Leica announce new 'budget' lens line

Leica have announced a new, budget range of Summarit lenses: 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm, all at f/

2.5. All made in Germany, circa 1000 Euro inc VAT. With old-skool engraving, too...

<a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.photoscala.de/

&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DNeue%2Bpreiswerte%2BObjektivlinie%

2Bf%25C3%25BCr%2Bdie%2BM-Leicas%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den">Google translation

here. </a>

Whoa, I must say I am suprised! They must have been tired of losing all that market share to

Zeiss and Voigtlander.

When they say "35mm f2.5 lens" are they useing 35mm film camera designation, or M8 designation with the 1.33 crop factor?

actual focal length, no crop factor

I guess the meaning of "budget" is different in Europe?

 

"...There is to be the focal lengths 35, 75 and 90 mm for 1250 euro, the 50-mm-Summarit is to cost 1000 euro..."

 

That's $1350 for the 50mm, $1700 for the others, not exactly the sort of thing you'll find at the local Walmart.

(I doubt Walmart sells any products from Europe at all.)

 

I guess Leica are learning from Zeiss' example. Good.

Hooray, and good for them!

Interesting indeed. The 35, 50, and 75 are all 6 elements in 4 groups. Probably classic Double Gauss designs. They probably designed them to require less strenuous mechanical tolerances than the more expensive lenses. They all look very compact.

They did say new things were coming, once they got past the M8 introduction.

 

I wonder what camera body will be introduced to go with these lenses. Full frame digi? A rangefinder to rival Canon 5D?

These might also be sold as "kit" lenses for new bodies to come...maybe a body line that parallels the new lenses v.s. current offerings, excellent but more affordable to larger number of those with an interest in rangefinder photography and the Leica camera.

 

I'd certainly take a look at the 50...and 75, I'm getting to like the results of using 50mm on a D200.

Nothing about them yet on the Leica UK website, nor on Classic Camera's site.

Hopefully,the term "budget" is only reflected in the pricing when compared to the faster lenses. In similar fashion that the Elmarit are "budget priced" when compared to their faster Summicron partners, which, likewise, are "budget" when compared to the Summilux equivalents.

 

It would be a very sad day if Leica started producing a "lower quality lens" in it's M (or R) mounts. I.e. lacking the precision and engineering manufacter that has been synonymous with Leitz/Leica since its origins. I don't see it happening.

Hi,

 

"I guess the meaning of "budget" is different in Europe?"

 

Bob..to be fair, you guys in the good ole US of A have had everything SOOOO cheap for soooo long now compared to europe, you have long ago forgotten what things actually should cost...

 

cheers Steve.

Are real Leica optical projects? I hope.

Are real budget bargains? According to Leica standard.

How work these indubitable interesting lenses? I hope well, but i'm waiting for the Erwin tests.

Anyhow, is a very good new.

Ciao.

The 90 has a 5/4 configuration, likely an Ernostar design.

 

In the used market, the Summicrons are available for significantly less. Why pay more for less speed?

... the APO 75 excepted of course.

I want the 75/2.5.

$1350 for f2.5 50 summarit --- hmmm real summarit = f1.5 = $100 - $300 via the auction site... seems like a definite bargain to me

Just how much difference are we likely to see between the new 75/2.5 Leitz and say the C/V 75/2.5? I mean this in all seriousness. I am sure the Leica offering will have better construction, but ...Maybe I do not pixel peep enough or am too occupied with shooting but I see only minor differences between my non Leitz lenses, albeit older models, cron and elmarit, and CV and Zeiss lenses as far as print resolution from a M8. I know this could boil down to my specific lens selections and copies. I still see a significant difference in suggested cost of the newer Leica models and other brands. I use CS2 and a 7600 printer. I guess I am asking why I should spend the difference between a 3-400 dollar lens and one that still costs a grand more? I realize in some ways this is pure speculation and only playing devils advocate here as these new Leica lenses are not yet released, right? Thanks, really not trying to be ornery or argumentative.

Donald, hopefully build quality would be a lot better than CV's.

 

I'm impressed by my CV optics, but CV build standard is far lower quality than that of all manual focus Nikon/Canon/Leica slr and rfdr lenses of yesteryear. I don't think CV lenses, in regular use, will age as well mechanically.

Chinese page on them gives close focusing distances, 0.8m, 0.8m, 0.9m, and 1m respectively for 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 90mm. So another economy has been made by making the focusing helicals a little shorter, not going all the way to 0.7m. Makes a lot of sense to me, rangefinders just don't make great close-up cameras.

Here is a thought. What if Leica made a compact 24/4 and a 21/4. The 24/4 would be

perfect on the M8. Leica clould also make a film wide angle M camera to compete with the

Bessa R4A.

Poor choice of names. Traditionally, a Summarit is a f:1.5 lens (minicams not withstanding). Maybe they should call them "Summarecheap."

I love "Larva in Germany."

Any thing around f/2.8 should start with Elma*, perhaps the old name Elmax can be reused here instead of "Summarit", which as Bill pointed out, has connotation of a fast lens.