Next Leica-M lens to be introduced ?

[Ecar]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

A 35-50/2.8 Bi-Elmarit would be intriguing for the undecided crowd (me being one of them)...

... or for those who enjoy using both... 70% of my pictures are made with either a 35mm or a 50mm, in roughly equal proportions.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[CheshireCat]

Anyone considering aperture for speed, should rather invest on the new M (hoping its CMOS is as good as the competition).

 

The electronic VF will eventually impact on the lens roadmap, paving the way to longer teles (an APO Macro 150 ?) and actual zooms (a very compact hi-end 24-70 f/3.4 ?).

 

Meanwhile, a 35/1 with character is on top of my wishlist

[wda]

A Bi-Elmarit lens would be very useful, but any focal length longer than 50mm would cause problems when using the viewfinder. I practically use my MATE as a Bi-Elmar (35+50), not quite trusting the TE28 with critical work. It is a highly practical touring lens and works quite well indoors at full aperture and higher ISO.

[farnz]

Since the M240 is imminent I'd prefer that Leica produces a wide tilt and shift lens containing aspherical elements for architecture and interiors. The 28/2.8 PC-Super-Angulon-R is a moderately good lens but the necessary optical compensation (vignetting and red edge) that might be required won't be available through the M to R adaptor.

 

Pete.

[billo101]

New Elcan 90/1!

[FPB]

A further vote for a tilt and shift lens; at least with shift. Something like the Rodenstock HR Digaron S 28 or 35mm with negligible distorsion and approx. 65-70mm of image circle.

 

Bill

[MarkP]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Time to start saving regardless.

 

Eric

 

...and just when I thought I'd run out of GAS...

[MarkP]

 

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

 

...assuming that it's a saleable commodity

[farnz]

...and just when I thought I'd run out of GAS...

Welcome to the GAS station.

 

Pete.

[mustafasoleiman]

... or for those who enjoy using both... 70% of my pictures are made with either a 35mm or a 50mm, in roughly equal proportions.

 

That is what I meant... It's a struggle I face everyday and I end up taking them both...

[marknorton]

The existing lens range is pretty crowded with 5 50s, 3 35s, 2 at 28, 24, 21 (3 if you include the WATE) and so on. Even filling the gaps with a 28 or 75 Summilux will poach at least some sales from neighbouring focal lengths or apertures.

 

I don't think the 28mm Summicron is long for this world and is likely to be replaced by a Summilux.

 

The question in my mind is whether Leica will introduce lenses which are mainly intended for the M240 and have limited or no use on a previous body such as a T/S lens, a zoom or a long telephoto. Such lenses will render the optical viewfinder redundant and may hasten a version of the camera without it and, once EVF technology stabilises, a camera with a built in EVF instead of the carbuncle we are going to have on the M240.

 

I know the purists among us like to use only a single focal length in some hair-shirt wearing experience but I would like to see Leica revisit the MATE. Improved ISO capabilities reduce the need for outright speed even though fast lenses provide shallow DoF, so I think a wider range Tri-Elmar (28-50-75, 35-50-75) or Bi-Summicron (28-50) would be good. I think you need at least a 2:1 "zoom" ratio to make it worthwhile.

[rramesh]

With the live view and EVF on the M, the need to make really compact lenses with mimimal finder blockage is less.

 

I think Leica will wait to evaluate the success of the M240 before launching lenses like the 28 Summilux as it clearly will be larger than the 28 Summicron and will most certainly have significant finder blockage.

[Tonki-M]

another vote for the 35-50! as long as it's f/2.8 or faster though..

[lct]

A new 28/2 designed like the 35/1.4 FLE.

[IWC Doppel]

I'm not sure how representative the feedback on lenses and numbers of is for existing Leica owners as this suggsets new, improved, smaller, better. I think it may well depend on what might be desirable for new owners if the M is about widening the Leica M audience.

