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My M8 frameline rumors were wrong.


Guest imported_jtorral

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The actual Summicron is very good, but one of the older lenses in the M catalogue.

Peter Karbe investigated the possibility of an improvement of the current design several years ago, and the result was a design with impressive image quality. That design was the basis for modern ASPH designs in Leica lenses.

I would like to buy a modern Summicron ASPH with unprecedented image quality.

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Bill, are you expecting your 28mm to be a Summilux or an Elmarit? There's arguably a case for either lens

 

Yes, Leica may feel they need a flagship Summilux 'wide-normal' lens for use with the M8. A 28/F1.4 would certainly fill this gap but at what price? (The current 28 'cron is already up to £1799 at Classic Camera.)

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Mark,

 

I need more light than would allow me to buy the rumored tri-wide, as I expect it to be an f4 lens and wider than I am used to using. The speculation has been that it will be a 15-etc lens and I don't usually use lenses wider than 35mm-effective.

 

Not sure about the 28. I think this is the lens I will get. I was thinking of the 24mm because Puts raves about it so. However, I also need lots of light so may instead opt for the 28mm f2.0 asph.

 

It's really hard to make a decision like this because the way Leica works with dealers means we can't kick the tires. Dealers just don't have a stock of demo lenses we can try out. If Leica had a store in Manhattan like they are about to open in Tokyo, I'd wander down from Boston to make my lens decision. Unfortunately, this isn't possible.

 

I used to use a 28 on my M's and didn't really like it (pre-asph design). So, acquiring a 28 again (except that this time I will buy an asph lens) really means I will be acquiring a lens for the M8, with effective 35mm length.

 

I would expect the asph character of the lens to prevent the dislike I had of the previous 28 if I were to use it with film on my M's, but I actually expect that the film in my freezer is going to stay there.

 

I am getting excited, tho.

 

Bill

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Dealers just don't have a stock of demo lenses we can try out. If Leica had a store in Manhattan like they are about to open in Tokyo, I'd wander down from Boston to make my lens decision. Unfortunately, this isn't possible.

 

Isn't Rich Pinto (Photo Village) in Manhattan? I'm sure he'd be happy to demo whatever lenses you are interested in.

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I think Leica dealers should have loaners which people can borrow for a weekend to try out. Sure there will be time wasters but otherwise, how do they justify their margin?

 

I am quite open about the fact I buy my lenses from HK, I've just bought a 24mm lens. True I don't get a warranty or any sort of service (other than in my hands 4 days after ordering) but to me, the saving is worthwhile. The lens is also not coded so there's a minor cost to fixing that. Solms, it will be with you on Thursday of next week!

 

When it comes to the M8, I'll pay full price because there may well be warranty issues so there's benefit in buying from a dealer.

 

As for your choice of lens, you'll know that the 28mm ASPH is a cracking lens, ideal for going wider on the M8.

 

Excited? I can't remember ever feeling this way about any product. I'm very much looking forward to find out how Leica have re-interpreted the M concept for the digital world. I have huge faith in German engineered products - cars, cameras, even the machines that wash my clothes and my wine glasses are made in Germany. There's an integrity about how they approach things which is deeply impressive. And I'm a Cambridge engineer.

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Bill, buying from HK is a case of trading price for warranty/service. I've bought 6 lenses over the last 4 months and 3 of them have needed minor cosmetic/adjustment work (because I am ultra-picky), easily done (at my expense) as the lenses were going to Solms for coding anyway.

 

Certainly, for people who like the security of warranties, they should buy from a dealer. I'm a risk-taker by nature, so the opportunity for saving is significant. To those dealers who may resent this, I'm sorry but you have to provide a service beyond order-taking to justify your margin.

 

Benchmark: New 24mm Elmarit-M including world-wide shipping but no import charges (clearance, tax): $2120.

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Howard, that's the same conclusion I came to on Post 22 on this thread but who know? I wonder if Leica spent as many man-hours deciding what to do as we have spent deliberating the issue?

Sorry to have overlooked it, Mark. As you say, we've got it analyzed! :)

 

--HC

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1. I doubt the 50 'cron ASPH - the 50 f/2 is the "entry-level" lens in terms of price. As mentioned, an ASPH version was designed close to 20 years ago, and not introduced because it was much too expensive to be the basic starter lens. It did, indeed, include design principles that have been adopted for all the subsequent ASPH lenses from 28 to 75.

 

2. Leica does offer a "test-drive" program - 2 dealers here in the Denver area participate: one with a basic MP with 35 and 90 lenses, the other with an M7 and Noctilux-75 f/1.4-21 ASPH-90 APO, plus an R9 and 28-90. Guess it's up to the individual dealers whether they want to get involved - I'm not sure how the loaners are financed.

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Guest stnami

After all this Mark's next decision is... will I take a photograph,... you are yet to exhaust that Mark, I am sure you have covered everything else

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Mark's next decision is... will I take a photograph...

MARK--

THAT'S IT!!!

 

When you get the M8, I want to see the innards like those luscious D2 shots!

 

M's are the simplest camera on the market to disassemble; you can be the first to see if the same holds for the M8! :rolleyes:

 

--HC

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Even taking an M6 apart requires you to remove the leather.

AHA! I knew you were contemplating it. :cool:

 

In your mind you're already comparing the exterior to the M6... :D

 

What's the line from Monty Python's "Life of Bryan"?

 

Something like, "Yes, I knew I was right! One of the signs of the messiah is that the true messiah denies that he's the messiah!"

 

--HC

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