Can't find a 50mm Summilux 1.4 for love nor money!

[egrossman]

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It's quite easy to forget that Leica was in dire straights not very long ago. Management forecasts for digital M sales understandably were probably conservative. As other poster have rightly pointed out that the lead time to ramp additional lens production production capacity is almost certainly measured in years (these item are hand built after all).

 

If all of this is too much for anyone to bear their are a number of solid alternative platforms to choose from or third party lenses like Zeiss, Voigtlander, etc.

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[pico]

Interesting, this to me proves that the guys at Leica have no clue whatsoever what their customers need. [...]

 

Here is a clue: It is not all about you. You are not the market. In fact, it is unlikely that you are even a viable near-term buyer. IOW, you don't count. We cool with that?

[gjames9142]

I have seen extraordinarily few images -- on these threads as well as elsewhere -- in which the characteristics of a 50 mm Lux are in any way distinguishable from any other reasonably late model (since the 70's) 50 mm Leica lens. A few posters may be able to show the isolated whiskers of their cat or a fire hydrant on a street, but that's about it. How critical is the size of print you want to make ? Do you work in jazz clubs and theatres ? How important is an extra stop when you have a whole arsenal of post=production tools, not to mention variable ISO ? These threads often reflect an exhuberant consumerism that has very little to do with serious photography. It has more to do with what I would Liecawollen. I hope I am not misjudging you, but in some cases you don't need a Strad to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

[gjames9142]

Oh, and if you can afford a Noctilux, there is one in stock at Leica Boutique in Montreal for C10,000 or so.

[DFV]

Here is a clue: It is not all about you. You are not the market. In fact, it is unlikely that you are even a viable near-term buyer. IOW, you don't count. We cool with that?

 

Thanks for stating something that I made very obvious in my post. Reading first is something I can only recommend...

 

If actually made the effort of reading the "rant" you would understand that if it is about something it is surely NOT about me. Quite the contrary in fact. As I well point out, my concern is with people that, like in this case, sell their equipment to upgrade to Leica M and find themselves out in the rain. I guess that they do not count either?

 

As to "me" counting I could care less. I made it clear (at least I think) that for the exception of the LUX 75 I have my M-System complete (at least for my needs). We cool with that?

[pico]

I have seen extraordinarily few images -- on these threads as well as elsewhere -- in which the characteristics of a 50 mm Lux are in any way distinguishable from any other reasonably late model (since the 70's) 50 mm Leica lens. A few posters may be able to show the isolated whiskers of their cat or a fire hydrant on a street, but that's about it. [...]

 

True. It is very difficult to judge a lens through a web image (for lack of a better term), and extreme sharpness is not what all of us consider when judging a lens. So, when some of us speak of a certain lens rendering, we might be speaking of the print.

 

I hope I am not misjudging you, but in some cases you don't need a Strad to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

 

Oh, pardon. I will put away the Strad right away, but you will now have to put up with my singing.

 

As for DFV's rebuttal, all I can say is that Leica is doing its best to recover during a difficult time. It hasn't the resources to grind out lenses and M9s at the same time. It really is a small company compared to the large Asian concerns. But really, life is not so bad when we can complain that we cannot spend our money fast enough, or as promptly as we wish to purchase a Leica lens.

[gjames9142]

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Pico, My point was not the usual lowest common denominator effect of low res jpegs, but in fact the real need and ability of the photographer. I don't think most people are able to exploit those high=end lenses. Hence the Strad comparison.

[jaapv]

 

As for DFV's rebuttal, all I can say is that Leica is doing its best to recover during a difficult time. It hasn't the resources to grind out lenses and M9s at the same time. It really is a small company compared to the large Asian concerns. But really, life is not so bad when we can complain that we cannot spend our money fast enough, or as promptly as we wish to purchase a Leica lens.

Much as I appreciate your defense of Leica, this is really not the case. Lens manufacture and camera assembly are two completely different sections of the factory. However, the succes of the M9 has skyrocketed the lens sales, as many buyers are first-timers to Leica. Thus creating the same problems in both sections: lack of parts, as these have to be ordered in advance.

[IkarusJohn]

If Leica became a mass producer, it would lose much of its character and appeal. It may be a victim of its success, but we should be grateful that our lenses and cameras retain their values better than most others.

 

I have also completed my kit (I started when I got my M9 at the beginning of October, and there is no well stocked local store).

 

Cheers

John

[pico]

Pico, My point was not the usual lowest common denominator effect of low res jpegs, but in fact the real need and ability of the photographer. I don't think most people are able to exploit those high=end lenses. Hence the Strad comparison.

 

Thank you. I appreciate the correction. If I may, I find it more difficult to find a lens that renders as I wish for 35mm. Some of the old stuff has what I wish: a sharpness and softness over that, especially in slightly defocused areas. It is difficult to describe. I'll upload an example to my gallery, something from long ago. Some LF lenses do the trick, and by Leica comparisons their optics are just terrible. To that end, I am going to try an early Summitar, the one with 10 aperture leaves (if I got that right.)

 

Thanks again.

[jacarape]

If Leica became a mass producer, it would lose much of its character and appeal. It may be a victim of its success, but we should be grateful that our lenses and cameras retain their values better than most /QUOTE]

 

This is a very nice point. I was reading an article about brand management, it boiled down to if you want to create a good brand, don't build crap. Could you imagine Ferrari making an econo-box? The brand would be wrecked. Leica does not seem to be a company desiring to create a camera for every being on the planet.

 

But then I'm still lamenting the fact that there was never a digital Contax G3.