Newly announced LEICA 18mm F3.8 Super-Elmar.

[Nowhereman]

<p>>>>If your images are being examined by people who can see the difference between a $1400 18mm Zeiss and a $3000 Leica 18mm...<<<</p>

<p>Actually the price of the Zeiss 18mm Distagon at Popflash is $1,100, with the correct M-mount.</p>

[ray .]

<p>The popflash Zeiss is uncoded.</p>

<p>Mitch, for your contrasty style I imagine the Zeiss works well.</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>Leica is starting to get brutal. Now, if they can figure out a FF M9 we might be talking business. The 18mm will undoubtedly rock as do the f/1.4 superwides.</p>

<p>Rock on!</p>

[kens]

<p>Don't know about the 18, but the new Summilux's came out of S2 development. R&D can bring unexpected benefits. Hopefully there will be more to come in the way of camera and lens development.</p>

[john_layton]

<p>My concern regarding lenses that have supposedly come out of S2 development would be their compatibility with film. (remember film?) Does better chip performance equal better film performance - or at least no compromises regarding film performance - with the latest M-lenses?</p>

[doug herr]

<p>

 

<p ><a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=498590">John Layton</a> wrote: "My concern regarding lenses that have supposedly come out of S2 development would be their compatibility with film. (remember film?) Does better chip performance equal better film performance - or at least no compromises regarding film performance - with the latest M-lenses?"</p>

<p > </p>

<p >So far, Leica is resisting the direction some other makers have been following of relying more on post-exposure software correction, instead Leica's design goals are to minimize distortion, chromatic errors and vignetting in the lens. As far as I know this would make the lens as usable on film as with a digital sensor.</p>

 

</p>

[rick_moscola]

<p>The Zeiss 18mm f/4 is a terrific lens. But, I bought the Leica 18mm f/3.8 Super-Elmar. Leica lenses are investments that last a lifetime. They are great lenses, they retain their value and can even increase in value and can easily be sold. So, in addition to the M8.2 issues regarding 6-bit coding and with the added thought for the longevity/demand of Leica lenses making them good long-term investments, I bought the Leica 18mm. </p>