Next Leica-M lens to be introduced ?

[ockie50]

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What are the Leica lens developing engineers doing at present? Well, if one looks at the current Leica-M offering, what is really missing. IMO a Summilux 28/1.4 is probably a good guess, but what else ? Is there something else really missing? As I see it, Leica needs to "look outside the box" and forget for a while their signum (= fast lenses to be best used wide open). Instead acknowledge the fact that with the success of the M9, there are probably a lot of "new" Leica users out there who have not used M2, M3 etc. 20-30 years ago. These would be less of traditionalists. Again IMHO I think there would be an interest for these additional two lenses;

 

28/4 Pancake (name ? Maybe Elmar)

35-50/2.8 Bi-Elmarit

 

Why? Well,I can personally testify that I feel it is something of an inconvenience to have to changes lenses (between my 35 and 50 Crons) when I am out shooting casually or travelling. It would be great to be able to have a 35 and 50 mm in the same lens and a 2.8 would be fine in those cases. I also thing that for MAXIMUM pocketability, a pancake 28 would be great:).

What do you think?

 

Give me your two suggestions for new Leica M lenses.

[smkoush]

What are the Leica lens developing engineers doing at present? Well, if one looks at the current Leica-M offering, what is really missing. IMO a Summilux 28/1.4 is probably a good guess, but what else ? Is there something else really missing? As I see it, Leica needs to "look outside the box" and forget for a while their signum (= fast lenses to be best used wide open). Instead acknowledge the fact that with the success of the M9, there are probably a lot of "new" Leica users out there who have not used M2, M3 etc. 20-30 years ago. These would be less of traditionalists. Again IMHO I think there would be an interest for these additional two lenses;

 

28/4 Pancake (name ? Maybe Elmar)

35-50/2.8 Bi-Elmarit

 

Why? Well,I can personally testify that I feel it is something of an inconvenience to have to changes lenses (between my 35 and 50 Crons) when I am out shooting casually or travelling. It would be great to be able to have a 35 and 50 mm in the same lens and a 2.8 would be fine in those cases. I also thing that for MAXIMUM pocketability, a pancake 28 would be great:).

What do you think?

 

Give me your two suggestions for new Leica M lenses.

 

 

A 28/1.4 would be lovely. But I don't see the need for the pancake 28mm. The size of the current elmarit (ASPH) is plenty small so I'm not sure there is much need for something slower.

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[FrozenInTime]

The 28/1.4 would be nice - often I take the 34/1.4 for it's speed over the 28/2.

But long term with the prospect of good Monochrom and M-240 high ISO performance, perhaps the need for speed will become secondary and narrow depth of field become the driving consideration.

 

The 90/2, at least mine, could do with floating elements : It's fine at 1m and infinity but focus shift /error renders it useless around 5m..

 

They probably will also re-release the 90/4 macro standalone without goggles and mirror eyepiece - for the M-240 a simple plain extension tube and EVF would make more sense.

[iedei]

21mm F1 Noctilux!!!!

 

lol.

 

if they made that....i'd be out on the streets, selling my body for money.

[Hannes Lummes]

There will something wider than 18mm. I'm pretty sure about this.

 

And of course APO-Makro-PC-Noctilux 28/0,8

[MarkP]

21mm F1 Noctilux!!!!

 

lol.

 

if they made that....i'd be out on the streets, selling my body for money.

 

Considering that a 21mm lens can be used at much lower shutters peeds than a 50mm lens, the 21mm Summiilux really is a Noctilux except by name. It certainly is considering the 320 base-ISO of the MM

[algrove]

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An APO 180 M lens.

[Steve Ash]

An APO 180 M lens.

 

My guess aswell.

Steve

[jaapv]

Considering that a 21mm lens can be used at much lower shutters peeds than a 50mm lens, the 21mm Summiilux really is a Noctilux except by name. It certainly is considering the 320 base-ISO of the MM

:confused:The DOF , which is the essence of the Noctilux for most users, is so much wider on a 21 that I think this cannot be maintained

[rramesh]

I think Leica should put some marketing might behind the Summarit range as these lenses are not getting the attention they deserve considering that they are absolutely fantastic.

