Will there be T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH upgrade?

[Xue]

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Anyone knows this?

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jaapv]

Welcome to the forum  

Is there any reason why it should be upgraded??? It is class-leading as it is.

[cpclee]

Very occasionally Leica updates a lens to give it better handling and haptics, but for the most part a lens is not updated unless there is a new leap in optical design and/or manufacturing capability (eg. precision).  The 18-56 is about as current as any lens in Leica's lineup so I'm doubtful there will be an update any time soon.

[SrMi]

2 hours ago, Xue said:

Anyone knows this?

No upgrades to 18-56 are expected, AFAIK.

[Xue]

Because sigma got a compact f2.8 maybe leica will upgrade the a bigger aperture?

[cpclee]

8 minutes ago, Xue said:

Because sigma got a compact f2.8 maybe leica will upgrade the a bigger aperture?

I think Leica deliberately gave their lens a modest f3.5-5.6 to maintain the combination of image quality / build / size / cost they were after.  If they ever choose to make an f2.8 version, I'd imagine it to cost >50% more and it will be much heavier and bigger.  So it wouldn't be a horizontal "upgrade".  

The Sigma seems to be an excellent lens for all practical purposes.  I'd go for that if I needed f2.8 than to wait/hope for Leica to make one.

[Xue]

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But why tthe wide and tele ones got 3.6-4.5 only this is 5.6😂

[cpclee]

1 hour ago, Xue said:

But why tthe wide and tele ones got 3.6-4.5 only this is 5.6😂

Because the zoom ratio of this lens (56:18) is much greater than the zoom ratio of the wide angle or the tele zoom.  

[cpclee]

No zoom is truly constant aperture.  The Sigma 18-50/2.8 actually lets in more light than f2.8 at 18mm, but the firmware is programmed to disallow you from shooting it at faster than f2.8 because the image quality would be below what Sigma considers acceptable. Same goes with all "constant aperture" zooms of there. It's just geometry / physics, really.

Edited December 1, 2021 by cpclee

[Xue]

1 hour ago, cpclee said:

No zoom is truly constant aperture.  The Sigma 18-50/2.8 actually lets in more light than f2.8 at 18mm, but the firmware is programmed to disallow you from shooting it at faster than f2.8 because the image quality would be below what Sigma considers acceptable. Same goes with all "constant aperture" zooms of there. It's just geometry / physics, really.

You're quite professional😄 

[graphlex]

Isn’t the future of the entire TL lens line uncertain now at best?

[cpclee]

6 hours ago, graphlex said:

Isn’t the future of the entire TL lens line uncertain now at best?

There is speculation about the demise of the APS-C camera bodies. But that's just speculation at this point and one way or another I can see the APS-C lens line to continue. 

[robgo2]

6 hours ago, graphlex said:

Isn’t the future of the entire TL lens line uncertain now at best?

There hasn't been a new TL lens released in about 4 years, if I remember correctly. So I would not hold my breath for an upgrade of any existing lenses, as Leica seems to have lost interest.

[cpclee]

1 hour ago, robgo2 said:

There hasn't been a new TL lens released in about 4 years, if I remember correctly. So I would not hold my breath for an upgrade of any existing lenses, as Leica seems to have lost interest.

True, but I also don't think there is much of a gap in the lens lineup that they needed to fill so I'm not sure if much can be inferred.

The fact that there has never been an SL macro lens tells me that Leica expects SL mount users to utilise the TL line of lenses for certain applications.  The day they decide to kill the TL lens line -- assuming if that day ever comes -- you'd expect them to have to come up with an SL macro lens.

Edited December 2, 2021 by cpclee