New Leica SL Lens Roadmap

[FrankF]

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There shortly will be 5 EVF / Mirrorless mounts.... Fujitsu (APS-C), Sony, Nikon, Canon and L. Of the 4 FF mounts, the only really thought out native lens roadmap is the L and the Sony. Discounting, for purposes of this message, Sony because it is not new (mature with lots of lens offerings), the L mount will offer from Panasonic the 24-120 lens for travel, the 50/1.4 lens for fast and the 70-200 for the longish zoom and 2 card slots ( although why the fascination with other than the SD cards escapes me.... Video requirement?). A very nice set of optical choices as a first set. Nikon blew it when they offered really conservative lenses up front and only 1 card slot, with max apertures of F4 (amateurs only may apply????); Canon did better with the fast 50 and zoom, but did away with IBIS and continued with the 1 card slot is enough theory, and Fuji only wants to play in the APS-C and MF markets. I am not currently in the market for a different Mirrorless mount ( Sony for me for now), but my choice would be one of the L mount cameras..... Top glass (Leica) or price point glass ( Panasonic and Sigma) is a great choice to offer consumers. Let’s wait for the glass IQ to decide who made the best decision. F? N? C? L?

[LD_50]

There shortly will be 5 EVF / Mirrorless mounts.... Fujitsu (APS-C), Sony, Nikon, Canon and L. Of the 4 FF mounts, the only really thought out native lens roadmap is the L and the Sony.

I can’t see how Canon and Nikon’s lens roadmaps are considered not to be well thought out. Canon hasn’t published much of one so it’s hard to say.

 

Nikon’s looks good to me, especially considering their FTZ adapter allows full functionality with much of their F line.

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[FlashGordonPhotography]

To my eyes, both the 35 and 50 Summicrons look rather large. If that turns out to be the case, then I will be railing against size and weight. I suppose that at some point I will have to reconcile myself to the fact that Leica does not consider compactness to be a priority for the SL system. For small size, one must turn to the M or CL series.

 

They will be the same size as the current 75 and 90. So you can see exactly what they will look like. Not small but well balanced.

 

Gordon

[robgo2]

They will be the same size as the current 75 and 90. So you can see exactly what they will look like. Not small but well balanced.

 

Gordon

Yes, I had surmised from the photos that the new Crons would be the same size as the 75 and 90. Depending on a number of factors, including price, I might take a plunge with the 50. I already have two excellent 50mm lenses, but neither has autofocus. And, to be honest, I have never been a fan of APOs. Sometimes they’re just a bit too perfect. Edited September 26, 2018 by robgo2

[FrankF]

I can’t see how Canon and Nikon’s lens roadmaps are considered not to be well thought out. Canon hasn’t published much of one so it’s hard to say.

Nikon’s looks good to me, especially considering their FTZ adapter allows full functionality with much of their F line.

I should have said.... initial native lens offerings......

All will offer some form of non native adapters from their previous systems......... Nikon, Canon, and Sony... But having used ( Fotodiox brand adapter) Nikon with AIS lenses or AF or AF-D lenses, there are gaps of user convenience or even operational working..... Manufacturers offer adapters for their old lense systems to make it appear that their 3 lens initial offerings are even greater through use of adapters..... but support, operational ease of use, and even functionality are all compromised.... and typically are not adressed through updates. Nikon will offer suport for their most recent lens line.... S lenses, but the previous (how many million?) lenses will be ignored. It is reality.

 

Leica, whch offers a R lens to SL adapter, does not provide aperture connection..... IMO, the most inportant connection to make in an adapter.... And why should they make it easy on us... they want to sell more.... and adapters give us the ability to buy less.

 

Back to my point..... the L system looks really good, and i think Panasonic has the winning edge..... with the initial native lenses that make sense and a dual SD card slot. IMO, C+N blew it.

[BernardC]

( although why the fascination with other than the SD cards escapes me.... Video requirement?)

That's it exactly. You need a fast card to record 10-bit video internally. That's why the SL only records 10-bit video externally through the HDMI connector.

10-bit is a requirement for HDR video, which takes full advantage of the brighter highlights and (to a lesser extent) darker shadows in newer displays.

[mmradman]

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I should have said.... initial native lens offerings......

