scroy Posted August 1, 2017 Share #1 Posted August 1, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) Its getting to the end of the summer, and I've been really looking forward to the 75 and the 90mm, and have started wondering about the lens characteristics. Has Leica updated the roadmap on the availability of the 75mm or provided any new insights on the lens? From their prior statements it looked like the 75mm was to be released at the end of the summer this year. https://leicarumors.com/2016/09/19/leica-announced-five-new-sl-lenses.aspx/ Subhash Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 1, 2017 Posted August 1, 2017 Hi scroy, Take a look here Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75mm f/2 ASPH. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
MediaFotografie Posted August 1, 2017 Share #2 Posted August 1, 2017 still nothing new here, no data sheets, no other informations - even no price... Did they really say summer of 2017? :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted August 1, 2017 Share #3 Posted August 1, 2017 I was in Leica Mayfair today and asked the same question - they said 'end of the year' for both 75 and 90, but the implication from the the tone and body language was 'we don't know but not soon'. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted August 1, 2017 Share #4 Posted August 1, 2017 I bet they are delayed due to attempts to get the AF speed as fast as possible. As one of the main beefs about the 50/1.4 SL was the pedestrian AF compared to the the zooms I think Leica would be very foolish to release any more primes unless AF is really, really quick..... 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenw0lf Posted August 1, 2017 Share #5 Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) The main "beef" about the SL 50 is its size. The speed does not concern me too much. So I'd rather get the compact 75 and 90 and a not wait forever and a day for perfect AF speed. After all Leica probably depends on producers of motors - and it looks rather unlikely that they should improve their products by an enormous amount in the next few months. (for a small customer like Leica). But maybe there is a general problem to get the motors - I could imagine that all sorts of electric motors are now in big demand. Or maybe Leica has simply not enough experience with high-speed gears. Until lately their lenses were mainly known for their smoothness in operation - which is not necessarily the same as highest speed. (My japanese lenses with high speed seem rather sloppily built by comparison, with no smoothness in manual use). Edited August 1, 2017 by steppenw0lf Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted August 1, 2017 Share #6 Posted August 1, 2017 Well, I would beef if it's not as quick, or nearly so, as the zooms. I'm guessing it's not just motors, but how light you can make the focussing element. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geetee1972 Posted August 1, 2017 Share #7 Posted August 1, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) The 75 and 90 will be primarily portrait lenses where no one cares about AF speed (actually no one cares about AF). 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted August 1, 2017 Share #8 Posted August 1, 2017 ... well then there is absolutely no point in them as there are perfectly good M and R equivalents. perhaps you should drop Leica a line and advise them of the error of their ways 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted August 1, 2017 Share #9 Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) The 75 and 90 will be primarily portrait lenses where no one cares about AF speed (actually no one cares about AF). I care - for both AF and fast AF. For that fleeting expression. Edited August 1, 2017 by LocalHero1953 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geetee1972 Posted August 1, 2017 Share #10 Posted August 1, 2017 ... well then there is absolutely no point in them as there are perfectly good M and R equivalents. perhaps you should drop Leica a line and advise them of the error of their ways Leica are smart enough to know that most off it's customers are still likely to buy them anyway because they can. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest VVJ Posted August 2, 2017 Share #11 Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) I was in Leica Mayfair today and asked the same question - they said 'end of the year' for both 75 and 90, but the implication from the the tone and body language was 'we don't know but not soon'. Too bad. I am probably not in the market for the 75mm or the 90mm but I was very curious to see whether they really would be as good as Leica claimed they would be. Edited August 2, 2017 by JorisV Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplomley Posted August 2, 2017 Share #12 Posted August 2, 2017 I just want the 16-35, and why they would offer primes before completing the zoom triad is beyond me. I'm wondering if sluggish sales of the SL will result in a re-prioritization within Leica. What's the rush to produce lenses for a body that has fallen below predicted sales? Sales are not going to sky-rocket because they introduce a 75 or 90 prime, but I'm certain a stellar 16-35 will result in a greater number of SL sales by comparison. Every Canon and Nikon shooter has this zoom range so Leica needs to pull their finger out and get on with it if they want to lure that crowd to the red dot. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LD_50 Posted August 2, 2017 Share #13 Posted August 2, 2017 I just want the 16-35, and why they would offer primes before completing the zoom triad is beyond me. I'm wondering if sluggish sales of the SL will result in a re-prioritization within Leica. What's the rush to produce lenses for a body that has fallen below predicted sales? Sales are not going to sky-rocket because they introduce a 75 or 90 prime, but I'm certain a stellar 16-35 will result in a greater number of SL sales by comparison. Every Canon and Nikon shooter has this zoom range so Leica needs to pull their finger out and get on with it if they want to lure that crowd to the red dot. The majority of Canon and Nikon shooters have a kit zoom. If you're talking professional shooters you're probably closer to accurate, but that's a different market from the SL, regardless of what Leica marketing says. I would liked to have seen a series of smaller and lightweight f2.8 or f4 primes to start the system. They could call it something like the SL-Four kit: 14mm f4 24mm f4 35mm f2.8 50mm f2.8 Sell it as a kit with a nice hard case for $8000 and I would be all over it if they kept the size and weight low along with high IQ. Think of it like the Zeiss Loxia kit. Add an SL-Two kit at the longer end for $7000 and I would buy it also. 75mm f2 100 macro f4 These would complement the zooms. I'd have a complete kit for lightweight landscape and street shooting along with zooms for the convenience. I'm sure they'll get to filling out the system eventually, though not likely with a series of smaller lenses. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted August 2, 2017 Share #14 Posted August 2, 2017 I just want the 16-35, and why they would offer primes before completing the zoom triad is beyond me. I'm wondering if sluggish sales of the SL will result in a re-prioritization within Leica. What's the rush to produce lenses for a body that has fallen below predicted sales? Sales are not going to sky-rocket because they introduce a 75 or 90 prime, but I'm certain a stellar 16-35 will result in a greater number of SL sales by comparison. Every Canon and Nikon shooter has this zoom range so Leica needs to pull their finger out and get on with it if they want to lure that crowd to the red dot. Has it? What were predicted sales? and Actual sales? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplomley Posted August 2, 2017 Share #15 Posted August 2, 2017 If sales were on target, I doubt they would have dropped the price $1500. I've no doubt this was a strategy to move inventory. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted August 2, 2017 Share #16 Posted August 2, 2017 (edited) Or it may be more complicated. Sales may be fine, but they still want to shift more, compensate for exchange rates, or prepare for competition from Sony, Nikon. I have no inside track. Your comment was so free of doubt, I was just checking if you did. Edited August 2, 2017 by LocalHero1953 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lx1713 Posted August 2, 2017 Share #17 Posted August 2, 2017 I care - for both AF and fast AF. For that fleeting expression. +1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted August 2, 2017 Share #18 Posted August 2, 2017 I don't think anything Leica produces is remotely high volume .... hence the high prices. Production is in batches tailored to sales, which is why there are shortages from time to time, so I cannot see how any external casual observer can judge whether sales are greater or less than Leica expects. There is often a lead time of several years before products appear and Leica has chosen ..... rightly or wrongly .... to stagger lens releases ... and have learnt to their cost to release when things are ready and not to a fixed timetable. The SL lenses are produced 'in house' and I think it would be impractical for a small company like Leica to design, prototype, test, refine and gear up to production more than a handful of new lens types per year .... and bear in mind they have the M, S, SL and T ranges on the go at the same time. They will appear when they are ready and I cannot see Leica changing their strategy. Very likely they all appear close together .... like London buses .... and cause financial anguish as a result. On Facebook the Leica Meet (any Leica photo) has 13000 members and the SL User Group (only SL photos) 4000 members ... and are both increasing pro rata ...... which is a bit of a contrast to the low level of activity on the Leica Forum. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geetee1972 Posted August 2, 2017 Share #19 Posted August 2, 2017 I care - for both AF and fast AF. For that fleeting expression. Just out of interest how does AF help with that? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropo54 Posted August 2, 2017 Share #20 Posted August 2, 2017 Just out of interest how does AF help with that? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Have you ever tried photographing moving children? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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