M8.2 plus 21 Summilux

[MP3]

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- The glass in the new Noctilux costs more than silver by weight.

 

Just interesting facts from literature, even the old original Noct glass #900403 (cost some USD400.-

per kg back in early - mid '80) is far more expersive than silver in the past 25 years.

 

Cost of Silver ref. here.

[Kasimir]

Just interesting facts from literature, even the old original Noct glass #900403 (cost some USD400.-

per kg back in early - mid '80) is far more expersive than silver in the past 25 years.

 

Cost of Silver ref. here.

 

Both silver and the noctilux glass is nothing!!

The plastic Your dentist puts into Your teeth cost e.g. 13000 € per kilogramm.

Nobody asks questions about that cause everybody was told that amalgam is toxic.

So stop whining.

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[erg]

Yeah.

They finally put a black logo on the M8.2,

it's a black hole for money many don't have.

 

Yes, and the black logo looks nice. The M8 leather coating seems to have changed as well.

 

Maybe there will be a build to order option for the M8 ?

[Philippe D.]

Yes, and the black logo looks nice. The M8 leather coating seems to have changed as well.

Yes, i had a black logo on both of my M8 at the Leica factory visit in Solms last June. They got the good idea.

 

What i like too, is the black chromed accessory shoe.

[woodyspedden]

Well M lenses are built to the highest optical standards that we may find in any lens design. It is not the bells and whistles of the lens but the quality coming out. Not much can touch a M lens for one and NO ONE can beat wide open performance of Leica glass. I have tried them all and yes some great glass out there besides leica but as a system overall no one has that many lenses that can preform at this high level wide open. Most systems i could count them on one and maybe 2 hands . Leica by far in general has the best glass overall and that is truly what Leica was and is today. There a optical company don't let anyone tell you any different not even Leica. Seriously if you ever saw a cutaway of a Leica lens your jaw would drop. I never seen that much engineering going on in any ones lenses. Truly amazing to see and if you ever get to Solms . Take the tour

 

I have it on good authority that the proprietary glass used in the new Noctilux costs more per ounce than silver! And of course Leica lenses sell in small quantities and their manufacturing methods are mostly labor intensive to there are no economies of scale.

 

I think that it is wrong to think that Leica overprices their lenses based on real costs. What is more the question is whether we need Lux speeds in all these focal lengths. Not to say it isn't nice to be able to control background blur even at 21MM FL but how necessary is it really?

 

So I think it comes down to priorities. If you need the speed of the luxes, then be prepared to pay the price. If not, the elmarits are really fine lenses and once the Luxes start shipping there will be quite a few used ones up for sale.

 

JMHO

 

Woody

[charlesphoto99]

Oh man, these lenses are for the gifted (financially) few. I guess it's nice that it's out there, but way out of reach for most photographers (esp ones who make a living at it). if Nikon finally comes out with a few moderately priced high performance wide primes it will be impossible for me to justify keep investing in Leica gear. I've never actually purchased a new lens before as it is. Way too dear for this chap (esp now with a baby on the way).

 

I would like a frameline upgrade though. Hopefully this will be offered for the M8 v1.

[mat_mcdermott]

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I too hope that the frameline upgrade is available. I like the idea of a quiter shutter, but go back and forth on getting it done, but if can get the framelines I will probably get both. Of all the things that didn't bother me at first about the M8 but have come to bother me, the framelines being calibrated for closest focus top the list.

[jackal]

Like I said we asked for them no matter how we slice the cheese we asked they delivered. So now you have the choice . Some will get them obviously and some will not . But nice to have choices . Also what we asked for is what we got with the 8.2 . It pretty much followed the laundry check list we had many months ago and many conversations in the forums on improvements. Something we all worked on and it seems Leica went after them and made the fixes and improvements to a lot of them. I heard the 8.2 is real and that is not official word but I would not say it if I was not pretty confident this is true. So the M seems set for Photokinia but what is next is the big question and what is the special Sept. 22nd announcement. My bet it is something bigger than the M8 sensor wise and not smaller. I'm out of here for a week to do a lighting workshop in Florida so hopefully something good will happen. Take care folks

 

 

isn't this flattery ?

