dhsimmonds Posted April 27, 2007 Share #1 Posted April 27, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I received a disturbing phone call today from a leading London Leica dealer, inviting me to purchase new R lenses at reduced prices, another London dealer is also offering new R lenses at half price! He also suggested that Leica UK were reducing stocks, possibly prior to introducing a new reflex camera with auto focus.......shock horror. I wonder if he really meant auto focus confirm? Is this only happening in the UK or is it worldwide? What does this mean for our DMR firmware update? Perhaps this is the real reason why Leica did not promote their Reflex camera and lenses at Robert Whites Trade Show in Bournemouth recently. Any news on this would be appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 27, 2007 Posted April 27, 2007 Hi dhsimmonds, Take a look here Future of the "R" series. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
sdai Posted April 27, 2007 Share #2 Posted April 27, 2007 What are the new prices, Dave? ... just one for example. I don't care about what Leica's gonna do with the R10 but dumping new R lenses at half price is certainly more than welcome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhsimmonds Posted April 27, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted April 27, 2007 Well as an example, 21-35mm f3.5 reduced from 2020 to 1000 GBP Or 50mm F1.4 from 1800 to 900 GBP Or R9 Balck body from 2120 to 1060 GBP The company is RG Lewis and advertised on their web-site. I cannot guarantee that there will be anything left and I don't know how far I can go in promoting their business (I don't have any connection with them or any other dealer by the way) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topoxforddoc Posted April 27, 2007 Share #4 Posted April 27, 2007 I was in London two weeks ago and was going to look at RG Lewis. Howvere their shop in Holborn was boarded up as the block was being renovated and done up. Maybe they're closing down or moving? Charlie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdai Posted April 27, 2007 Share #5 Posted April 27, 2007 Those prices are unbeatable, Dave ... thanks a lot for the headsup. Too bad they don't have the 280/4 I want and I'm across the pond, maybe I should check with my "usual" contact. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted April 27, 2007 Share #6 Posted April 27, 2007 I was told a new R10 "all digital" and three new autofocus lenses will be presented sometime in the future. I like the superb quality of Leica lenses just as they are: superb opto-mechanical instruments. Autofocus lenses are a different beast. They cannot be manufactured by Leica, I suppose. Panasonic? Did Leica enter into the 4/3 consortium in exchange for Panasonic's manufacture of future AF R lenses? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angora Posted April 27, 2007 Share #7 Posted April 27, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Don't frighten us like that ! RG Lewis reduced prices are for ex-demonstration lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted April 27, 2007 Share #8 Posted April 27, 2007 Several Leica dealers are indeed selling selected "ex-demonstration" R lenses at substantially reduced (sometimes by half) prices. They carry the full Leica passport warranty. I bought such an "ex-dem" lens some time ago - not part of this promotion - and to me it was indistinguishable from absolutely brand new. Purely my own opinion, and I may have been completely mistaken of course, but I think that at that time they were reducing stock and/or improving their cash flow, and they had to call them "ex-dem" lenses because of the reduced price. It is of course entirely possible that this time they are reducing stock for reasons other than cash flow! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted April 27, 2007 Share #9 Posted April 27, 2007 I had a letter from Leica UK dated 27 March advertising their ex demo lenses on sale at several UK dealers including The Classic camera, RG Lewis and Ffordes ... letter also mentions ex demo scopes and binoculars ...R ROM lens prices were/are reduced as follows: 1.4x extender £1170 > £585, 35-70 f4 £1090> £545, 70-180 f2,8 £4600 > £2300 19/2.8 £2540> £1270, 24/2.8 £1758> £879, 28/2.8 £2190> £1095, 35/1.4 £2490 > £1245, 35/2 £1590 > £795, 50/1.4 £1800 > £900, 50/2 £820 > £410, 60/2.8 £1660 > £830 , 80/1.4 £2440 > £1220 , 90/2 APO £2050 > £1025, 100/2.8 APO £2370 > £1185, 180/2.8 £2760 > £1380, 28-70 f3.4 £868 > £434, 28 PCS Shift £2190> £1095 Some of these 'new' prices thus undercut the dealers' used prices. Some are still available on one of the websites ... haven't checked the others. Dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted April 27, 2007 Share #10 Posted April 27, 2007 R G Lewis have moved 50 yards round the corner. They have definitely not closed down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_parker Posted April 28, 2007 Share #11 Posted April 28, 2007 The various 'ex-demo' items on offer also include binoculars, a leicavit and at least one 'm' series lens, so I guess its not confined to the 'R' lenses alone Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted April 28, 2007 Share #12 Posted April 28, 2007 Leica has had a "test-drive" program for several years, in which dealers got a small number of lenses and bodies (M and R) specifically to loan out to potential customers overnight or over a weekend (also included the sports optics, I believe). My US dealer told me the program is now being discontinued, and the dealers get these "demo" lenses at a reduced rate (presumably Leica can charge it off as a promotional expense). This may explain the sudden spate of heavily discounted "almost new" lenses available. My dealer had, for example, an MP body, 21 ASPH, 90 APO, Noctilux and 75 f/1.4; one pair of binoculars; and an R9 plus the 28-90 zoom and a 50 f/1.4; as their chosen "kit" for the test-drive program. