nryn Posted June 28, 2007 Share #1 Posted June 28, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Well, I've dragged out the decision on which lens to get with the 30% offer almost as far as it can go. Not as bad as driving to the post office at 11:55pm the day taxes are due, but it feels somewhat similar. Some of you may recall that I, like many, were wondering what to do with the 30% offer. In the end I was trying to decide between the 75mm cron and the WATE. Well, it's the 75mm 'cron. With John Milich's adapter, I have absolutely no complaints with my 15CV. Also, the coded adapter has clued me in a bit on how big a pain in the @ss the focal length menu switching might be on the WATE; at least with the CV I use the same setting all the time. So that rounds out my lens kit. I don't think I mentioned that my father remembered he inherited from his favorite uncle an M3 with a bunch of lenses, and though they're beat up, he was thrilled to see me take the lens, mount it on my M8, and use it for the first time in many years. And I of course was thrilled to have three new lenses. So, the lineup is now 15CV, 24/2.8, 35/1.4 ASPH, 35/3.5, 50/2.0, 50/1.4 (don't know which, but not ASPH), 75/2.0, 90/4 Macro. Still might sell the 24. Don't know yet. Might take a lifetime to decide. Anyone else sending their forms in at the last minute? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 28, 2007 Posted June 28, 2007 Hi nryn, Take a look here Last-minute 30% offer decision. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Eoin Posted June 28, 2007 Share #2 Posted June 28, 2007 Narayan, Good choice, it's a fantastic lens with lovely colour and bokeh, I'm sure you'll enjoy it whenever it arrives. I find it nice and compact, relatively speaking, and does not obstruct too much of the viewfinder. It certainly has an ASPH fingerprint with lots of contrast. I've already ordered back in March, still waiting for the Nocti to arrive. It will be the final outstanding piece of the jigsaw remaining since I now have my filters and native support for DNG in aperture. When the Nocti lands, there will be a quick evaluation and decisions to be made on which focal lengths to keep and which to pass on. But a little like you I've been spoiled to date with my 21 Elmarit Asph, 28 Summicron Asph, 35 Summilux Asph, 50 Summicron, 75 Summicron AA. How can I be expected to choose, it's almost like having to choose to sell one of your children, I think I'll take a lifetime to decide on this one, LOL. Anyway enjoy it when you get it but be prepared for the wait ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted June 28, 2007 Share #3 Posted June 28, 2007 Anyone else sending their forms in at the last minute? Yes, I've just sent off my order. There's a postal strike tomorrow (Friday) so today was the effective deadline in the UK (unless you Fedex or UPS it). I wasn't going to bother with the offer but have decided to replace the 28 'cron that I foolishly sold only a month or so ago after acquiring the more diminutive 28 Elmarit. The Elmarit, whilst more 'Leica-like' for me in terms of its physical size, is brutally sharp and contrasty (more so than any other Leica lens I have owned - including the 50 ASPH) and I have already begun to pine for that slightly 'odd' drawing you get from the 'cron. (The lesson here is to never sell a lens until you are 100% satisfied that you will not miss it.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted June 28, 2007 Share #4 Posted June 28, 2007 I ordered the MATE, so they have all my papers. I now have to decide what to get from the reduced list. I'm trying to decide between the 24/2.8 and the 28/2. I emailed Leica this morning to see if they'll accept a fax for this, no answer yet though. - C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted June 28, 2007 Share #5 Posted June 28, 2007 In case its helpful (for those debating 35 mm lenses), I'm going to try to publish the 35 mm lens review tonight. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseelig Posted June 28, 2007 Share #6 Posted June 28, 2007 Allright who wants to order a wate and sel it to me at there cost??? LOL Enjoy those of you who can do this order a lens you cannot find used would be my best advice 75 f2, wate or a noctilux. 28 f2 summicron a 24 f2.8 both can be found used and clean for 2200 us . Enjoy David P.S. there are also the zeiss alternative lenses which are really nice even if a pain to get coded. So get what can not be gotten easily. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rondeb Posted June 28, 2007 Share #7 Posted June 28, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Can someone please post the "preferential" price for the Noctilux in the US? I'm having trouble finding my letter at the moment and I know we're pressed for time! Thanks, Ron Williams Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted June 28, 2007 Share #8 Posted June 28, 2007 I ordered the MATE too. I am broke and am just trying to delay the purchase. When they contact me, I will likely go for the 75/2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted June 28, 2007 Share #9 Posted June 28, 2007 ...... I'm going to try to publish the 35 mm lens review tonight. Hooray for you Sean - I have been patiently looking forward to this one. .....................Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
holgerf Posted June 28, 2007 Share #10 Posted June 28, 2007 I ordered the MATE too. I am broke and am just trying to delay the purchase. When they contact me, I will likely go for the 75/2. I just ordered the 75/2. Hopefully will get my M8 back next week after the second try to adjust sensor and rangefinder Best Holger Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_S Posted June 28, 2007 Share #11 Posted June 28, 2007 I also ordered the 75/2 as a 30% offer decision 2 weeks ago. Yesterday I received a letter with order confirmation. Expected delivery in approx. 4 weeks. Not bad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nryn Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share #12 Posted June 28, 2007 Wow. A lot of 75 Summicrons. I would have expected most people to go for the WATE, the Noctilux, or the now-discontinued MATE. No pushing. I was in line...last. Really looking forward to your 35mm review, Sean. I'm covered in that focal length but your reviews are always interesting. Hopefully after the lens craziness you can fit in a topical or skill-related article. I really like those; your breadth of aesthetic knowledge really shines through on those. