Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/08/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I got my first Leica, an M6 with a 50 Summicron in May of 1993 the 50 Summicron cost $650 new quite a bit cheaper than any other new lens made by Leica at the time and there was no Cosina Voigtl?nder or Cosina Zeiss for Leica yet. Instead of that there were older Leica lenses. Many said "Leitz" on them. Soon after it went up to $750 where it stayed it seems to me a real long time. Several years maybe. After owning and using it a few years and joining the LUG it I found out it was not one of the better offerings from Leica as the formula was a bit old hat and in need of revamping. All kinds of exciting things happened in Leica glass - Asph's and Apo's in odd focal lengths a 24mm a 75mm but the 50 Summicron stayed old. Really the flagship lens of the lineup if not the 1.4 stayed the same. Old and creaky. The images had a great look. But apparently the tests showed the resolution was not there. Not there compared to the tinny new fake Zeiss' s and Voigtl?nders. Well most of us know now they finally did it. The revamped the 50 and its called the Leica APO-Summicron-M 50 mm f/2 ASPH And it's been an even twenty years. And it cost not $750. But $7500. That's a whole lot of different class of change even with inflation! I'm sure its worth it though. A real inspiration figuring out how to swing it. I need to do something BIG! That lens on a new M 240 I think the number is would put sparkle in my eye. And I think a sparkle in my results. -- Mark William Rabiner Photographer http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/