[Leica] Summarit press release

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> 
> the name has me a bit muddled. i have an old summarit, a 1.5 LTM.
> does the summarit name signify anything technical with respect to the
> design of new line of lenses or is it a mainly a marketing name
> for the line?
> 
> -rei
> 


I think they were looking for a lens line close to the 2.5 f stop.
And have less conflicts getting redundancy with other existing glass and at
a speed which might actually be needed.
A line where they could have non ASPH glass.
A bundle of worms for Leica over the years for the bean counters they'll
tell us about it some day.


We still don't know if they plan on having them selling for a bit cheaper I
think they will be a half step down from existing prices for the most part.

I looks to me that the 35mm 2.5 will be lighter in weight and smaller in
size than my 35mm f2 ASPH which is just a bit big and heavy when compared to
its non Asph predecessor. Like Twice!
Will it have fabulous wide open specs without the concave ASPH in the front?
I think it will do ok.
I'm one of the few who think this shoot wide open stuff is baloney.
Give me f5.6 and I'll be there. I don't need my subjects suspended in
nothingness I'm not a French existentialist.


The existing 50 Summicron is old and under the gun. We needed a new drug in
this case glass. An ASPH Summicron 50 would have annoyed just these people
this lens line is aimed at. The new 50 Summilux which you cant focus sure
did. So this is in effect an upgrade to the creaky but venerable 50
Summicron I'm sure it will knock it out of the water specs wise not that
hard to do and I think and it will balance well.
2.8 sounds slow
2.5 sounds like its thinking about being fast.
They can leave ASPH grinding out of the mix and still have the use of glass
the mass market guys are just not going to use. And computer design and
better coatings.

Just yesterday feels like we offered a 75 which was not a monster but the
sharpest lens in the history of the known universe as we know it this one
will cost maybe a grand less and be in effect the economy slow version of
this now burgeoning focal length for Leica. Lets see if I'm right.
A great tele for owners of the M8 as a 90 is just a lot longer than you need
with the crop factor. It also looks like a lens which will balance quite
well on a body.
75mm * 1.33 = 99.75mm
If I got an M8 tomorrow what would I use for my promo shots of people,
portraiture and fashion? My Summicron has specs which are a bit of an
embarrassment and the Noctilux is going to often be overkill.
I can't f1 and be there everything.
This new lens I'm sure would be a major contender for this short tele in
effect an important slot for me.
Just a 100mm away.

This 90 2.5 is up against the fresh out collapsible which I guess is not
what lots of people want it seems old fashioned or rickety nor do they want
a macro. So this gives them neither and they're happy. Just a nice balancing
old fashioned Leica supremo chunk of glass with some real reach.
They make glass the old fashioned way.
They GRIND it.

They can't do a 28 now there's already just been a 2.8 but what's needed is
a compact 24. Or for that matter a compact 21.

Thing is having an ASPH element or elements in there really helps with the
making of a lens compact from all I've read. But if the specs don't need to
be aimed so high (wide open) they can pull it off and give people a Leica
option to all this third party compact glass out there but with much more of
a Leica fingerprint and a little more of a Leica price.

And I don't think the non apsh fingerprint here will be all that different
than what we've been seeing with the ASPH's I think that's a myth and I've
blown many of my Asph shots 16x20 darkroom fiber prints. Before digital
kicked in. Smooth as silk.


If they came out with a line of super compact cheaper 3.5s would I be the
only one shelling out madly for them?





Mark William Rabiner
Harlem, NY

rabinergroup.com