*4* New Summarits

[jflachmann]

New Leica-Lenses:

Summarit-M 2,5/ 35 mm, 1.250 Euro
Summarit-M 2,5/ 50 mm, 1.000 Euro
Summarit-M 2,5/ 75 mm, 1.250 Euro
Summarit-M 2,5/ 90 mm, 1.250 Euro

More details (german site): Neue preiswerte Objektivlinie für die M-Leicas: Summarit-M | photoscala

[jflachmann]

Some pictures of the new lenses:

[andybarton]

Very interesting.

The 35 is very attractive

[hankg]

Guy Walder just posted this link in another thread Neue preiswerte Objektivlinie für die M-Leicas: Summarit-M | photoscala

Announcing 3 new 2.5 lens at a lower (for Leica) price point. That 75 looks very tempting.

[gareth_c]

Wow, they came out of the blue (at least for me). The 90 looks interesting.

[sdai]

Too slow, too expensive.

[guywalder]

Hank,
actually Jens Flachmann posted it in the customer forum, but only Andy Barton seemed to have noticed....
Guy

[sdai]

I guess slow lenses are the future of digital photography since people are now able to bump ISO settings at free will. Why don't they make them f/4? just like the Canon f/4 series.

[marknorton]

A welcome range of lower cost lenses to take on CV and Zeiss.

Key points from the German site:

- Spherical lenses
- Kit of multiple lenses availabled at a discounted price
- Return to shade of red dot used in the 60s!
- Return to classic Leitz type face
- Metal lens caps
- Lens hoods as accessories
- Velour cases (not leather) - sensible economy IMHO
- Designed and Made in Germany
- 6 bit coding

[sdai]

These new Summarits look too close to the 4/3 zoomers made for the E-410 ... are they inspired by Olympus?

[guy_mancuso]

Maybe this is what i saw in Solms in the prototype room. I have been predicting this for a long time now a low cost lens line, maybe this is it

[sdai]

Originally Posted by guy_mancuso

low cost lens line, maybe this is it

1250 Euro is by no means low cost in my book. In fact, the new 28 Elmarit sells for only 1495 US, right?

[blakley]

These new Summarits look too close to the 4/3 zoomers made for the E-410 ... are they inspired by Olympus?

??

They look nothing at all like the E-410 lenses; they look exactly like their black M-mount colleagues. The 90/2.5 Summarit in particular looks identical in essentially every respect to the 90/4 Macro-Elmar. They're clearly all-metal construction with engraved markings, unlike the Olympus lenses, which are plastic with rubber ribbing and screened or painted markings.

[marknorton]

Rubber finger grip on the 75 and 90? It will be interesting to see which existing lenses get displaced. 90/2.8 and 50/2.8? Another 4 lens codes used up...

[hankg]

Originally Posted by sdai

I guess slow lenses are the future of digital photography since people are now able to bump ISO settings at free will. Why don't they make them f/4? just like the Canon f/4 series.

There is a big difference between 2.5 and 4 -for me slow starts below 2.8. For a walking around day lens 2.5 is certainly adequate, when you are stopped down and have the camera set at the hyperfocal distance most of the time. The priority given to compact size, cost and one's shooting style will make these ideal for some, not so much for others. For a 75 which on the M8 is close to a 100mm 2.5 is all I need.

Hopefully they are not to contrasty for the M8.

[stevem7]

The 75 looks VERY tempting for me. Cant wait.

[guy_mancuso]

Originally Posted by sdai

1250 Euro is by no means low cost in my book. In fact, the new 28 Elmarit sells for only 1495 US, right?

You expect a 600 dollar leica lens. never going to happen. They will base the price around the 28 2.8 which here is 1600 dollars I think

The idea behind this is a coded lens made by Leica to compete with CV and Zeiss. Think about the market share here and how well these will sell. Right on target in my book

[sdai]

Zeiss is going to take the hit but not CV.

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by sdai

Too slow, too expensive.

The 90 is half a stop faster and about 350 Euros cheaper than the existing f2.8 that I expect it will replace.

They're all much cheaper than the equivalent f2 lenses, and only half a stop slower.

[carstenw]

None are Aspherical lenses, meaning that they will have a more traditional look, perhaps like the 50 Cron. Some people have been asking for this. Very, very, very cool. This will help float the Leica boat into the next decades.