 

If they make a compromised zoom I think that would be a mistake. How many other systems have this number of lenses to choose from ? I don't mean with an adapter

 

I think they have to keep bettering the other manufacturers or Leica will be more Morgan/Bristol and not Porsche. Leica can be tomorrow's Porsche

[rob_w]

The existing lens range is pretty crowded with 5 50s, 3 35s, 2 at 28, 24, 21 (3 if you include the WATE) and so on. Even filling the gaps with a 28 or 75 Summilux will poach at least some sales from neighbouring focal lengths or apertures.

 

I don't think the 28mm Summicron is long for this world and is likely to be replaced by a Summilux.

 

The question in my mind is whether Leica will introduce lenses which are mainly intended for the M240 and have limited or no use on a previous body such as a T/S lens, a zoom or a long telephoto. Such lenses will render the optical viewfinder redundant and may hasten a version of the camera without it and, once EVF technology stabilises, a camera with a built in EVF instead of the carbuncle we are going to have on the M240.

 

I know the purists among us like to use only a single focal length in some hair-shirt wearing experience but I would like to see Leica revisit the MATE. Improved ISO capabilities reduce the need for outright speed even though fast lenses provide shallow DoF, so I think a wider range Tri-Elmar (28-50-75, 35-50-75) or Bi-Summicron (28-50) would be good. I think you need at least a 2:1 "zoom" ratio to make it worthwhile.

 

I agree with Mark on this one. The freedom created by the EVF means Leica lens designers really can break new territory for the M. Mark summarises the position perfectly.

 

My bet would be a zoom lens, designed to make the M-240 more attractive to mainstream buyers who have stayed away from the M because it lacked a zoom. On the M it would work just as well as on any other non-DSLR, with the choice of EVF or Live View for framing. Maybe a future model optical finder with electronic frame lines could adjust the frame lines electronically as the zoom range varies.

 

Who among us would not be tempted by such a lens with a max aperture of f4 or f3.5? And arguably easier to design and use than a MATE ...

 

One would think the M-240 has given Leica's lens designers a whole new lease of life, and that they are busy working on a range of alternatives right now.

[IWC Doppel]

I did have a look at the OM-D as a friend has one, I wasn't keen on the electronic viewfinder to be honest

[LucisPictor]

I'd like an f/2.8 24-50 Bi-Elmarit for my M8.

Of course not bigger than the Tri-Elmar and at a price of €1000,-

 

....Huh? What? Oh boy, who just woke me up. I had such a nice dream!

 

 

But I doubt that Leica would use that name.

 

And to be honest, I don't really see any huge gap in the Leica lens set-up.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[MarkP]

Mark took the words off my keyboard....

 

28/50 Bi-Summicron APO :):)

[UliWer]

...

And to be honest, I don't really see any huge gap in the Leica lens set-up.

 

Neither do I.

 

The 28mm Summilux is the hobby-horse of the international forum - I uphold my scepticism about it. Obviously it would cannibalize/be cannibalized (by) the Summicron. Just dropping the Summicron in favour of the Summilux would be a bad sign for the future as it would be a further step to extremely expensive lenses.

 

A 4/180mm would have some attractivity. Beforde the times of the M 240 I had some phantasies about a version with 2x-magnifying goggles, so you could use the frames for 90mm.Though I don't think that goggles with this magnification would be something which fits the M. With live view for the new M you can leave out the goggles.

 

Asked about longer focal lengths at the Photokina the Leica people said, they'd think about them if there was significant demand for them. I think they'll watch if the M is really used a lot with long lenses (I have some doubts). So one should not expect such a lens in the next future but only after one year or two of experiences.

 

I think they will stay on their usual path: slowly improving the preseant catalogue. The 35mm Summicron is now the oldest. I hope they won't turn the "Apo"-direction with it - asked at the Photokina they denied it for other models than the present 50mm AA. Reduction of flare for the current 35mm Summicron in the usual price categorie could be a realistic expectation.