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwilliamsphotography Posted April 28, 2007 Share #13 Posted April 28, 2007 "... inviting me to purchase new R lenses at reduced prices. He also suggested that Leica UK were reducing stocks, possibly prior to introducing a new reflex camera with auto focus.......shock horror. I wonder if he really meant auto focus confirm? What does this mean for our DMR firmware update? If this proves to be true, then Leica is truly testing the loyality of long time R users. I'm sitting here with a DMR and no firmware in sight, and not a peep from them about it. If they design a digital camera that makes all my R glass obsolete that'll be the last straw. However, if they bring out a R digital with AF lenses that still allows use of my existing lenses with focus confirmation, then we'll have something. If Nikon can do it, why not them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhsimmonds Posted April 28, 2007 Author Share #14 Posted April 28, 2007 Just to clarify matters, the lenses currently on offer are brand new, with 2 years passport warranty and still sealed in their silver boxes. I have seen many of the lenses that Leica UK lend out for demo purposes and for their Leica School use....many of them are without caps etc! This offer includes brand new lenses all at half price or less including R9 black and anthracite cameras. Check out R. G. Lewis - The Leica Shop but other dealers also have offers but are not shouting about them (yet!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bono0272 Posted April 28, 2007 Share #15 Posted April 28, 2007 "... What does this mean for our DMR firmware update? If this proves to be true, then Leica is truly testing the loyality of long time R users. I'm sitting here with a DMR and no firmware in sight, and not a peep from them about it. ..... I am asking this question almost everyweek. This link says it will come up end this month or early next month. http://www.leica-camera-user.com/digital-forum/19454-leica-digital-modul-r-firmware-update-2.html?highlight=1.26#post217321 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosuna Posted April 28, 2007 Share #16 Posted April 28, 2007 If they design a digital camera that makes all my R glass obsolete that'll be the last straw. I don't think so. In my opinion, electronic focus confirmation would be a good addition to a R10 body. Anyway, autofocus lenses doesn't imply that manual focus lenses can't be used too. The problem with focus confirmation or autofocus is that some light must be deviated to the focus sensor cell. The problem with AF lenses is that they must be made of lighter materials, have a lot of electronics in and must be designed and manufactured in a different way (maybe by others, in Japan). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicar7 Posted April 28, 2007 Share #17 Posted April 28, 2007 What I suspect fotografz meant was that if R lenses were not able to be used (not compatible) on a new R camera, it would be the last straw. That was my take on that comment, but I can certainly be wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angora Posted April 29, 2007 Share #18 Posted April 29, 2007 I don't think so. In my opinion, electronic focus confirmation would be a good addition to a R10 body. Anyway, autofocus lenses doesn't imply that manual focus lenses can't be used too. The problem with focus confirmation or autofocus is that some light must be deviated to the focus sensor cell. The problem with AF lenses is that they must be made of lighter materials, have a lot of electronics in and must be designed and manufactured in a different way (maybe by others, in Japan). The problem is also that oftenly their focus ring aren't as precise as those of MF lenses. In addition, if Leica came to abandon metal made lenses........ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikau Posted April 29, 2007 Share #19 Posted April 29, 2007 This may or may not be worth much, but recently the head of the Leica distributorship in my country was at some important Leica Asia-Pacific meeting attended by some of what were supposedly Solms' top brass. He asked about the R- line and passed on to me that he was told quite firmly, "no-one should get rid of their R lenses." No more details than that; just thought I'd throw it in the pot. I'd guess the R10 might have some new autofocus items, but would also be usable with our manual focus lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdai Posted April 29, 2007 Share #20 Posted April 29, 2007 I wouldn't worry too much about my R lenses even if Leica completely scrapped the whole R line because I can always adapt them to the EOS mount with more advanced features even unavailable in Leica's own cameras. Auto focus doesn't necessarily mean the new lenses will be slouch either, think about the N mount 17-35, 135/1.8 ZA etc. To be made in Japan or even in China, is just fine ... and Leica has used subcontractors in both countries for a long time. There's only one thing for certain, I won't be among the first who'll bite the bullet ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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