Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Ricoh will release a new 21mm/3.5 LTM lens on 3/26/99. Like the GR 28mm/2.8, production will be limited (1,000 silver; 700 black). A lightweight aluminum finder (much lighter than the GR 28mm finder) and metal lens hood is included; retail price will be 110,000yen for the silver lens and 115,000yen for the black lens. Specs are: Design: 9 elements/6 groups F-stops: 3.5-22, with half-stop clicks Aperture blades: 10 Minimum focus: 0.5m (rangefinder-coupled to 0.8m or 1.0m only, depending on body) Filter size: 40.5mm Dimensions: 49.5mm x 22.5mm; 200g (roughly same size/weight as GR 28mm) Finder: 50g (GR 28mm finder was 90g) There is a lever threaded into the aperture ring for easier handling MTF graphs, for whatever they're worth, look pretty good Feels like Japan is in the midst of an LTM mini-renaissance. Nothing wider than 28mm yet, but between Ricoh, Cosina and Minolta there are five offerings either already on dealer shelves or soon to be released. Adding the slightly older, but still in production, Avenon and Kobalux lenses gives you eight wide-angles to choose from. The 15mm Cosina-Voigtlander brings ultrawide capability back to the Leica rangefinder world, at a pretty reasonable price. Cheers, PB Paul C. Brodek Kobe, Japan pcb@iac.co.jp