[Leica] New 35mm Summicron

[Marty Deveney]

> Sure, but 35mm Summicron? I can understand this kind of price for a
> Summilux or a Noctilux, but for a basic lens like this??
>

It is not a basic lens.  It might be a basic 35/2 spec, but it has 10
elements in 5 groups, a floating group (not element, group) for close
focusing, six partial anomalous dispersion glass elements and four
aspherical surfaces.  It is still e39 filter size unlike the giant SLR high
performance lenses and is 40.9mm long and weighs 320g.  Leica says it is
sufficiently well corrected that it is already diffraction limited wide
open.

It also focuses to 30cm but has a detent at 70cm so you know when the
rangefinder disengages.  How I wish the C-V and Zeiss ZM lenses had one of
them.

You (or I) might not need it, but it is an optical and manufacturing
marvel, and anything but basic.

The lens it replaces is the oldest M design still manufactured apart from
the non-APO ASPH 50/2.  Its performance on the current 40mp sensors shows
its age.

Marty