Leica M Lenses -- what's up next?

[Leicauser7]

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Anyone have any guess (or even better insight...) into what new M lenses Leica may be working on and what new M glass may be announced in 2017... or perhaps 2018? Just curious... at this point don't seem like many gaps in the lineup....

[pico]

CV beat every manufacturer to the outstanding 10mm.

I wonder if Leica has the ability to to better it.

Edited February 27, 2017 by pico

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[Dirk Mandeville]

at this point don't seem like many gaps in the lineup....

Be nice to see an updated 75 lux.

[B-A-C]

35 Cron APO would be cool

[NB23]

Noctilux 35

[james.liam]

Good question really. The 35 and 28's last year were purely cosmetic and subtle revisions, respectively. Not sure why they even bothered but focus is elsewhere. With the S sadly fading, the SL wanting for much more, I just don't see lots coming M's way for a while yet. But I may be all wrong and a new 75 Summilux is being boxed in Wetzlar as we ponder here.

Edited February 27, 2017 by james.liam

[adan]

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A large part of the 75 Summilux's "legend" lies in the fact that it is an old, aberration-filled 1980s design. Dreamy and Creamy. But Peter Karbe's "least favorite M lens." The APO-Summicron is his ideal replacement for the f/1.4. I think he'd kick and scream if a 75 f/1.4 replaced his baby (as the 21/24 f/1.4s replaced the f/2.8s). And three 75s is a bit de trop.

 

The rumor was floating around that Leica would re-introduce some older lens designs, but I think the 28mm Summaron is the path they meant - really old lenses that in no way compete directly with the main line. Maybe a 50 f/3.5 Elmar-M collapsible engineered to not crush the digital shutters. Or a re-re-introduction of the Anastigmat that came on the Leica "null prototype" recreation. Or the "Mountain Elmar" 105mm f/5.6 - with finder.

 

I somewhat agree with James - Leica has a lot on their plate getting the M10 out the door, and needs to bulk up the SL line a bit (although I think they are counting on M lenses filling the gaps there.) So new M lenses are not necessarily a priority. Selling stuff is good - but you have to make it to sell it, and their production capacity may be topped out right now. When the M9 came out, the lens production fell 12-18 months behind, due to fresh demand, and diversion of assemblers to the cameras.

 

Thinking about what makes sense for Leica (not necessarily me):

 

 - 90 APO-Summicron-ASPH FLE, to improve the close-focus resolution. The original design is pushing 20 years old.

 

- 180 APO f/5.6 or f/8, with goggles to use the 135 framelines. That's a concept that has been banging around since the 1970s, at least. But to some extent, since LV and EVFs are the norm now, that would have to compete with left-over R lenses. So....

 

- a line of EVF-only lenses in native M mount. Reintroducing some of the "greatest hits" of the R line. 180 f/2.8 APO, 280 APO, 350/400 APO. Which of course would also fit on the SL, via adapter, for MF. Or put in their own SL AF mounts as well - two markets with one optical design.

 

- might be time to rethink the 15/18/21, which was really a "patch" to provide a super-wide-ish "21/24/28" lens for the cropped M8. Scrap it and the 18mm, and produce a 15mm prime.

[Dirk Mandeville]

Speaking of the Mountain Elmar, I would love to see Leica produce a 105 f/2, with a vintage lens design. Would make a fantastic portrait lens. I don't think they would do it. But it would be a cool lens. I also think they really should make a great 15mm prime.

[MarkP]

 - 90 APO-Summicron-ASPH FLE, to improve the close-focus resolution. 

 

Yes!

 

-180 f/2.8 APOWhich of course would also fit on the SL, via adapter, for MF. Or put in their own SL AF mounts as well - two markets with one optical design.

Yes!

 

 

- and produce a 15mm prime.

Yes!

 

;-)

Edited February 27, 2017 by MarkP

[Paulus]

Anyone have any guess (or even better insight...) into what new M lenses Leica may be working on and what new M glass may be announced in 2017... or perhaps 2018? Just curious... at this point don't seem like many gaps in the lineup....

 

 

Anyone have any guess (or even better insight...) into what new M lenses Leica may be working on and what new M glass may be announced in 2017... or perhaps 2018? Just curious... at this point don't seem like many gaps in the lineup....

A new summilux 75 will be developed. The viewfinder of the M10 is good enough to accommodate it. It will have some of the properties of the Canadian version. 

[wattsy]

Or a re-re-introduction of the Anastigmat that came on the Leica "null prototype" recreation. 

