian Pascal Heyman also maintains a few pages of notes and lens reviews - see <leicapages.com/highlights.html>.
Finally, Erwin Puts maintains a detailed (but uncritical) www site with online reports of the few lenses he has tested:
Owing to a royalty dispute with his publisher, in October 2005 Puts placed a (text only) version of his "Leica Lens Book" on his website at:
A note about possible broken links
This FAQ has over 900 external links. Over time it is inevitable some of them will break. If you are bothered by this, see this detailed topic elsewhere in the FAQ.