What do you think of the price of the new 50mm Summicron?

[k-hawinkler]

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It all depends on the mission.

 

If I were shooting fashion for high end publication, and I thought that this lens with either M9 or the next generation of sensor resolution would allow me to replace medium format, then it would be worth it to me.

 

For my current requirements, when I want extreme resolution on subjects that do not move very fast, (like mountains), I will shoot a multi-pane panorama.

 

Complaining about the price is pointless, one either needs and can afford it or not.

 

As long as Leica offers other choices, we can all choose to meet our needs.

Just to be sure, I re-tested my asph summilux and latest non apo summicron, and they are almost as sharp as they were last week before this announcement.

 

Regards... H

 

 

That's good to know. :D

 

In fact my 50 Summilux-M ASPH now focuses correctly after Leica NJ worked on it, but it didn't when I bought it brand new over 2 years ago.

 

So my question really is with regards to Leica's ability to manufacture the lens dependably with what must be incredibly tight tolerances. As Leica has produced stellar lenses in the past, one certainly would assume that the new 50mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH is situated well into the area of diminishing returns. The MTF curves are simply astonishing.

 

Of course, for products for which demand outstrips supply, price is not necessarily correlated with cost.

Apple seems to demonstrate that every day.

 

I love my latest 50 mm Summilux and Summicron and get a lot of use out of them.

Equally enjoyable is a Rigid Summicron from 1956, it's so different but appealing.

So these lenses are not for sale.

 

It would be interesting though to explore the new APO-Summicron-M ASPH on a future M10, especially if the M10 features major improvements.

Landscape shots on a tripod are among my areas of interest.

[jaapv]

I am wondering why it's so over the top expensive. Is it the research and development? Is it the glass? Is it the time to put one together? Or is it prestige that sets the price?

 

I applaud Leica for manufacturing a lens like this. But I will not buy it, I have a summilux ASPH!

 

 

If you increase quality linearily on a technical product the price increases exponentially and the difference in visible/audible result decreases exponentially.

 

(Jaap's law :D)

[KevinA]

Old price: $2295

New 50mm summicron $7195

 

Porsche 997 Carrera $ 79, 950

Porsche 991 Carrera $ 83,050

 

I put in this basis of comparison because the new model has an improved engine, suspension, interior, handling which eliminates understeer etc.. (although the introduction of electric steering is terribly unfortunate).

 

So even though the new 50mm Summicron may be improved, it should be, just as Leica has steadily improved the sharpness of its lenses with each iteration, without tripling the price each time.

 

Porsche have been supposedly eliminating understear ever since they put the engine in the boot.

So maybe the 'cron is a genuine cure for soft images and aimed at Lambo drivers?

 

Kevin.

[lars_bergquist]

The price is justified for the lens, but maybe not for the photographer.

 

That, pardon me Jaap, was a pretty dumb thing to say.

 

A lens is a tool. A tool is an extension of the user. A tool with capabilities a user cannot use, is not better than a tool with all the capabilities a user can use. On the contrary, it is a waste of resources, human labour and money.

 

So let us see the photographers that can use those extra capabilities to make better pictures than before. And let us see the side-by-side comparisons. And please don't wave your hands, the way so many do here, and say that "the difference can only be seen if you print to meter sizes" (and overprint the print with nose grease) or "you can't really see the difference in a JPEG file". Because then I will reply "then it isn't worth that outrageous price".

 

Talk is cheap. Hic Rhodus hic salta.

 

The old man from the Age of the Rigid Summicron

[lars_bergquist]

I am going to repeat this, and no excuses: Leica's talk about keeping the old 50mm Summicron in parallel with the Apo, is exactly as credible as the same talk about keeping the 24 and 21mm Elmarit lenses. Meaning exactly nil.

 

People are repeating this nonsense in order to reassure themselves that what they know to be true, isn't true: This is the new 50mm Summicron. People of normal means who want a 50mm Leica lens in the future will have to buy a Summarit (as long as that is still available) or wait until there's a used market again.

 

I have a Summilux ASPH but if I wanted one new now, I would not be able to afford it. That's the future with Leica, gentlemen. Take it or leave it.

 

The old man from the Age of the Rigid Summicron

[bocaburger]

The price is justified for the lens, but maybe not for the photographer.

 

Hearing my inner discourse begin to justify making a camera/lens purchase is one of my defining symptoms of a G.A.S. attack, and signals me to hit 'pause' and sleep on it

[bocaburger]

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I am going to repeat this, and no excuses: Leica's talk about keeping the old 50mm Summicron in parallel with the Apo, is exactly as credible as the same talk about keeping the 24 and 21mm Elmarit lenses. Meaning exactly nil.

