New, lighter (literally, and on the wallet) 35 and 50 SL Summicrons announced.

[ellisson]

Announced today. For autofocus SL lenses, the Sigma Contemporary lenses have been lighter full frame options at a fraction of the cost (new) of the apo-SL summicrons. The new, non-APO, Leica SL 35 and 50mm f2 lenses announced today for pre-order are half the weight of the Apo-SLs and less than half the cost. Look interesting, and nice to have another autofocus option for the SL/SL2 cameras. Still $$$, but not $$$$ 🙂

 

[oldwino]

Looks like they are based on the LUMIX primes.

 

[Calzone]

I own an APO 35 Cron. Certainly big and heavy, but what a lens.

Cal

 

[ellisson]

Having used the Sigma contemporary 35/2 and compared results with the Apo SL 35 files of others, I'll save my back and wallet over the incremental gain from the Apo SLs. But other photographers may see it very differently, whether or not they own one or more of the Apo-SL lenses. Check out the LUF on this subject for a diversity of opinion and speculation. Speculation, but no actual images to compare...so far.

With my Apo summicron M 50mm as an example, I actually enjoy the Rigid Summicron M type II as much or more, though the weight difference is not nearly as dramatic. It will be important to see some images from the new lenses and shoot them side by side with the APO-SL lenses at my local shop. My mind is open...probably more so than my wallet! But I do admit to a mind-wallet connection.

 

[Calzone]

Ellison,

I can see it your way easily. The wallet, size and weight, mean a lot.

I also can see how the APO can be looked upon as incremental, and perhaps the extra quality goes wasted or is not needed or required. Pretty sensible that the APO that the extra IQ might only be needed for perhaps a landscape shooter or someone that prints huge or ridiculously big.

BTW I’m a big fan of the 50 Rigid. Mine is the first version with the narrow focusing ring and if I remember correctly the distance scale is marked in feet only.

Know that I own a SL2 and I still love the first SL. BTW the SL2 is overkill, but it best exploits the APO glass IMHO. Likely a waste on my old SL.

Fact is a SL or SL2 with Leica native glass is “Monster” sized.

Don’t get me wrong I love the Leica L-glass, but lighter, smaller, and less costly has mucho meaning also.

Cal

 

[ellisson]

Cal,

That 50 Rigid is one of those vintage Leica jewels. Mine has the distance scale marked in meters only.

I'm a new owner of the SL2-S, which I will use for stills and for videos I shoot for musicians in a local recording studio. The tricky part is syncing up the video with the actual recorded and mastered sound, not what I hear and capture in the studio. That, fortunately for me, is done by someone else!

For stills, I rarely print larger than 12x16 or so, which I've had done with fairly modest sized files. If I were doing fashion or product/marketing work in studio, or detailed landscapes professionally, I'd likely get the SL2 and the APO SL lenses.

 

[Calzone]

Ellison,

Check out AccidentalIcon.com and Icon Accidental on Instagram.

“Maggie” my gal has over 750K followers and is/was a Go-Daddy girl. Somehow I got snookered into being a fashion photographer and that crazy life.

I want a SL2-S to replace my first version SL. The user interface, the bigger buffer make it worth the extra money, but then again the SL remains a great camera.

BTW do you remember the Meet-Up in Philly to shoot at Eastern State Penatentury?

The 7 New York members that took the bus to Philly and I decided to venture into Northwest Philly because we were told to avoid the area.

I was confronted by a man who asked what we are doing there. When I explained that we took the bus from NYC, shot at ESP, and then decided to record this part of Philly before it disappears and gets gentrified, he mention that his father spent some time in ESP because he assaulted a man with a 2x4. His real name was John, but his street name was “Popcorn.”

Of course this was before the SL was released and I shot with a MM.

The world is not that big.

Cal

 

[ellisson]

Nice sites, Cal. Quite fashionable indeed.

I do remember the Eastern State Penitentiary meet-up with the NYC group. I got separated from the group while shooting some HP5 with a Widelux 7. I have not been back yet, but will probably return in the near future to see if any new restoration work has been done. Your encounter was interesting - glad it went well!

Driving down Broad Street yesterday in Philly, I was people and building watching along the way at the numerous traffic lights, wishing I could roam around with a camera. Another day...

 

[Calzone]

Ellisson,

I was in Philly last week. I walked around with no camera and stayed near Center City, Old City, Queens Village.

The homeless situation was as bad as NYC. A cop warned me to be “very careful after dark.”

Also now I am a model with an agent in London. How did that happen?

Cal

 

[Michael Markey]

A bit of controversy on the FB user group about these new lenses being essentially Panasonic in origin but at a much greater price.
I`ve been using an SL2s for some time now but can`t bring myself to buy the native glass. Instead I use my M lenses ,CL lenses (only about 10mp) and a Panasonic 70 -200 at the long end .
Lovely camera but the AF sucks for what I intended to use it for , is the main reason that I haven`t thrown any more money at the system.

 

[Calzone]

MM,

The AF on my 50 Lux is slow for sure but accurate.

The AF on my APO 35 Cron is amazing.

I would say in my experience it is somewhat lens dependent.