 

Yes, that would be an interesting re-reintroduction. I have the 0-serie 'replica' and know how good this lens is but rarely, if ever, use it because of the idiosyncrasies of the camera. Having done the recompilation of the original Anastigmat for the limited edition in 2001, Leica have already done much of the work and 'just' need to give it an M mount and, presumably, a 6-bit code. Add in a fancy hood machined out of solid brass (not sure if there is an original accessory hood they can use as the basis for this), order some boxes with a silk lining – job done.

 

A new summilux 75 will be developed. The viewfinder of the M10 is good enough to accommodate it. It will have some of the properties of the Canadian version. 

 

 

You sound confident of this but I'm less sure. Then again I would have never felt there was any appetite for a 28 Summilux.

[luigi bertolotti]

... 

 180 APO f/5.6 or f/8, with goggles to use the 135 framelines. That's a concept that has been banging around since the 1970s, at least. But to some extent, since LV and EVFs are the norm now, that would have to compete with left-over R lenses. So....

I'd like this one definitely... and even speculated on this on the Forum, being one of my dreams...

(f 6,3 - compact - goggles styled like the Macro Elmar 90 - in case removable for EVF only users...)

[michaelwj]

There isn't really much missing.

I initially thought a collapsible 50, but it wouldn't get much smaller that the Summarit. A 75 Summilux maybe, but it'd be pretty big, I suppose the last one was too though.

A rehash of some older designs? I'd like to see a 1.4/35 pre asph remake to get 0.7m focus, but that's just me. A 35/3.5 Summaron if the 28 is anything to go by?

Other than that, all I can see is minor updates, FLE here, ASPH there, new hood here, another thousand dollars there, etc ...

[Jeff S]

Other threads have kicked around the idea of more multi- focal length lenses, e.g., tri-Elmar or bi-Elmar for travel, and with true 'zoom' capability like the WATE (not the MATE). These would seem to make more sense in the era of an M with EVF.

 

Comments ranged from 21-28, 35- 75 or 90, an updated MATE , etc.

 

Whether any would make economic or technical sense from Leica's perspective is another matter.

 

Jeff

[james.liam]

Adan's suggestion about the 90 is a valid one; he can probably answer this but IIRC, the R version preceded the identical M and the former was intended to complement the 100 Makro APO and so close distance performance was not there by intent.

 

The bi-Elmar idea was bounced around here at length. Again, the engineering attention appears directed elsewhere. The S has gone nowhere and ought to be declared at an end, freeing up resources and manufacturing for other items.

[Herr Barnack]

A fixed focal length lens wider than the 18/3.8 Super Elmar M would be nice, perhaps something in the 12mm to 15mm range.  

 

Another possibility would be a fixed 200mm lens, to be used with the EVF on the M240 and M10 platform.  Would that kind of thinking be too far outside the box for the gents in Wetzlar?

Edited February 27, 2017 by Carlos Danger

[james.liam]

A fixed focal length lens wider than the 18/3.8 Super Elmar M would be nice, perhaps something in the 12mm to 15mm range.

 

Another possibility would be a fixed 200mm lens, to be used with the EVF on the M240 and M10 platform. Would that kind of thinking be too far outside the box for the gents in Wetzlar?

With available tele R and adapted CaNikon long lenses, does this really make that much business sense?

[Paulus]

Yes, that would be an interesting re-reintroduction. I have the 0-serie 'replica' and know how good this lens is but rarely, if ever, use it because of the idiosyncrasies of the camera. Having done the recompilation of the original Anastigmat for the limited edition in 2001, Leica have already done much of the work and 'just' need to give it an M mount and, presumably, a 6-bit code. Add in a fancy hood machined out of solid brass (not sure if there is an original accessory hood they can use as the basis for this), order some boxes with a silk lining – job done.

 

 

 

You sound confident of this but I'm less sure. Then again I would have never felt there was any appetite for a 28 Summilux.

 

I sound confident, but it's guesswork at this stage. I was wrong before, on the other hand...I have not counted the times I was right.  Let's wait what Leica rumors has to say in a few months.

[UliWer]

Then again I would have never felt there was any appetite for a 28 Summilux.

 

I was sure this was a LUF-lense. I was also sure that bringing back the 1:5.6/28mm Summaron was a ridiculous fantasy. I was also sure that with the WATE, the 21mm Elmarit-asph and the 21mm Summilux there was no room for a 21mm with modest opening like 1:3.4.

 

I better stay away from denying probabilities.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Paulus]

I was sure this was a LUF-lense. I was also sure that bringing back the 1:5.6/28mm Summaron was a ridiculous fantasy. I was also sure that with the WATE, the 21mm Elmarit-asph and the 21mm Summilux there was no room for a 21mm with modest opening like 1:3.4.

 

I better stay away from denying probabilities.

 

The 21 3,4 has proved to have a market. The summilux apo-asph 75mm will also have a market . The summircon wil perhaps disappear afterwards.