Summicron M 75/2.0

[eliot_rosen]

Robert the huge second hand market is a tribute to how well made Leica products are, that 50 year old cameras are still in use and the forward and backward compatibility is so great (not perfect, but better than any other camera maker). Nothing you can do about that except make cheaper products that need to be replaced more often. :-)

[shambrick007]

"Yes, there are people willing to pay more money for a better product.."<p>Not enough in Leica's case...

[eliot_rosen]

Well I don't know about that Sheldon, I wonder what there books would look like if they only considered Leica M sales and not R etc. which has been a losing proposition financially for a long time. Sales of the M7 and MP have been pretty good.

[hugon]

ah, c'mon ppl, let's just wait n c what Putz says about it,...

[mr._kenny]

was just at photographica in copenhagen last saturday -- crackin good store (hope this doesn't break any photo.net rules about sponsors!) they didn't have the lens in hand but they talked about it. they had a bunch of stuff there, including the rd-1. i wanted to try it out, but as soon as i stuck an sd card in it to get a couple snaps the battery died. they had a 50 lux asph in stock too. great looking lens, welcome back focus tab!

 

they have a great collection of leica stuff upstairs, some ok bargains up there too. if you're on a visit to copenhagen go check em out. you can get a refund of 19% of the 25% vat at the airport if you're not an eu resident, which is nice.

[Rob F.]

Where are all the Leica Forum members who, two years ago, wrote repeatedly that they'd like a 75mm Summicron? Leica actually responded to those requests by making one. Stefan Daniel told us, a year and a half ago, that they were looking into it. Now, after only 18 months, it is a reality, and you guys are dissing it!

 

Come on! You asked for it! Cough up the 2200!

[shambrick007]

"I wonder what there books would look like if they only considered Leica M sales and not R etc." <p> Good point. And minus the associated R business costs.

[eliot_rosen1]

It is unfortunate that this lens is being introduced at the height of the value of the Euro relative to the dollar, but hopefully the prices will come down in the future. I do remember all the threads by people who desire4d a lens like this.

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

Eliot---it's part of the cycle, don't you think? Everyone wants an "auto" M. The M7 comes

out and everybody gripes. Well, then we need a more manual camera and the MP comes

out. The howling begins. It's no big deal, just human nature.

 

I've never been a fan of the 75mm focal length, but if there's something a bit smaller and

lghter, made by Leica, than the Lux, then I might take a look, altho I really like wide lenses

for the M. 50mm seems "long" to me on the M. :->)

[johns1]

I'll be a buyer as soon as this new lens is available in my market. I sold my 75mm 'Lux last month in anticipation of the 75mm 'Cron. The 'Lux was great but 'twas just to bleedin' heavy.

 

The perfect two lens outfit: 28 or 35 + this new 75? I think so. (Yes, I also have the 90 APO.)

[andy_piper2]

Patrick (Washington): The good news is that Leica management thinks

differently than you do.

 

I would never have bought a 90SAA or 75 lux - much too big, heavy, and troublesome to focus with an RF (IMHO). Leica WILL, however, take $2395 out of my pocket for this lens within 2 months or so, helping their cash flow at a difficult time.

 

As previously mentioned, the weight listed is the total shipping weight including packaging - so my ESTIMATE from two years ago is still in the running (and may even be a bit high, since the 50 ASPH is only 345g or so)

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004jpi

[icuneko]

"New School." "Old School." Whichever floats your boat.

[eliot_rosen1]

For those who think Leica is not au courant with the latest in technology, at least they are producing technologically advanced lenses, with rare glasses, floating elements, aspherical surfaces and the like to provide top notch imaging performance. No, electronics is not their strong point, but they do produce some pretty damn good lenses.

[simon pig]

I brake for ASPH.

[joel_matherson]

"But I agree that the 90mm macro makes no sense"

 

Sorry but I disagree, I have heard far more complaints about the lack of any macro capability on M than I ever have about the need for an alternate to the 75mm f1.4. Its true that its not as effective as a macro on a SLR but its designed to be the best obtion within the limitations of a rangefinder camera. I hear the common arguement that if you want to do macro take an SLR but sorry but when im out and about I dont want to carry a spare SLR and lenses on the off chance I need something a bit closer. The 90mm macro offers a fairly good compromise. A second benefit of this lens is that any other 90mm would have to be layed on its side in my Pelican "lunchbox". A collapsed 90mm Macro sits upright in a tiny slot with my compact wides and CL and CLE. So not only do I have a 90mm more compact than any other it has semi macro capabilities as well. Sorry it makes perfect sense to me. If you dont need a particular lens dont be so sure there is someone out there that is jumping with excitement as some of their wishes have come to reality. Personally I dont see why the 75mm Summicron didnt come first, with a f1.4 being added later!

[patricks]

great, so we have 3-4 people on this community of hundreds, if not even a thousand, die hard leica users that are considering the lens and will fork up $2,400 (whatever) for it.

 

On one hand, I'm all for producing state of the art lenses with industry leading optical qualities, it is very impressive, but at this juncture Leica should be focusing on staying out of red/surviving. If the current business strategy is not working, doing more of the same is not the recipe for success (note to management: if you find yourself in a big hole, stop digging).

 

Indicating that a new lens may be introduced of a certain kind and then keeping quiet about it for 18 months, not announcing it 4 weeks earlier at the PMA when the badly needed some announcements, is not sound business practice in my opinion. keeping customers informed about the product roadmap so they see value in being on sticking to the path is good business practice on the other hand (compare to Contax which was notoriously silent about product roadmap intent, the same for Bronica, and now very unfortunately Nikon as well (even I don't think Nikon will go under anytime soon, but they are losing users to Canon left and right).