All will offer some form of non native adapters from their previous systems......... Nikon, Canon, and Sony... But having used ( Fotodiox brand adapter) Nikon with AIS lenses or AF or AF-D lenses, there are gaps of user convenience or even operational working..... Manufacturers offer adapters for their old lense systems to make it appear that their 3 lens initial offerings are even greater through use of adapters..... but support, operational ease of use, and even functionality are all compromised.... and typically are not adressed through updates. Nikon will offer suport for their most recent lens line.... S lenses, but the previous (how many million?) lenses will be ignored. It is reality.

Leica, whch offers a R lens to SL adapter, does not provide aperture connection..... IMO, the most inportant connection to make in an adapter.... And why should they make it easy on us... they want to sell more.... and adapters give us the ability to buy less.

Back to my point..... the L system looks really good, and i think Panasonic has the winning edge..... with the initial native lenses that make sense and a dual SD card slot. IMO, C+N blew it.

I don’t know about the canon so will refrain from commenting but Nikon Z system is solid, only thing I don’t like is introduction of a new and expensive XQD memory cards, single slot is really not a real problem. New adapter provides aperture mechanical coupling, which is probably only of such type, and will AF all current lenses fitted with lens motor, this covers a big range from 8 to 800mm.

 

More expensive R to SL adapter is in comparison inferior, provides some additional functionality with chipped lenses but so is set of R-M and M-L adapters, I have Exif data for all my M and R lenses recorded.

[IkarusJohn]

I would imagine that with the newly announced L-Mount Alliance Leica those disappointed with the road map will be much happier campers. I would also imagine that Leica will leave it to Sigma to pack out the lens selection and continue to focus on all of its SL releases being "statement lenses", in the sense that they will be very expensive and best in class. 

 

It is great news for us SL shooters, as we will also have Panasonic driving the development of the bodies, and I hope cross sharing improved AF and flash for the SL2, as well of course as a new and higher resolution sensor. I was seriously looking at Nikon's new Z cameras for long telephoto and macro use but will now wait to see what Sigma brings in due course.

 

I find this interesting. I’ve never had an issue getting the Leica equipment I wanted, and it performs well. As an amateur, I’ve also never been frustrated with Leica not producing what I need - I tend more to try to understand what their equipment does and how to make the most of it. Sure, there have been cameras which haven’t interested me (M(240), CL, X-Vario, 35mm lenses etc), but having rationalised what I have, I’m very happy.

 

The fact that Leica has shared its L mount with two companies it sees compatibility with and that it is supplying old tech with Zenit (a very smart move) makes me wonder if, for a small company, it has bitten off more than it can chew. Leica has said more than once that it has high hopes for the L mount and for that it needs critical mass. Similarly, selling M(240) chassis to Zenit helps to amortise the development cost.

 

Since I joined this forum in 2010(?), there have been numerous predictions that this or tha camera was being discontinued because it wasn’t selling. Yet Leica seems to be one of the few, if not the only, camera maker still turning a profit. I don’t really mind what Leica manufactures in the future (most of their special editions look really good, and I like the new watches). All I want them to do is to be able to fix and service what I have, and every now and then tempt me with something new.

[rick_dykstra]

Am I the only one who thought we might see news of an SL2 at this photokina? I've been waiting, to breathe life into my collection of R and M lenses. Might even be tempted to get some new SL lenses.

[prismstorm]

Yes - and so does the 75, and I'm pretty sure that both the 50 and 35 will as well. It's because of the APO element(s) which boost the contrast in the in-focus area, which means that the drop off in contrast going from in focus to out of focus is much steeper (giving the impression of a faster lens). I spoke with Peter Karbe about this last time I was in Germany - I even have a nice little graph he made in my notebook!

 

However - I also suspect that the 50 f2 may be more expensive than the 50 f1.4.

 

best

Yes I read the interview of RDF and saw the curve posted on the product webpages of the 75 and 90, but does all that mean the APO Cron 50 SL will have a shallower / same / better bokeh than the current Lux 50/1.4? And if so, what's the point of the 50/1.4 staying in the range (being non APO, larger, heavier, slower to focus, and having its supposed bokeh advantage at f1.4 negated)?

