nasmformyzombie Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Saw this photo of the new M Tri-Elmar 16/18/21 with finder on the Rangefinder forum.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ky2 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Yup. Leica's gone digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivek iyer Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Cool! Is that HDTV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymond_tai Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 I assume this is a FF lens so what's not to like about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucien1 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Yes, it is a full frame lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frederick_muller Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Does anyone know if the maximum aperture remains constant through the focal length range? From the photograph, it looks like an f4. I think that's a really useful focal length range to have. If it's full frame, I'd consider it for my film cameras. And with the crop factor, it's right there for the M8 at 21, 24, and 28mm equivalent. Quality and cost are going to be huge factors though ... not sure how this lens will hold up against the primes, and it's got to cost an arm and a leg regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claude_batmanghelidj Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Blimey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_fun Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Anybody wants to hazard a guess on how much this will cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_piper2 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 One posted price is about 3500 euros for the lens, and the finder comes with it. Not clear if that includes European value-added tax or not, though. In any event likely it will be THE most expensive lens in the M lineup (not counting 'collectibles'). But that does include 3 focal lengths. How much would separate 21, 24, and 28 lenses cost (and weigh)? Looks like Leica has replicated the whole "built-in" frameline system from the M bodies, including the serrated illumination window for the frames (right window). Bulky - but it does mean we'll be able to "see outside the framelines" with all the wide focal lengths. Note that people planning to go entirely digital will not need this finder - the current round 21-24-28 accesory finder will match this lens perfectly. Only film shooters will need the 16-18mm 'full-frame' framing (until such time as a full-frame "M9" digital shows up). Although if the finder comes with the lens anyway, that may be moot. On the whole, I'm glad I have my discrete (in both senses of the word) 21 and 24 viewfinders, whether I get the lens or not. Another observation - the very long tube-like structure means this is likely a "digital- friendly" optical design. By the time the light has traveled through that long barrel it will be very perpendicular to the image plane, at least for the area of the M8 sensor. May have significantly less fall-off than a straight 21 lens. Looks a lot like a scaled-down version of the zoom on my Sony R1 - which is basically a huge long lens with a grip attached - at "24mm" (actually 14mm) the Sony/Zeiss lens has a longer light path than my Leica-M 90, and about 4 times as long as my C/V 15mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincenzo_maielli Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 OK, Gary, Leica M go to digital photography. However, i rest faithful to my Leica M2, Leica M5 amd Leica MP... Ciao Vincenzo Maielli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frederick_muller Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 You know, if it holds up at a constant f4 through the range AND the quality is comparable to primes wide open, it'll be worth every penny. Wonder how much vignetting there'll be at 16mm and f4? This could become a really desirable lens for wide ange shooters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max_fun Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 But with the intro duction of this lens, it makes me wonder if Leica will actually also make a 15mm f/2.8 lens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdnguyen Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Wonder how the new Tri-elmar at 21mm will do in comparison with my old 21mm Elmarit non-APSH. I guess at $3500 for the new tri elmar is cheap. You have three different focal lengths at little over $1000 each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay_patel Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 So much for discreet, stealthy and quick. The lens I get, the finder looks like something from Inspector Gadget. I hope it's someone's skillful Photoshop creation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emanuel_lowi1 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 I've heard the new finder will sell alone for about $700-800 USD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blowingsky Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Doesn't it seem like the focal lengths are a bit close together? Is there that much difference between a 16mm and an 18mm field of view? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdnyc Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 The difference between 16 and 18 on the cropped sensor is almost exactly the same as between 21 and 24 on the full 35mm frame...which is why the 21-24-24 viewfinder for a film M would be usable as a 16-18-21 viewfinder on the M8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdnyc Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 21-24-24 should be 21-24-28, obviously -- and ironic, as I was the one who pointed out Vinay's similar typo, above! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivek iyer Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 <i>Is there that much difference between a 16mm and an 18mm field of view?</i> <p> There is. The difference between a 21mm and a 24mm. It is likely to be a great lens if it would cover the full frame. Way to go Leica! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_piper2 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Peter, as Jonathan points out, the purpose of this lens is to maintain the existing M focal lengths for people switching to the M8's cropped image area. As such, it covers exactly the same EFFECTIVE focal length range as a hypothetical "21-24-28" Tri-Elmar would for film users. I.E. the ratio of 16 to 18 is the same as 21 to 24 (roughly). If Leica had produced ONLY a 15/16mm f/2.8 lens to equal a "21" on the M8 - I would have been very happy - but people who prefer the 24mm view would have been disappointed. Conversely, if Leica had produced only an 18mm f/2.8 prime lens - the 24 users would have been happy, and I would have been disappointed. I think given the constraints Leica had to work under (deadline, money, and the fact that M lenses must be compact so that they don't block the rangefinder focusing image), this was Leica's way of meeting the "field-of-view" preferences of ALL their customers migrating to the M8 without having to design and produce TWO different lenses. I think a super-wide f/2.8 prime is still likely down the road if the market seems to support it. But it will likely cost as much as this lens - the trade-off being aperture speed vs. 3 lenses for the price of one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_piper2 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Oh - and YES: 1. it is f/4 at all focal lengths - variable max. apertures are for SLRs 2. it covers the full frame, if film users want a set of superwides. That's why the finder includes fields of view settings for "real" 16 and 18mm fields of view, as well as the 21-24-28 fields for M8 users. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl_keung Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 according to Luigi/Umana, the thing with viewfinder would cost around euro 3300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivek iyer Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 That is in the price range of the ZM Distagon 15mm lens/viewfinder/centre filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpg Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 If full frame (or indeed cropped) why 16,18,21mm? - hardly worth the extra size, weight and money as well as at least one lost stop. Why on earth not say 16, 21, 28 (or 24) in the first place? Hardly useful to a wide audience - how many 16mm owners also lust for 18mm? Surely the very useful 28,35,50mm's spacing set some sort of useful benchmark for the Tri-Elmar product concept! Or, am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tito sobrinho Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 Who makes them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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