 

People are repeating this nonsense in order to reassure themselves that what they know to be true, isn't true: This is the new 50mm Summicron. People of normal means who want a 50mm Leica lens in the future will have to buy a Summarit (as long as that is still available) or wait until there's a used market again.

 

Of course this could always be the first exception, but historically Leica has said many times that a certain item would remain in the catalog, after the new version was introduced. And true enough it did...for a brief period, perhaps until existing inventory was exhausted.

 

I think what may be the most controversial in this case is that the 50 Summicron was always at the lower end of the price range, and it seems difficult to comprehend how it could cost double a Summilux-ASPH. When the 75 APO-Summicron was introduced it was not priced at double the 75/1.4, which was an old non-ASPH design.

[jaapv]

On could, of course, ask oneself what the exact position of the Summicron will be in the future. From a pricing point of view there is no question, the lens sits well and logically between the Summarit and Summilux.

 

From a "use"point of view it is not so logical imo.

Historically the Summicron was always seen as a fast standard lens. With the advent of the future M10 and M9M with their high ISO performance this position is not so well defined.

It does not make so much sense any more to differentiate lenses by speed. It might be more correct to rate them by combination of quality and subject separation.

 

The Summarit would, in that case, move up to the current position of the Summicron and the resulting dropping of the Summicron would leave a gap for a high quality slower lens, like a reasonably priced SuperElmar 50/3.5.

Leaving a price array of Summarit - SuperElmar - Summilux asph - ApoSummicron - Noctilux.

 

Just a thought.

[KM-25]

I just found out how much this lens costs...my eyes keep tearing up in laughter. Seriously, I scared the cat out of the office and my wife had to wait at least a minute until I could tell her that I was not laughing at a you tube video.

 

Mark my words, Leica will be out of business in 10 years or less....7 grand for a 50/2..hahahahahahaha!

[wattsy]

leave a gap for a high quality slower lens, like a reasonably priced SuperElmar 50/3.5.

 

What would be the point? It is unlikely to be smaller than the diminutive Summarit and would almost certainly not be cheaper.

[Joe S]

Porsche have been supposedly eliminating understear ever since they put the engine in the boot.

 

 

Kevin.

 

 

In the interests of accuracy, rear engine Porsches have traditionally oversteered as a result of a rear weight bias. The more modern, boring cars have been worked to eliminate this tendancy and make them more suitable for the average driver. I'll leave to others to decide if this applies to the new Summicron.

[Jaybob]

Even if I were super rich, I probably would not buy one.

 

I feel like I'm already in possession of the finest fifty ever made, my rigid Summicron, circa 1965.

 

Jay

[gearoido]

I am sure this is a very naive idea. Never the less when considering the astronomical price of the new Leica 50 chron I couldn't help thinking of the prices of Tele-Vue APO eyepieces. They are expensive, but not like the Leica. What if the M10 had a leaf shutter and the camera had both a focusing function and you could set the aperture on the camera. Wouldn't the price of all the lenses be greatly reduced?

[JWW]

I would think the Leica lenses would be more comparable technically and pricewise to Astro-Physics apochromatic telescopes, which incidentally always have many years-long waiting lists, rather than Televue eyepieces.

[horosu]

I think the high-iso capabilities of the M monochrom, as well as (supposedly) the coming M10 means that...the Zeiss Planar will be flying off the shelves :-).

 

Imagine: a Zeiss 50/2 lens for 1/10 the price of a Leica 50/2 lens!

[MarkP]

A lens is a tool. A tool is an extension of the user. A tool with capabilities a user cannot use, is not better than a tool with all the capabilities a user can use.

 

The old man from the Age of the Rigid Summicron

 

But the user can be a tool:D

[jaapv]

In the interests of accuracy, rear engine Porsches have traditionally oversteered as a result of a rear weight bias. The more modern, boring cars have been worked to eliminate this tendancy and make them more suitable for the average driver. I'll leave to others to decide if this applies to the new Summicron.

Well,I can assure you it does not oversteer:rolleyes:

[MarkP]

Well,I can assure you it does not oversteer:rolleyes:

 

But it certainly does overprice:rolleyes:

[earleygallery]

The price is too cheap. Leica could easily charge another €1000 Euro's for it and the people who want it would still pay the price.

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[wda]

....

So maybe the 'cron is a genuine cure for soft images ...

Kevin.

Soft images?