New Leica Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6 lens?

in·no·vate
ˈinəˌvāt/Submit
verb
make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.

introduce (something new, especially a product).


They are the first to market with it ...implementing a device that has been improved upon. Sure, whoever manufactured the EVF innovated, but Leica's implementation was innovative as well.

Now your clutching at straws...
 
The sample pictures seem artificial. Will wait to see how things look on film.

Yeah, I'm wondering how this is optimized for digital, apart from having the coding on the lens mount.
It seems that this may really be a lens that shines on film.

But looking at the examples from it posted so far, I would very strongly recommend the LOMO Minitar 32 f2.8. It is much smaller, has the look, is a fraction of the cost and is great on film. It is a solid little nugget of glass and brass. And it is two stops faster...
 
I'm an odd duck: I want vignetting. I want lens flare. But I also want high quality materials and degree of finish as I hate dropping hundreds of dollars on glass that's flimsy. $6-700 purchased 5-6 times vs $2.4K purchased once? To me it makes some sense.

Yes, you are an odd duck. Same here - I am, too. I like character lenses that are well-made (built to last decades!) and compact. There are plenty of modern lenses with mind-blowing microcontrast and super accurate reproduction, but plastic construction and boring in how they draw. I'll pass, but that's just me. I'm much more interested in "new old" lenses.

Mark
 
I am quite happy to see this, and hope it is the start of more "re-issues". Seems like getting the remastered version of some old album from the 70s with better low end and nicer packaging. Costs more than the original, but has fewer scratches...
 
It's a cool reissue
I don't know why people are complaining about the price vs speed, no one says anything about the Hologon

The Hologon is 16mm. The other options are the WATE at f/4 and many thousands, or the Cv 15mm at f/5.6. It's not like there is a 16/2 in M mount. 28mm is far more pedestrian so it seems a bit more out of kilter with the (modern) market.

This lens would look the part on a chrome M-A, a pity the M2 doesn't have 28mm framelines. On the Leica site it looks like it's being eaten by the bulk of the digital M. It really makes the body look overweight.
 
Right and the 16mm hologon was a reissue of the 15mm (kinda)

One buys this lens for its character and look - I don't feel it's fair to dismiss it because it's slow for its price (Leica tax not withstanding)
 
Given the number of responses here in a relatively short time frame, methinks Leica may be on to something good with this lens.

Now maybe the 1.5/50 Summarit can be reissued with that oh-too-soft-but-fascinating wide open look but with glass and coatings that hold up to fumble fingered camerapeople and their lens cleaner.
 
I just got the e-mail blast from Leica. The lens is kinda cool, the hood is made of one solid chunk of brass.

Advertised as being the smallest M-lens.

I own a rare black version of the Canon 28/3.5. I do like this lens a lot for street, the slight vignetting, the retro center sharpness with the softness in the corners, and the low contrast. I have to check tonight if my lens is smaller than 2 Cm in length to see if the Leica 28/5.6 is smaller.

I do love that my Canon only has the distance scale marked in feet. I do use this lens stopped down to either F5.6 or F8.0 and use it as a point and shoot. Currently I have it mounted on a MD2 with a Zeiss 25/28 VF'er.

Anyways lots of fun.

Cal
 
I have a nice Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5 from Voigtländer in black paint made from solid brass (LTM). The same lens was also available in chrome on brass. With an adapter the lens can be used on an M-Leica. A great alternative in my opinion. A wonderful performer.

Erik.
 
I have a nice Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5 from Voigtländer in black paint made from solid brass (LTM). The same lens was also available in chrome on brass. With an adapter the lens can be used on an M-Leica. A great alternative in my opinion. A wonderful performer.

Erik.

I have that same lens, and it is fantastic.

But that is the problem. It doesn't vignette like my LOMO Minitar and it does not have the correct name on the label.
So it is missing the two key ingredients - 'character' and branding that the Leica lens brings to the table.
 
I have a nice Color-Skopar 28mm f/3.5 from Voigtländer in black paint made from solid brass (LTM). The same lens was also available in chrome on brass. With an adapter the lens can be used on an M-Leica. A great alternative in my opinion. A wonderful performer.

Erik.

I find it weirdly amusing considering the 28 Skopar and the beautiful optional hammertone-finished LH-1 hood are actually modeled after the 28/5.6 Summaron and its SOOBK hood.
 
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