 

Leica needs to do something differently. And do it now. Making the best lenses for 35mm film cameras is not a growth strategy. No growth equals no investors equals no company.

[james_cooke]

"On one hand, I'm all for producing state of the art lenses with industry leading optical qualities, it is very impressive, but at this juncture Leica should be focusing on staying out of red/surviving."

 

Patrick, one has to remember that this project probably started several years ago from start to production. The money invested long before recent financial problems. Do you want them to simply throw all that money away or market the product and recoup that money and thus re-investing it into newer products? All this talk about it being a watse of money imply that Leica made the decision to build his lens last week!

[patricks]

exactly my ponint! current management team is not able to forsee the decline in sales of 35mm film equipment when it is bluntly obvious to everyone else.

 

don't get me wrong, i'm not against a high-performing and smaller form factor 75/2 per se. i just don't understand why the larger issues go unaddressed.

[eliot_rosen1]

"great, so we have 3-4 people on this community of hundreds, if not even a thousand, die hard leica users that are considering the lens and will fork up $2,400 (whatever) for it."

 

This is an uber silly comment. Do you really believe you can judge how many people will buy this lens based on a few posters on pnet. Perhaps not everyone who will buy one posts an answer on pnet? Perhaps not everyone who will buy one is a member of the pnet community?

 

Maybe you missed the fact that Leica does not produce lenses or cameras for a mass market. They make a small number of lenses that will be of interest to a small segment of the photographic community. That's what Leica does. It is not and never will be Nikon, Canon, Cosina, or the like.

 

BTW, you might consider the fact that it may not be possible to produce a high performance well-constructed lens in Germany for any cheaper than what Leica is charging. For example, the Zeiss Ikon 85/2 for the ZI M camera that will apparently be an outstanding lens comparable in quality and construction to Leica lenses (like the 90/2 APO) will cost $ 2795 + 127 (lenshood) = $ 2922. This is a little more expensive than Leica's comparable lens.

 

Now I think it would be great if these types of lenses could be offered at much lower prices, but it's just not going to happen.

 

Unfortunately, if there is no market for this type of product, Leica will fail, because that's what it does best. As far as making less expensive entry level products, other companies can do that much better than Leica. Anyway, Leica tried this before. Remember the RE "economy" camera for the R system? Not exactly a blazing success. What kind of entry level camera do you think they could offer for $ 999. My guess is that it would have to one made in the far east and not Germany.

[patricks]

Eliot, et al:

 

- If perfect information is not available, one goes on the data that is presented and then extrapolate/make assumption. Hardly not a perfect solution, but still better than nothing. Using that methodology, I see 3-4 cheering about this lens out of the selective few (hundreds) reading this post/forum. How is that "�ber silly"? (funny expression really, you seem to have a weak spot for things German).

 

- I think we are all (painfully) aware of that Leica produces camera products for a niche market. Thanks for stating the obvious.

 

- No one ever argued with the fact that a largely hand-made lens like this for a miniscule market costs a lot of money ? what?s the beef? I?m just saying that it is not a great way to make money.

 

- I?m not saying that producing a lower priced M body is THE way forward, it was merely an example. Many times it has proven that making/selling something at no margin or even a loss is a good way to build market share and then recuperate the losses on another end (e.g. selling lenses).

 

It seems to me that you, as well as Leica management, need to think out of the box. My interest in this line of argumentation of for Leica Camera to survive and prosper as a company, to be able to manufacture and service phenomenal (niche) products for along time to come. I am not seeing any growth plan for that company being implemented ? do you/anyone? Undying brand-affection is not necessarily a healthy thing...

[alex_p._schorsch]

Tell me, aren't they in the stores yet? Please reserve me a used one 'cause I can't afford a new one. Thanks.

[brunom]

Patrick

 

Even though it is perfectly reasonable to extrapolate, the base you are using is incorrect. You say 3-4 out of the hundreds reading this post. How do you know there are hundreds reading about this lens?

How do you know that they can't be bothered to write in and confirm they want one.

 

The 3-4 should be used in conjunction with the 25 or so, different people who have responded to this post. That extrapolation would be at least as justified as the one you have chosen, but would give a completely different take on the situation.

 

As no one here knows enough about the dealings of Leica, why do we bother to guess at answers to their problems? You may just as well pull straws out of a hat.

 

Regards

 

Bruno

[georges_de_vos]

What a great day when you hear about a new Leica top-quality lens!

 

I started 15 years ago with a 50 summicron, which was all I could afford on my second hand M6.

 

Now, I do my part in supporting Leica by bying / upgrading to every new lens they produce. Keep them coming, Leica, I am not part of the complainers crowd.

 

But, I agree, getting a digital M and a top-notch digital R body (not a digital back) will be the only way to survive. Is this alliance with Panasonic a one way street? They get endorsement from the Leica name, but what does Leica get?

[02Pete]

Leica's 75mm f/2 lens has been out for a while now, and there are no recent posts on this thread. Have any of the contributors to this forum actually bought and used one of these 75mm f/2 lenses? If so, how would you compare the characteristics of the images that it produces with those of other medium-tele lenses usable on Leica M cameras? Also, how would you compare its handling qualities with those of other medium-tele lenses usable on Leica M cameras?