What you think about the Limited Edition Leica Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH. Lens (Silver Anodized)?

[Lins-Barroso]

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This is a very limited run edition - 300 pieces -, but exactly the same regular Black Edition!

Is it really special or a limited edition without a real appeal?

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[Leicaiste]

Would be nice on the M10-P chrome. 

😉

Edited February 17, 2019 by Leicaiste

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[madrigalmaster]

I honestly believe that Leica is doing the wrong thing to promote the brand with these special editions.

I am sure they make a lot of money from collectors and people who nerver put their lenses or cameras to use but for the real photographer it is a waste.

Make more lenses, lower the prices, help the real photographers.

Voigtlander and other manufacturers make wonderful M mount lenses.

[david strachan]

Yup. Keep ramping prices...people leave.  Suddenly extinctions.

There are others who make pretty decent lenses for last 50 years.

 

...

 

[farnz]

I see things a different way: if Leica didn't release special editions and left-field products such as the MM and the M10-D etc then they simply wouldn't be available to those they might appeal to.  By Leica's releasing them they are available to those who have the means to afford them and the desire to own them and offer a more splendid smorgasbord to us all.  No one's forced to buy them so I see them as a positive thing.  

Some might complain that they're too expensive but all that really means is that the price is more than those people wish to pay, which is entirely subjective and has little meaning.  Basic economics will determine the market price.

Pete.

[fotografr]

It's never a wrong marketing decision to make a product that sells. If all 300 lenses sell, as I'm sure they will, then it was a good move by Leica.

That lens would look great, in my opinion, on any M--black, chrome, safari or whatever. It's downright gorgeous.

Edited February 17, 2019 by fotografr

[lct]

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On 2/17/2019 at 1:01 AM, Lins-Barroso said:

Is it really special or a limited edition without a real appeal?

A limited edition with appeal for collectors or photogs preferring silver lenses i guess. As for expecting special optical performances, all i can say is Mr Huff is a believer 🙏. 

[IkarusJohn]

I don't believe a word of this idea that there are A, B & C lenses.  Leica would never live this down, if it were true.  I do, however, think there is sample variation in the "standard" production lenses - we know that from feedback on this forum.  I suspect this simply reflects a production line struggle to maintain quality.

Does this mean that the special editions are completed to a higher or more consistent quality standard?  That is possible, and even highly likely.  The special editions come after the production versions have settled down - in this case, remember the issues with the first batches of APO Summicron-M 50 lenses?  The stainless steel Summilux-M 35 (FLE) that came with my M Edition 60 was the best made lens I have ever owned, with no exceptions.  I expect this special edition black chrome APO Summicron-M 50 will be at the top of the quality that Leica can achieve with this lens.

Will it have better optical performance than the "standard" lens?  Wishful thinking, in my view.  That said, it seems the optical performance of the standard lens is quite sufficient!

[steveclem]

I don't want to appear cantankerous but I do feel Leica should pay attention to QC. Their product deserves it. 

Top dollar should be reflected in product. 

[M.RB]

On 2/18/2019 at 7:08 AM, farnz said:

I see things a different way: if Leica didn't release special editions and left-field products such as the MM and the M10-D etc then they simply wouldn't be available to those they might appeal to.  By Leica's releasing them they are available to those who have the means to afford them and the desire to own them and offer a more splendid smorgasbord to us all.  No one's forced to buy them so I see them as a positive thing.  

Some might complain that they're too expensive but all that really means is that the price is more than those people wish to pay, which is entirely subjective and has little meaning.  Basic economics will determine the market price.

Pete.

I’m sorry and I certainly don’t mean to offend but i find this just disgusting apologist consumerist nonsense. 

Let’s be honest. An M10 is a 5 figure item in my currency. Many of the major lenses produced by Leica are too. The prices for this equipment have quickly gone from stiff to another level entirely. 

I’m a person of reasonable means. I have Leica equipment. I’m grateful the company still exists, I greatly enjoy using M equipment. 

However, to my eye at least, items like this lens under discussion are some kind of vile jewellery for the oligarchy. There is only one purpose being served here and it is greed, nothing more. 

Maybe I don’t spend enough time in Mayfair, Monte Carlo or Macau these days but ‘basic economics’ is not what any of this is. Special editions whatever, apologist bullshit. 

[farnz]

1 minute ago, M.RB said:

I’m sorry and I certainly don’t mean to offend but i find this just disgusting apologist consumerist nonsense. 

Let’s be honest. An M10 is a 5 figure item in my currency. Many of the major lenses produced by Leica are too. The prices for this equipment have quickly gone from stiff to another level entirely. 

