farnz Posted January 19 Share #21 Posted January 19 Advertisement (gone after registration) 1 hour ago, Nie wieder said: It's not the end. Venus optics just released a 12-24mm for Leica M. It doesn't appear to be rangefinder-coupled. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 19 Posted January 19 Hi farnz, Take a look here Wate 16/21 Elmar is the end of M Zoom history?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Nie wieder Posted January 20 Share #22 Posted January 20 According to this post it is rangefinder-coupled. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted January 20 Share #23 Posted January 20 2 hours ago, farnz said: It doesn't appear to be rangefinder-coupled. Pete. It is if ordered with M mount. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted January 20 Share #24 Posted January 20 2 hours ago, farnz said: It doesn't appear to be rangefinder-coupled. Pete. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/418613-wate-1621-elmar-is-the-end-of-m-zoom-history/?do=findComment&comment=5743085'>More sharing options...
farnz Posted January 20 Share #25 Posted January 20 11 hours ago, jdlaing said: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Thanks, JD, I'd rather expected their literature to advertise that it was if they'd taken the trouble to rangefinder-couple it so I looked there, the picture tells the story though. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted January 20 Share #26 Posted January 20 2 hours ago, farnz said: Thanks, JD, I'd rather expected their literature to advertise that it was if they'd taken the trouble to rangefinder-couple it so I looked there, the picture tells the story though. Pete. I’m not so sure slapping a mount on it makes it acceptable for a Leica body but we will see after it’s been out for a while. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveBK Posted January 20 Share #27 Posted January 20 Advertisement (gone after registration) Given the move into live view & adding close focus to new lens issues, you'd think a new multi-focal or zoom would be in the cards? The OG WATE 28/35/50 always made more sense to me in full frame, despite the tradeoffs of size/weight, aperture and min focus. I suppose Leica would rather sell you 2-3 lenses but would be nice to have a more modern option here. Especially with more modern high ISO options, f4 isn't so limiting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vip Posted January 21 Author Share #28 Posted January 21 I agree with that. A more modern optical design is highly desirable Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted January 22 Share #29 Posted January 22 Leica is surely well up to date on zooms design.. they make several for SL, after all : my feel is that they do not consider the M as a platform for zooms, simply; and probably the market is also in this mood, with obvious exceptions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Michel Posted January 22 Share #30 Posted January 22 Zoom lens on an M body means using live view or an EVF — not the best use of rangefinder type camera. I have a WATE Tri-Elmar, it replaces a much, much smaller 21 mm f/4 Voigtlander with a small external finder. The WATE is zoom (as opposed to the MATE) but I basically only use it at the 16, 18, and 21 detents; focus, if needed, with the rangefinder and view through the EVF2 on my M-P(240). I find it a rather useful lens, especially wth the tilting finder. Image quality is excellent. Wth an adapter, you can use any number of zoom lenses on the M. I happen to have an old Canon FD "beer can" 70-210 that I can mount on the M using a Fotodiox adapter. It works; and it even works with an additional M-L adapter on my SL2! Mostly, it stay on a shelf. The M bodies have frame lines for, depending on the model, 28, 35, 50, 90 and 135 lenses. Best to simply keep to those fixed focal lengths. If you want a zoom, other than the WATE,, there are plenty of other options that make much more sense. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNK100 Posted January 23 Share #31 Posted January 23 On 1/19/2025 at 9:27 PM, Nie wieder said: It's not the end. Venus optics just released a 12-24mm for Leica M. Why would anyone use a f5.6 lens on an M? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 23 Share #32 Posted January 23 21 minutes ago, JNK100 said: [...] Why would anyone use a f5.6 lens on an M? Size? My Heliar 12/5.6 works fine on the M11. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted January 23 Share #33 Posted January 23 1 hour ago, JNK100 said: Why would anyone use a f5.6 lens on an M? You might ask Leica themselves.....😁 https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Summaron_f%3D_2.8_cm_1:5.6 https://leica-camera.com/en-US/photography/lenses/m/summaron-m-28mm-f5-6-silver Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNK100 Posted January 23 Share #34 Posted January 23 14 minutes ago, adan said: You might ask Leica themselves.....😁 https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Summaron_f%3D_2.8_cm_1:5.6 https://leica-camera.com/en-US/photography/lenses/m/summaron-m-28mm-f5-6-silver I didn't dnt realise this was still available after being discontinued 60 years ago. Although it would not suit me, I stand corrected! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planetwide Posted January 26 Share #35 Posted January 26 This is a case of "if we don't update the lens, they will stop buying it" The WATE is a little long in the tooth, and it shows at 60mp. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip_pj Posted January 26 Share #36 Posted January 26 A 335 gram lens that covers the very important sub-21mm region is certainly valuable, as recognized by James Gunn; Hollywood wants more organic wide angle lenses these days because they look better than the huge over-corrected optics they have been using for a decade now. I'd like it retained because it's limited range zooms are a style of lens that many would enjoy, and it may in time signal a willingness to emulate the form, by Cosina etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 26 Share #37 Posted January 26 On 1/22/2025 at 7:43 PM, Jean-Michel said: Zoom lens on an M body means using live view or an EVF — not the best use of rangefinder type camera. I have a WATE Tri-Elmar, it replaces a much, much smaller 21 mm f/4 Voigtlander with a small external finder. The WATE is zoom (as opposed to the MATE) but I basically only use it at the 16, 18, and 21 detents; focus, if needed, with the rangefinder and view through the EVF2 on my M-P(240). I find it a rather useful lens, especially wth the tilting finder. Image quality is excellent. Wth an adapter, you can use any number of zoom lenses on the M. I happen to have an old Canon FD "beer can" 70-210 that I can mount on the M using a Fotodiox adapter. It works; and it even works with an additional M-L adapter on my SL2! Mostly, it stay on a shelf. The M bodies have frame lines for, depending on the model, 28, 35, 50, 90 and 135 lenses. Best to simply keep to those fixed focal lengths. If you want a zoom, other than the WATE,, there are plenty of other options that make much more sense. As I remember the intermediate positions were quite good making it a clicking zoom. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Michel Posted January 26 Share #38 Posted January 26 14 hours ago, jaapv said: As I remember the intermediate positions were quite good making it a clicking zoom. Hi, Yes, the intermediate positions, just as in any other zoom lens, work just fine. There is well enough space between the 3 detents to make the zooming very smooth. I happen to mostly use it as either a 16 or 21 mm lens, but also find zooming useful at times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 26 Share #39 Posted January 26 Unlike the MATE which is a true three-position lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
derleicaman Posted January 26 Share #40 Posted January 26 3 minutes ago, jaapv said: Unlike the WATE which is a true three-position lens. MATE? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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