Re: [Leica] New LTM Lenses

[TTAbrahams@aol.com]

 The appearance of the modern Summicron 35/2 and the two 50's in screwmount 
were requested by Lemon CO in Tokyo. The initial order was for approximately 
350 of each lens, in chrome (thus with the brass barrel, which does add a 
considerable weight to them). It is natural that Solms would offer these 
lenses to other distributors too. I cannot understand the "time-limit" 
imposed on the F & G order, as Lemon had them in stock a couple of weeks ago. 
Could it be that Solms did an "overrun" on the Lemon order and allowed the 
other dealers to buy the excess? I saw the various versions in Tokyo, and yes 
they look great on a 3F or 3G (although the 50/2 and the 50/1,4 have the 
collapsible hood, which I personally don't like at all).
 As for being competition for the Japanese made LTM lenses, I doubt it. You 
can buy the Cosina 35/1,7, the 50/1,5 and the 75/2,5 for what the 50/1,4 
Summilux costs in LTM mount (plus assorted finders and adapters included). 
The Leica LTM glass is a product that was requested by a dealer (a very BIG 
dealer, mind you), not a product "designed" by Leica/Solms for the market 
place. However, it gladdens me that Solms has reacted to the request and 
actually made the product. Hey, maybe they will start listening to opinions 
of the users and dealers in the future!
 I did a quick calculation and I have come up with 12 different LTM lenses 
being introduced in Japan in the last 30 month. Some of these have been 
"limited Editions" like the 21/3,5 Ricoh, the 28/2,8 Ricoh and the 60/1,2 
Hexanon, but most of the rest are still in production and freely available. 
Yes, some of these do not meet the Leica users' stringent demand for optical 
excellency, lenses such as the 35/2 Hexanon (first version that I tried was 
disappointing, the current version is supposedly better), the TC-1 Minolta 
28/3,5 lens is rather "lame", the early Kobalux 28 and 21 did have some 
mechanical problems, but the rest of the crop is certainly not lagging in 
performance, even compared with the equivalent Leica M-lenses (and in case of 
the 15/4,5 and the 25/4 there are no directly comparable lenses in the 
M-system to judge by).
 We tend to forget that Japan has a long tradition of using the 39mm 
screwmount; Canon, Nicca, Leotax, just to name a few, all had the mount and 
lens-to-filmplane registry of the screwmount Leica (or "Barnack-Leica" as it 
is know in Japan, a far more attractive name in my mind).
 With M-cameras rarely seen below US$ 1,200-1,500 for a run of the mill, 
fairly beaten up M2 or M3, it makes sense to me, to buy a 3F or 3C instead - 
spend maybe $4-500 for a good user body and still have access to a HUGE 
variety of lenses, both Leica and non-Leica. There are plenty of places in 
Japan that can repair these cameras, the price is not so high as to scare the 
owner into sticking it onto a shelf and never touch it with un-gloved hands 
ever again. The camera is robust, well built and small enough to be practical 
and portable. So, it lacks some features of today's modern cameras, but these 
users don't buy it as s substitute for the Hasselblad or Nikon, it is bought 
for what it originally was intended for, a high-quality 35mm "snapshot" 
camera (there is no derogatory meaning in the term snapshot here, just a 
description of the handling of the camera).
 The last couple of weeks I have been shooting with the 21/3,5 Ricoh, the 
35/1,7 Ultron, the 50/1,5 Nokton and the 75/2,5 Color Heliar. Erwin tested 
the 21/3,5 Ricoh and I concur with his opinion, a very good lens, but no 
21/2,8 Asph (but it is less than ½ size and price too). As for the 35,50 and 
75 Cosina lenses. The Ultron is largish, has a very short focus "throw" (only 
slightly more than a ¼ turn from 0,8m to infinity) and is as good as a 
pre-Asph 35/2. The 50/1,5 Nokton is a stunning performer, it certainly gives 
the Summilux 50 a run for its money and judging from negs shot side by side 
with the 50/1,5 and the 50/1,4, I would say that the Nokton is the better 
performer. The Summilux is an old design, it is in dire need of an upgrade 
and it shows. The Nokton is manufactured, using the state of the art 
Aspherical Glass Molding technology and with the application of 40 more years 
of optical know-how since when the Summilux was designed. The 75/2,5 is a 
very creditable performer - it is not a 75/1,4 Summilux in performance, but 
it is also ¼ of the price and less 1/3 of the weight. It feels very much like 
a 90/2.8 Tele-Elmarit, but it is better wide-open (although not as good as 
the Elmarit-M 90/2.8 wide-open) and it has less of a "telephoto" feel than 
the 90. It works very well as a slightly long 50, rather than a "shorter" 90. 
With the 35 and the 75, you have a small, lightweight travel pack. So far the 
only problem I have had with these latest Cosina lenses is a tendency for the 
paint on the barrel and hood to chip. At least, when it chips, it shows nice 
"brassing" underneath. Matches my black M3's and M2's!
 I have dusted off my "Barnack-Leica's" and I have shot more with them in the 
last couple of weeks, than in the last couple of years. The filmadvance is 
slow and the loading has a somewhat steep learning curve (it is amazing what 
words can be accompanying this process - not for the sensitive souls, at 
least until you mastered it). The filmadvance problem will be solved, I have 
started the design and "rough" prototyping of a Rapidwinder for the 3C/3F and 
3G and everything going according to schedule, should have something in the 
new millenium. 
Tom A

Tom Abrahamsson
Vancouver, BC
Canada
www.rapidwinder.com