I’m a person of reasonable means. I have Leica equipment. I’m grateful the company still exists, I greatly enjoy using M equipment. 

However, to my eye at least, items like this lens under discussion are some kind of vile jewellery for the oligarchy. There is only one purpose being served here and it is greed, nothing more. 

Maybe I don’t spend enough time in Mayfair, Monte Carlo or Macau these days but ‘basic economics’ is not what any of this is. Special editions whatever, apologist bullshit. 

None taken.

Thank you for proving my point.  You don't want to pay the advertised price so you presume the manufacturer is overpricing the product and greedy.  The price is what the price is.  Only economics through the market, which includes you, is likely to change this.  If Leica's price is too high then customers won't buy and Leica is left with unsold stock that it has to move to make way for newly-produced stock and will therefore be obliged to lower the price (discount it) to move it.

Every company is obliged to sell its wares at the highest price that it can in order to maximise profits - that's why the company is in business, and that's what shareholders demand and why they chose to become shareholders.  What you call "greed" others would probably term "maximised profits"; profit is what keeps the company in business.  

What none of us know - and are never likely to know - is what the product cost to make and therefore what the profit margin is.  What might appear to be huge profit driven by stratospheric prices might actually be 'reasonable' profit owing to high production costs, taxation, manufacturing inefficiencies etc.  My apologies if this sounds like a lecture - it's not intended it to, it's just the most straightforward way I can think of to explain my view.

I invite you to explain where I've got this wrong.

Pete.

[pedaes]

3 hours ago, M.RB said:

 

However, to my eye at least, items like this lens under discussion are some kind of vile jewellery for the oligarchy. There is only one purpose being served here and it is greed, nothing more. 

 

This is silly. It is widely acknowledged as a fine lens, and this specific issue 'just' has a silver finish. Nothing more, nothing less. I prefer silver bodies, so whenever possible buy a silver finish lens if it is available.

[Mark II]

Exactly. If you like the lens and think that paying $400 more is worth the cosmetic change then buy it.

FWIW, if the run is only 300 lenses, then the additional revenue is only 120,000 US dollars. Given the additional cost of tooling, advertising, packaging, distribution, servicing, dealer mark-ups, etc, Leica is probably not making a ton of money here. It seems more likely that they are doing this to assess if there is market demand for more silver versions of lenses. I do not think that this is a "collectors lens" is the worst Lenny-Kravitz tradition, and I would be surprised if the run to remains limited to 300 units...

More than the finish, you should be asking if you really want and would use the lens. I was very tempted, but the size and finder blockage mean that I would struggle to use the 28mm Summilux regularly given that there are smaller and more practical 28mm options - I sold my otherwise superb ZM1,4/35 for exactly this reason. The Summilux's degree of purple fringing in high-contrast situations was also a concern - I am surprised that a lens at this price point is not an APO design.

[Steven]

Hello, 

After a year of searching, I've finally found a silver summilux. 

Does any of you know if the silver anodised version is heavier than the black one ? Thanks. 

[IkarusJohn]

Shouldn’t be.  The silverchrome versions of lenses (I have the silverchrome 50 Summilux ASPH and the 28 Summaron) are made of brass.  The silver anodised lenses are the same as the black versions, just with a different finish.  

Edited July 28, 2021 by IkarusJohn

[RF’sDelight]

vor 9 Minuten schrieb Steven:

Hello, 

After a year of searching, I've finally found a silver summilux. 

Does any of you know if the silver anodised version is heavier than the black one ? Thanks. 

…2 years later… The key to your answer is the word "anodized".

[Steven]

Many many thanks. 

[junix]

9 hours ago, Steven said:

Hello, 

After a year of searching, I've finally found a silver summilux. 

Does any of you know if the silver anodised version is heavier than the black one ? Thanks. 

Wow! Where? Congrats! 
After not buying one from Ebay last year I gave up..

[Steven]

1 hour ago, junix said:

Wow! Where? Congrats! 
After not buying one from Ebay last year I gave up..

Yes! And it's much cheaper than the eBay one. It's actually just 500 over the price of the black version. 

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[junix]

36 minutes ago, Steven said:

Yes! And it's much cheaper than the eBay one. It's actually just 500 over the price of the black version. 

Amazing, for a 500 EUR premium I would have gone for it too. I tried this lens extensively and I really liked it, almost bought the black one.. but went for the Summaron instead (I'm a sucker for silver lenses..) ..until I find a silver Summilux, gave up in the meantime.

If you find another one let me know.