Leica M confusion

[Larcomb]

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There are enough used f/6.8 Telyts on the market that selling new ones was darned near impossible.

 

Yes, that could have been a factor, but it was also true of most of their lenses. If you keep making higher and higher-performance lenses, eventually they become too expensive and people simply buy something else. You need to keep offering moderate-cost lenses too. Look at the 180s. Eventually all they had left were APO f/2.8 and f/2 lenses that were very costly! I own and use the 2nd generation Elmarit and am quite pleased with it. I have owned the first generation Elmarit and the Elmar as well. The 2nd generation Elmarit is not that much bigger than the Elmar, so I can see why that was dropped. But the non-APO Elmarit was much cheaper and should have for that reason have been kept.

 

I am sure that Leica is going to keep the non-APO 50mm Summicron-M.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Larcomb

[wildlightphoto]

Not that I would ever use an M this way, but I'm just curios. Will it be possible to mount with an adapter Canon L lenses too? Those 200mm f/1,8 or 300mm f/2,8 or even 500mm, 600mm, 800mm and not to forget the 1200mm ) ?!

 

With EF lenses you'd have to work out some way to control the aperture. FD or FL, no problem. My experience with FD-era L lenses suggests there are better ways to put a long lens on an M.

Edited September 19, 2012 by wildlightphoto

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[wildlightphoto]

... You need to keep offering moderate-cost lenses too.....

 

That's what the used market is for.

[pico]

Originally Posted by wildlightphoto

Having used both of the f/6.8 Telyts for most of the last 30 years and now using APO lenses as well I can assure you there's a world of diffrence between them.

 

So what? Note everyone can afford those APO lenses! They were 10x as expensive!The f/6.8 lenses were fabulous in any event. Not to mention compact, portable, and light-weight.

 

Amortized over thirty years of good use justifies the expense, IMHO.

[wildlightphoto]

Amortized over thirty years of good use justifies the expense, IMHO.

 

And the same will be true of the APO lenses. Don't forget, the f/6.8 Telyts were horrifically expensive when new.

 

In the last 30 years the image quality bar has been raised many times and the weaknesses of the f/6.8 Telyts have become glaring on modern cameras. I know how to get around some of them (because I've used them for so long) but in most circumstances the productivity of the APO lenses is much much higher.

[Larcomb]

And the same will be true of the APO lenses. Don't forget, the f/6.8 Telyts were horrifically expensive when new.

 

In the last 30 years the image quality bar has been raised many times and the weaknesses of the f/6.8 Telyts have become glaring on modern cameras. I know how to get around some of them (because I've used them for so long) but in most circumstances the productivity of the APO lenses is much much higher.

 

No, they were very reasonably priced. Being simple lenses with a single group, they were very inexpensive.

[Larcomb]

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Amortized over thirty years of good use justifies the expense, IMHO.

 

Not the point. Not everyone needs APO lenses or can justify them. They cost 2-4 times what non-APO lenses do. My 180mm Elmarit 2nd version is superb!

 

Nikon makes both APO and non-APO versions of some of their lenses, I believe.

[Larcomb]

That's what the used market is for.

 

No, not at all. Slower lenses are worth having and cost less. Witness the Summarits!

 

Items sold in the used market do not benefit Leica.

[giordano]

Nikon makes both APO and non-APO versions of some of their lenses, I believe.

 

I've never heard of this and a web search found no trace of it. Nikon doesn't even seem to have described any F- or S-mount lenses as apochromatic. Do you have a source?

[Larcomb]

I've never heard of this and a web search found no trace of it. Nikon doesn't even seem to have described any F- or S-mount lenses as apochromatic. Do you have a source?

 

180mm ED and non-ED lenses, for instance. 300mm too. cost reasons.

 

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180mm-history.htm

Edited September 20, 2012 by Larcomb

[giordano]

180mm ED and non-ED lenses, for instance. 300mm too. cost reasons.

 

Nikon 180mm History

 

You said "Nikon makes both APO and non-APO versions of some of their lenses, I believe." This implies that you believe Nikon currently makes APO and non-APO versions of some lenses.

 

The Ken Rockwell page you cite doesn't support that at all. First, ED is not the same as APO: one refers to the use of particular kinds of glass, the other implies specific claims about colour correction. And the page merely shows that Nikon replaced a non-ED lens with an ED one of the same focal length and aperture - which they've done quite a few times over the years. 'Nuff said.

[Larcomb]

You said "Nikon makes both APO and non-APO versions of some of their lenses, I believe." This implies that you believe Nikon currently makes APO and non-APO versions of some lenses.

 

The Ken Rockwell page you cite doesn't support that at all. First, ED is not the same as APO: one refers to the use of particular kinds of glass, the other implies specific claims about colour correction. And the page merely shows that Nikon replaced a non-ED lens with an ED one of the same focal length and aperture - which they've done quite a few times over the years. 'Nuff said.

 

yes, 'ED' was nikon's designation, and you are right that the 180 ed replaced the non-ed. but i do believe there were others that overlapped.

[chris_tribble]

... I'd also add that if you're not committed to R glass then the D series professional Nikon lenses look like a great option on the M. Some of them are outstanding, and they're much more reasonably priced than the Leica lenses. I agree it's a real shame about the Canon EOS mount lenses with their all electronic coupling and no focus ring, but it's an imperfect world

[bill]

No, not at all. Slower lenses are worth having and cost less. Witness the Summarits!

 

Items sold in the used market do not benefit Leica.

 

Long slow lenses do not sell.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

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