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdrmd Posted June 28, 2007 Share #13 Posted June 28, 2007 I received a registered from Leica today, telling me it will be 3-4 months for them to deliver the 30% discounted 50mm Noctilux. I suppose for the price it is worth the wait, but it sure seems like a log time. From what I gather on this forum this is about an average wait; what do you think? DR Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted June 28, 2007 Share #14 Posted June 28, 2007 Wow. A lot of 75 Summicrons. I would have expected most people to go for the WATE, the Noctilux, or the now-discontinued MATE. No pushing. I was in line...last. Really looking forward to your 35mm review, Sean. I'm covered in that focal length but your reviews are always interesting. Hopefully after the lens craziness you can fit in a topical or skill-related article. I really like those; your breadth of aesthetic knowledge really shines through on those. Thanks (and thanks to Chris, by the way). Once this article is done, there's a mixture of things I'm working on. I just got a review copy of the Zeiss 85/2.0 and so (if I can get the Leica 90s right now) it's time to do the 85/90s. That will wrap the core articles on lenses for the M8 although there are other articles to add to that over time (the new CVs, the 75/1.4 Summilux, etc.) But I'm also working on an article about Ben Lifson's photography tutorials and will soon be working on another article called "Photographing People We Know" which is the third article in the series that began with "Street Photography" and "Photographing Strangers". I also have a Ricoh GX-100 on the way and want to review a Sigma DP-1 as well. Best, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nryn Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share #15 Posted June 28, 2007 Probably average. I don't know why it takes so long, since some lenses I'm sure Leica has in stock (maybe I'm naive in thinking that). I'm sure Leica's first priority is getting lenses to dealers who have customers who pay full price, and much of the wait suggests the priority they give the 30% offers in the queue. I'm fine with that, particularly since they won't charge me anything until it ships. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted June 28, 2007 Share #16 Posted June 28, 2007 Actually the 30 percent off voucher has nothing to do with inventory and stock. Plain and simple Leica is backlogged because of demand . They sold a lot more M8 camera's to new users than leica predicted and with these new users comes the need for new lenses .They also sold more M8's than they predicted and it still is a steady stream of sales. Just had a meeting in Germany on this and many other topics. I can't repeat the number of M8's sold but it is higher than i guessed by a long shot. lenses that have been discontinued is more related to lens elements and there design that they are having a hard time getting that certian formula made. also sales have something to do with it and the actually number of lenses in total they can produce given there resources. These are still made by hand in many ways, that has not changed much from yesteryear. They have added more machines and such to do more at once and add to there capabilities but they folks at Solms are highly trained technicians and you just can add people to the lines without training and experience. Yes they are working hard to meet demand but there are also limits to what can be done also. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted June 28, 2007 Share #17 Posted June 28, 2007 The MATE has already been removed from the web-site, not even the 75/1.4 has suffered that fate. Ordering a MATE, as Carsten has just done, is buying time - so far as I know, there has been no official announcement that the MATE is discontinued, so how is Carsten to know if it's discontinued or not? He certainly wouldn't listen to rumour and hearsay on the LUG... Guy tells us all M lenses are back-ordered and their production capacity is limited, so it is a question of playing the waiting game. Sadly, they cannot go out and grab some of Germany's 9.1% unemployed and say, "Hey, just set up the focussing on this batch of 50 Noctiluxes that have just come in, will you?". "Nocti-wass?", they would say... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted June 28, 2007 Share #18 Posted June 28, 2007 The MATE is discontinued and they are suppoesed to fill the orders from the 30 percent voucher. The issue with the MATE is one of the elements. There is a special element that that formula can't be produced by there vendor that makes the block of glass. Plus they will make lenses that are bigger sellers, which is what most companies will do. Just like the Noctilux the certain element has caused the price to go up because it is hard to produce and the earth elements are hard to get now. i don't know if official in some form the MATE is discontinued , just going by what I was directly told. Just may not be on paper yet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted June 28, 2007 Share #19 Posted June 28, 2007 The MATE has already been removed from the web-site, not even the 75/1.4 has suffered that fate. Ordering a MATE, as Carsten has just done, is buying time - so far as I know, there has been no official announcement that the MATE is discontinued, so how is Carsten to know if it's discontinued or not? He certainly wouldn't listen to rumour and hearsay on the LUG... Guy tells us all M lenses are back-ordered and their production capacity is limited, so it is a question of playing the waiting game. Sadly, they cannot go out and grab some of Germany's 9.1% unemployed and say, "Hey, just set up the focussing on this batch of 50 Noctiluxes that have just come in, will you?". "Nocti-wass?", they would say... Mark that is part of the issue , if they hire 300 people which is something they would not mind doing. The issue is it won't solve the backlog of immediate need . They have hired some and also added machines and also they are working Saturdays . So hiring people will take training and that takes time. There is one lady in particular that we saw actually hand painting the side of a element and i will say that was mindboggling watching her paint with a loupe in one hand as the element turned she was painting the side of the element. That takes skill and a extremely steady hand. Now take that lady and strectch her day out to 9 hours from the 7 she works , what happens is she will be more prone to a mistake because of the detail level she works at it takes great concentration. Do you take a chance at letting her ruin a element of glass that costs a lot of money and time to a mistake because she is overworked. Not the best idea in my book. It's stuff like this that puts limits on production , just like any other company the machine can only turn so fast. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterlenz Posted June 29, 2007 Share #20 Posted June 29, 2007 snip That will wrap the core articles on lenses for the M8 although there are other articles to add to that over time (the new CVs, the 75/1.4 Summilux, etc.) snip Sean Are you not going to update the ones already out new FW info etc... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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