[LD_50]

Am I the only one who thought we might see news of an SL2 at this photokina? I've been waiting, to breathe life into my collection of R and M lenses. Might even be tempted to get some new SL lenses.

I expected no SL2 announcement. I was surprised to see the extended lens roadmap.

 

What about an SL fails to breathe life into R and M lenses? It seems like an ideal camera for them.

[IkarusJohn]

Yes I read the interview of RDF and saw the curve posted on the product webpages of the 75 and 90, but does all that mean the APO Cron 50 SL will have a shallower / same / better bokeh than the current Lux 50/1.4? And if so, what's the point of the 50/1.4 staying in the range (being non APO, larger, heavier, slower to focus, and having its supposed bokeh advantage at f1.4 negated)?

Is the 50 Summilux slower to focus? Mine’s very fast.

[LD_50]

Yes I read the interview of RDF and saw the curve posted on the product webpages of the 75 and 90, but does all that mean the APO Cron 50 SL will have a shallower / same / better bokeh than the current Lux 50/1.4? And if so, what's the point of the 50/1.4 staying in the range (being non APO, larger, heavier, slower to focus, and having its supposed bokeh advantage at f1.4 negated)?

Why not wait and see if the 50 Summicron and 50 Summilux render differently, handle differently and are priced differently?

 

Why not look at the other camera systems available (including Leica M and formerly R) and see that multiple lenses with the same focal length are frequently offered because the lenses are different. No one is required to own each.

 

Why not shoot the Summilux and see whether it makes sense for your needs? I did. It’s great.

[Jeff S]

Am I the only one who thought we might see news of an SL2 at this photokina? .

The recent trend of roughly 4 years between new model releases (M, S) made 2019 more likely (the SL was released in Oct, 2015). Various threads followed this thought. But I expect others had similar hopes, as Leica often surprises.... for better or worse.

 

Jeff

[prismstorm]

Is the 50 Summilux slower to focus? Mine’s very fast.

It requires a full second or two to travel from a close focus distance to a far one, and you can feel the motors working and shaking with rumble beneath the housing, compared to the fast and silent zooms.

[LD_50]

It requires a full second or two to travel from a close focus distance to a far one, and you can feel the motors working and shaking with rumble beneath the housing, compared to the fast and silent zooms.

The 50 Summilux definitely is slower than the zooms. It is still decentl in AF speed since an earlier FW update. It does not “shake with rumble.” It has a soft humming noise that is noticeable in quiet environments while shooting but provides no physical shaking.

 

I just swapped between the 16-35 and the 50 and the AF speed difference is noticeable but not a problem.

[ymc226]

I just added the 50SL to my also recently acquired 16-35SL. I bought the SL along with the 24-90 about a year and half ago and it does all and more of what my digital Ms did until then.

 

For my amateur use, family, portraits, vacation, landscape, I am very satisfied with the results, especially of the 50. I have no need for fast auto focus nor long telephotos. The overall look is very consistent with all of my digital Ms used with their modern ASPH M lenses and are very sharp. For some reason the full frame Nikon lenses used along with a D800 or the Olympus OMD em5 mkII along with its praised native lenses had such a different look, color and apparent sharpness that I couldn’t accept after experiencing the look from my Leicas. I sold all of those kits and have not been tempted by any other maker.

 

All I can say is that I will continue to get the wider SL Summicrons as they become available.

[IkarusJohn]

It requires a full second or two to travel from a close focus distance to a far one, and you can feel the motors working and shaking with rumble beneath the housing, compared to the fast and silent zooms.

Mine doesn’t require a full second, or anything like it.

[Alistairm]

@prismstorm if you're running on the latest firmware you need to get your lens checked. 

 

As to SL2, I reckon Leica will let the dust settle on Panasonic's SR1  and then bring out a camera with similar electronics, a few tweaks, that is much more expensive and that we will all go out and buy because - like the SL - it will be an utterly gorgeous piece of equipment to take photos with. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[jankojanko]

It is depressing for the short term. I am all excited about the Fuji 50R announcement. Time will pass and hopefully Leica will get the 35 out the door for us SL users. 

 

 

Not exactly short term in my dictionary. I'm shooting with the SL since 2016. So basically I have to wait 3 years before a standard 35mm lens is released. 

Edited September 27, 2018 by jankojanko