Re: New M-Lens

["Charles E. Love, Jr." <cel14@cornell.edu>]

At 06:55 AM 9/3/96 -0700, you wrote:
>     I was in my local authorized Leica Dealer, in San Diego County, and 
>     while I was drooling over the 21 Elmarit-M, I was informed that Leica 
>     is announcing a new M-Lens at Photokina.  It will be a 24 Elmarit with 
>     a viewfinder.  I was completely surprised.  
>     
>     When I got home, I called two LA county and one Orange County Leica 
>     Dealerships.  I asked if there would be a new M-lens offering at 
>     Photokina by Leica, and all three said that there will be and would be 
>     in the wide angle arena, price for the new lens would be about $2500 
>     US.  Availability would be 1 January 1996.
>     
>     Has anyone heard anything about this as well?
>     
>     Pablo
>     pmendoza@ucsd.edu
>
Yes, indeed.  I just finished talking to someone who has just read Leica's
book on their Photokina presentations, and he mentioned this lens too.  In
addition, here's some other (I think reliable) stuff.

The R8 will not have a built-in motor, my source says.  Instead, there will
be a new set of drive and winder, not compatible with the R4 and
descendents, but which will permit autobracketing.  In addition, the R8 will
have faster shutter synch (1/250), which necessitated a new body, which he
said will not be Minolta-derived.  It has all new electronics, including an
LCD panel (shudder!), and there will be no more tiny lenses reflecting the
settings off the lenses into the viewfinder--all settings will be indicated
electronically.  Most important, I suppose, it will NOT have a focus
indicator.  As I understood him, the camera is about ready for that,
containing most of the electronics, but the focus indicator will come in a
later model.  

Leica lenses are about to undergo a significant change.  They will be adding
electrical contacts, for various present and future functions.  The first,
possible with the R8, will be zoom flash, which will change flash with
zooming lenses in and out.  Obviously other things lie ahead, he thought.
As I heard it, retrofitting of older lenses will be possible.

As for the new 80-200 f4, it is NOT the same lens as the current Contax
offering, though it will be built for Leica by Kyocera.  It is a new,
entirely Leica, design.

Finally, and wildest, he said Leica is working on new long lenses which
would permit you to change focal lengths by adding different heads to a
single back--sound familiar?

This person is in a position to know, and is someone I trust.  I tend to
believe all this, but we'll just have to wait for Photokina!