 

there were things asked for here and on other forums that won't be delivered (FF being chief among them, easier access to exposure compensation etc..)

 

I know its nice to feel important and influential in life but I'm not so sure the link is that real... leica have done exactly what they wanted to do.

 

The irony of this all for me is that we are only talking 35mm here .. its a hobbyists format ! It would be so bad if it was 4000 GBP for a Sinar/hasselblad lens etc.. because you know that you have something that you can make a lot more money from and blow up to lifesize.

[delander †]

As a new Leica user who came onboard with the M8 I knew it was not going to be cheap but I am now realising what a money pit it could turn out to be.

 

Before I buy any of these new super expensive lenses I feel I need to know where this is all leading with regard to an improved M digital camera. By improved I mean more Mp and better high iso performance. I am not interested in the peripheral camera improvements represented by the M8.2.

 

Jeff

[SJP]

As a new Leica user who came onboard with the M8 I knew it was not going to be cheap but I am now realising what a money pit it could turn out to be.

 

Before I buy any of these new super expensive lenses I feel I need to know where this is all leading with regard to an improved M digital camera. By improved I mean more Mp and better high iso performance. I am not interested in the peripheral camera improvements represented by the M8.2.

 

Jeff

So who says you need to buy new lenses for anything? I won't except maybe the Noctilux f/0.95 but I am not in a hurry.

 

Even if you buy old lenses at an more or less affordable price 99.8318% of the population will still considered you certified (in the UK sense of the word).

[Guest DuquesneG]

it is a pity I agree, there are plenty of talented photographers with not the kind of money to buy Leica gear

 

Put another way, 99.99% of these new uber-expensive lenses will never be used to produce photographs distinguishable from lenses costing 10% as much, except the inevitable photographs of wall charts. But that's hardly breaking news for Leica. At the end of the day, Dr. Kaufmann's intentions for Leica are clear: take it from the self-parody of the Hermes-era "a la carte" and instant-collectible mentality, and make it a true high-end status-symbol brand. Equally clear, he has no intention of steering the brand toward affordability. The few legitimately-talented, "name" photographers he needs to legitimize the brand, he can afford to simply supply them with whatever equipment they need.

[FrankA]

The increasing prices (not specific to the new Summilux and Noctilux) are caused by extremely high material prices (speculation) and the weak US-Dollar. Because the US-market is so important, Leica (like many German companies) has to increase prices even in Euro-regions to "relieve" the Dollar-prices (otherwise Dollar-prices would even be higher!).

 

Keep in mind that the dollar has strengthened. Profits are increasing for leica. The weakness of the dollar was a combination of things. The US lowered rates the past couple of years. Europe raised rates. A double whammy. It is not all US policies but a combination of effects around the world that weakened the dollar. Easy to blame the US but they are not alone in this world economy. Europe will have to lower interest rates soon. That will strengthen the dollar more, especially if the US starts to raise rates. It is not improbable to see the euro and dollar back on parity. Think of the profits then. I don't think Leica's moves are done in a vacuum.

[Mauribix]

It is not improbable to see the euro and dollar back on parity.

 

my guess is that even in the USD/EUR parity Leica won't be lowering prices in the U.S. market.

Just my 2 euro cents; i.e. 2,843 dollar cents as of this writing.

[Philippe D.]

I too hope that the frameline upgrade is available.

I will be, but most probably together with other upgrades.

Count about 220$ for it.

[FrankA]

my guess is that even in the USD/EUR parity Leica won't be lowering prices in the U.S. market.

Just my 2 euro cents; i.e. 2,843 dollar cents as of this writing.

 

I agree too. They will keep the profits. Given what is going on the US right now with banking, I doubt they will see many new sales either.