The 50 Lux certainly is big/huge and mucho heavy. I think getting an APO 50 Cron is worthwhile for me, but I would also keep the 50 Lux.

Cal

 

[Michael Markey]

Hi Cal

Bear in mind when I say slow I`m using it for shots of horses going cross country.
For other stuff ,like the shots of the musicians I`ve just posted its fine.
I was using it there with the superb TL lens ,the 35 summilux.

Michael

 

[Calzone]

Ellison,

I suggest getting a Heliopan UV filter for whatever lens you mount on your SL2-S.

I learned from my MM that Heliopan filters marked “Digital” have additional UV and IR filters built in, and the removal of this non visual image signals really cleans up the histogram and helps eliminate or curb clipping.

Also did you know that somehow I was part of a “Focus Group” that helped spec out and design the SL2? I knew insider info for a few years, and had to keep quite. Talk about gas.

I forgot another reason to upgrade to a SL2-S from my first version SL is the image stabilization.

Know that I borrowed from Leica a 24-90 L-lens to cover NYC fashion week. This lens has IS and I walked the Bowery at night shooting in the dark all these “circus” shots at crazy low shutter speeds without pushing the ISO. Pretty much was just was being a jerk and playing around.

I was amazed at the results. The IS in the lens is said to be better than in camera IS. Know that this playing around was using my SL first version that had no in body IS.

So to add to the conversation in your thread IS in camera on the SL2 and SL2-S is a big enhancement.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Mike,

Thanks for the clarity.

Today we have mucho overkill, and much of it is excessive, including prices.

At this point, I can likely write off or get a tax credit for camera gear, if money comes in from modeling.

Cal

 

[Archiver]

Also did you know that somehow I was part of a “Focus Group” that helped spec out and design the SL2? I knew insider info for a few years, and had to keep quite. Talk about gas.

I forgot another reason to upgrade to a SL2-S from my first version SL is the image stabilization.

How did you manage to become part of this focus group? So curious now!

 

[Freakscene]

I suggest getting a Heliopan UV filter for whatever lens you mount on your SL2-S.

I learned from my MM that Heliopan filters marked “Digital” have additional UV and IR filters built in, and the removal of this non visual image signals really cleans up the histogram and helps eliminate or curb clipping.

The Heliopan UV filters cut UV, but not IR. The published transmission spectra show this. This works on the MM because it reduces the difference between the spectral sensitivity of the meter cell and the sensor. In mirrorless cameras without a separate meter cell it makes no difference. Overall, a UV-IR cut filter makes more difference to digital cameras with a thin sensor stack than most people expect.

Also did you know that somehow I was part of a “Focus Group” that helped spec out and design the SL2? I knew insider info for a few years, and had to keep quite. Talk about gas.

I was on a focus group for one of Leica’s products. They didn’t listen to me, and it was a disaster.

 

[Calzone]

Achiever,

I got the call out of the blue, actually an E-mail. Might have been through the Leica itself. I was an early adopter.

Somehow I became a Beta tester for Piezography Pro. Had access to this new inkset for a year before it became public.

I bought a lot of ink from Jon Cone, with Leica it was luck.

We all asked for a Monochrom SL2, but that did not happen…

Cal

 

[ellisson]

Seems monochrome versions have never made it into the SL line, three generations and counting. Monochrome M11s go for $10,500 USD new and a Q2 monochrome goes for over 4000 USD used. I haven't seen/heard a lot of demand for a Mono SL3 or SL3-S cameras. Perhaps Leica believes that they have elevated monochrome image quality (conversion in camera or in post processing) to a level that a monochrome SL camera/sensor would not improve on with their current SL cameras and apo-summicron lenses. Or that sales of their other monochrome cameras is a higher priority.

 

[Calzone]

Ellison,

I have no interest in a SL3. Last year I was in DC and I went into the Leica Store and they happen to have one in stock.

My SL2 with the native L-glass is way overkill.

As they say the size of the pixel has more meaning than how many.

Even my M9 Monochrom prints big 20x30 on 24x36 sheets, and that has only 18 MP.

Image stabilization though would be welcomed, and the weatherproofing…

The APO L-glass is future proofed to 120MP. Pretty much I think they don’t want to compete against the other Monochrom cameras.

Anyways I was not alone in wanting a SL2 Monochrom.

Cal

 

[Michael Markey]

Ellison,

I have no interest in a SL3. Last year I was in DC and I went into the Leica Store and they happen to have one in stock.

My SL2 with the native L-glass is way overkill.

As they say the size of the pixel has more meaning than how many.

Even my M9 Monochrom prints big 20x30 on 24x36 sheets, and that has only 18 MP.

Image stabilization though would be welcomed, and he weatherproofing…

The APO L-glass is future proofed to 120MP. Pretty much I think they don’t want to compete against the other Monochrom cameras.

Anyways I was not alone in wanting a SL2 Monochrom.

Cal

Since my last post ,although I continue to use my CL glass on my SL2S, I have purchased two native lenses for it . The 24/70 (which is actually a re cased Sigma) and the very heavy 90 / 280. Sigma hold the patent for that too apparently.