Why doesn't E.Leitz reissue GREAT lenses?

[rscheffler]

They seem to have reformulated the 28 Summaron for digital without issue. Doesn't seem to be an impossible task. And Leica did imply they were going to release other historical lenses.

Considering how slow it is, it has fewer 'legacy' issues of incompatibility on digital than lenses from that era 2-3 stops faster in a similar focal length. I tried one at a Leica Store and was surprised at how decent it was across the frame. Maybe not quite up to modern designs, but nonetheless, it created appealing looking images.

Yes, a re-release of the 35 Lux pre-ASPH, un-tweaked, would be very cool! (And no, I'm not interested in the CV35/1.4 instead)

 

[Rob-F]

I've never owned an 85mm Summarex, but it has a reputation for being a special lens, and I don't think too many were made. Perhaps it might be a candidate for re-issue.

There are two old 50's I own and like, and might also be candidates: The Dual-Range Summicron and the Collapsible Summicron. The latter has some special painterly qualities that should be retained, and not lost to some "improved" version.

 

[ptpdprinter]

They seem to have reformulated the 28 Summaron for digital without issue. Doesn't seem to be an impossible task. And Leica did imply they were going to release other historical lenses.

If they reformulated it, it is not a classic lens. It just happens to have the same focal length and aperture.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

If they reformulated it, it is not a classic lens. It just happens to have the same focal length and aperture.

This.
As well as name.
Like Zeiss having Cosina make lenses named Biogon which, at this point, only implies they are wide angles, not that they have anything to do with the actual Biogon formulation.

Phil Forrest

 

[james.liam]

If they reformulated it, it is not a classic lens. It just happens to have the same focal length and aperture.

It performs very similar to the old one, in fact. IIRC, the optical formula in nearly identical.
As mentioned above, the immutable differences between film & digital sensors necessitates some compromise for the latter.

 

[sebastel]

on the topic:

https://www.dpreview.com/opinion/68...ord-but-camera-companies-are-not-your-friends

 

[Kent]

Do you mean like that 28mm f5.6 Summaron they announced a year ago that's perpetually "new item, coming soon" at B&H and "out of stock" at the Leica store?

I guess he means that 28mm f5.6 Summaron which I have seen several copies of and which I have shot with on my M8 as well as on my Fujis.

The lens exists and it is in the hands of users. 😉

 

[presspass]

While Leica is at it, why not a few lenses for those of us who still shoot screw mount cameras? I know they have done a 35mm Asph Summicron and a couple of others, but how about smaller, lighter lenses with the Elmar or Hektor designs?

 

[jaapv]

Do you mean like that 28mm f5.6 Summaron they announced a year ago that's perpetually "new item, coming soon" at B&H and "out of stock" at the Leica store?

If they ever had any interest in that lens from Leica users I'm sure they have killed it by now.

Plenty of people using that lens and posting images on LUF.

 

[Arthur]

"A 66mm ELCAN could certainly be done but it was a special, rare, niche lens which never was intended for use by the general population. Design, raytracing, tooling, sourcing glass, all would be very expensive and the sales wouldn't pay for the investment."

A techie friend did an MTF study with it...

It was the sharpest lens he ever tested... 400 lpi!

We casually compared my Summicron Apo/Asph 50/2 with his Elcan 66/2 and...

...the Summicron Apo/Asph had "color fringing" that was absent in the Elcan 66/2.

?

 

[willie_901]

I found Phil_F_NM comments compelling.

Another issue could involve internal flare. The sensor-assembly cover glass is significantly more reflective than film. Contemporary lens coatings and internal baffle designs may suppress reflective internal flare.

It's also possible the M-mount flange focal distance is less susceptible to flare than other mirrorless systems where reflective flare is a known issue.

It's obvious people enjoy excellent digital images with M/LTM lenses designed before the digital imaging era. This doesn't necessarily mean there's a difference in flare levels between film and digital usage. Flare is difficult to evaluate because it depends on many variables. For instance, a very small difference in angle can make a large difference in internal reflective flare,

 

[Bill Blackwell]

"Why doesn't E. Leitz reissue GREAT lenses?"

Mainly because E. Leitz hasn't been in business in over 40 years!

 

[mpaniagua]

While Leica is at it, why not a few lenses for those of us who still shoot screw mount cameras? I know they have done a 35mm Asph Summicron and a couple of others, but how about smaller, lighter lenses with the Elmar or Hektor designs?

Mainly because there a lots of those on the used market. Not many (but some would do) would pay a premium to have a newly issued lens with same classic design than one you could have cheaper on the used market. Market no big enough to turn off a profit so they wont do (probably).

Marcelo

 

[Ronald M]

Elcan was a military lens & government will pay anything for what they want. I doubt
we can afford one.

Most classics were good only when compared with their contemporary lenses and can not compete with current offerings. 50 1.4 Lux being one example. I never could find one that would make anyone but a Leica stockholder happy.

 

[splitimageview]

"Why doesn't E. Leitz reissue GREAT lenses?"

Mainly because E. Leitz hasn't been in business in over 40 years!

E. Leitz no longer exists. 🙂

........ 😀

 

[jarski]

I find it interesting Leica hasn't started re-make R-lenses for other cameras like Canon and Nikon. all those designs are ready and awaiting to be used, without big R&D costs.

 

[splitimageview]

Indeed, or even mirrorless versions.

 

[Kent]

Leica will only re-market lenses which are "real classics" and which do not have an equivalent, neither in the Leica line-up nor in any other one.

Why should they bring back a series IV Summicron 50 or a pre-Asph. Summicron 90 (which are my personal favourites, I seem to like Mandler desings a lot)? They would just canibalize their more modern versions.

The 5.6/28 fits a niche. So would an Elcan 2/66, yes, but this lens never really had any market relevance.

Perhaps a Summaron 3.5/35 would be pretty nice. That is far enough away from present 35mm lenses and it also had a special rendering.

 

[ptpdprinter]

They seem to have reformulated the 28 Summaron for digital without issue. Doesn't seem to be an impossible task. And Leica did imply they were going to release other historical lenses.

I am not a lens designer, but I would think designing a 28mm f5.6 lens would not be a Herculean task.

 

[leicavidom]

Been thinking about what lenses I would like to see reissued;top of my list would be
The amazing 21mm F3.4 Super Angulon - with a filter thread usable with currently available brands - 49mm sounds ideal. Unless Leica created a matching UV.,2x yellow and 4x orange in the original 48mm
This is an appeal for all you film users out there including moi.