[MarkP]

:confused:The DOF , which is the essence of the Noctilux for most users, is so much wider on a 21 that I think this cannot be maintained

 

Hi Jaap,

 

obviously shallow DOF to the level of the Noctilux cannot be achieved, probably not even with f1.0 or 0.95, in a 21mm lens.

I was really commenting on low-light capabilities.

 

Mark

[Tonki-M]

I think Leica should put some marketing might behind the Summarit range as these lenses are not getting the attention they deserve considering that they are absolutely fantastic.

 

i am quite fond of the Summarit line, everything is really on par with the more expensive version at the same aperture, BUT i just hate how Leica put rubber grip on some of them!

i had the dilemma of getting the 90 Summarit no long ago. ended up not getting it for the above reason, but opted for the 90 Elmarit-M instead.

[IWC Doppel]

I thought they would have produced a new 28 by now, I was thnking the obvious Summilux to fill the gap created by the fast 21 and 24 a few years ago.

 

I also expect to see something between the large 21, 24 luxes and the small slow 21,24 SEM's. I have both 21 and 24 Elmarit's ASPH lenses and would like to add a stop of speed to my 24 but don't want the size cost of the Summilux. I have just popped my 24 on my M9 this morning for a trip out and it is a lovely lens

 

Finally the 16mm has been talked about for a while. Oh and perhaps something faster above 50, like a new 75 Summilux

[lct]

Why not a new 50/2 apo with long focus throw and magnifying goggles? A pair of Leica spectacles could be offered as well for less than $2K.

[jaapv]

Hi Jaap,

 

obviously shallow DOF to the level of the Noctilux cannot be achieved, probably not even with f1.0 or 0.95, in a 21mm lens.

I was really commenting on low-light capabilities.

 

Mark

Sure, but low-light capability of lenses is getting less and less prominent with cameras that have high-ISO capability. The single reason I bought the Summilux 24 was the shallow DOF combined with wide-angle perspective for instance.

[MarkP]

Sure, but low-light capability of lenses is getting less and less prominent with cameras that have high-ISO capability. The single reason I bought the Summilux 24 was the shallow DOF combined with wide-angle perspective for instance.

 

The primary reason for my buying the Summilux 21 was it's low-light capability, and subsequently being able to maintain higher-IQ lower ISO settings on the M9. The shallow DOF combined with wide-angle perspective was an important but secondary consideration. It was bought before we travelled to Europe in winter two years ago. Not much light indoors or out for that matter, the lens was invaluable. You may recall my hand-held nighttime Eiffel Tower series shot with the Summilux 21. I travelled with 21,35 FLE and 50 FLE Summiluxes.

 

However,although I really love my Summiluxes, I sometimes wonder if I was buying now for my Monochrom (with base ISO 320) and the upcoming M (with expected much improved low-light performance) would I buy a 21 SEM (which I have subsequently acquired) and 35 & 50 Summicrons, although the Summiluxes clearly further extend options with respect to light and DOF .

Edited February 2, 2013 by MarkP

[Ecar]

I'd like a 35-50/2.8 Bi-Elmarit.

[Guest borge]

How about a 90/1.2 or 1.4 to compete with the typical portrait lenses of other manufacturers (Nikon 85/1.4 and Canon 85/1.2)?

 

That's what I've always thought was missing in the Leica line-up.

[mustafasoleiman]

A 35-50/2.8 Bi-Elmarit would be intriguing for the undecided crowd (me being one of them)... But maybe a 35-75/2.8 would be more useful as a one lens kit.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[enboe]

My guess - a 28/1.4, as there is rumor of its mention in the firmware.

 

Future wish - re-spin on the 75/1.4.

 

I also would be intrigued by a Tri-Tele-Elmarit (TTE), make it a 75/90/135 f/4.0 in one package to complement the MATE and WATE.

 

Time to start saving regardless.

 

Eric