Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> Marc > > I asked a Leica rep recently if there were plans to update the 50/1.4 > Summilux M, in light of the recent 50/1.4 R reformulation. He said that he > wasn't aware of any plans. He said that in order to significantly improve in > the 50/1.4 M optically, they found they'd have to make it as big as a > Noctilux. I assume by "they" he meant Leica's R&D group. He didn't elaborate > specifically. But that was the inference. Granted, this is just hearsay. > I'll leave it at that. IOW, for all I know a new 50/1.4 could be out > tomorrow. But I've known this rep for some time, and he's pretty up front > about such things. > > He made another astute comment. He said that the 50/1.4 was one of those > lenses that Leica got very right a long time ago. The 50/1.4 must have been > an incredible lens in the late 60's. As you say, it's still a wonderful > lens. > > Dave > Good! I know that I have no trouble adapting to new stuff, but, with the 50/1.4, I agree with that 'leave well enough alone thinking.' Why spend an R&D fortune for a tiny increase in performance. The other thing to think about is the 50/1.4 and 50/1.0 are really very low volume lenses, so would there really be a big enough market for a new marginally improved lens. sl