jippiejee
Well-known
Ha. I just listened to your seriouscompacts podcast about it. Very interesting indeed. And there's nothing wrong with creating the best 50mm lens ever.
Livesteamer
Well-known
I'll wait till they make this lens in Leica screw mount. Just right for my old IIIc. Grin. Joe
Araakii
Well-known
But since all these other camera makers are catering to the lower end of the market, who will serve the high end of the market if Leica doesn't do it? If someone has $10,000 spare change, you got to find something to sell to the person.
Araakii
Well-known
And Leica doesn't need to make any more things for working photographers. Real photographers already have more than enough tools to work with. The ones who really want the new Leica stuff are just lusting over the latest stuff like the rich guys do.
icebear
Veteran
This thread is really amazing ... in a bad way.
All the folks almost harrassing Leica for developing cutting edge technology optical tools and asking a steep price for them in order to keep doing this, are you sometimes look in the mirror and try to be honest for a short moment?
"Darn, I'd lover to take this new Monochrome and the Apo 2/50 out for a ride, if just Leica would give it to me for free, I'd stop all this bitching an moaning. Oh this life is so unfair to me. Others have bigger * (insert: cars, houses, yachts, whatever) but most importantly the have these cameras with the red dot. Oh, I feel so envious, I'd almost throw up".
I can't think of better support of photographers than servicing 40 or 50 year old lenses that can still be used on the latest release camera body. The only service my M6 required so far was, when I decided to have the finder upgraded. Otherwise it is still going strong after 25(?) years. I had 2 T90 and both had shutter mechanics issues at the tender age of maybe 6. $250 bucks each.
If your photographer job doesn't pay for the tools, then ... draw your own conclusions.
This discussion is seriously revealing the envious character of most people. Instead of being angry you should relax and be glad that there is something new on the market which some people might affort but a lot of people will never. Either they don't have the money or they have other priorities in life. Of course are these price tags insane for what the product is : a lens or a camera. But it's not just any camera or any lens and there are alternatives for everybody at every price point, go get 'em, they just don't come with the red dot.
Don't loose any sleep over this folks. Take it easy
All the folks almost harrassing Leica for developing cutting edge technology optical tools and asking a steep price for them in order to keep doing this, are you sometimes look in the mirror and try to be honest for a short moment?
"Darn, I'd lover to take this new Monochrome and the Apo 2/50 out for a ride, if just Leica would give it to me for free, I'd stop all this bitching an moaning. Oh this life is so unfair to me. Others have bigger * (insert: cars, houses, yachts, whatever) but most importantly the have these cameras with the red dot. Oh, I feel so envious, I'd almost throw up".
I can't think of better support of photographers than servicing 40 or 50 year old lenses that can still be used on the latest release camera body. The only service my M6 required so far was, when I decided to have the finder upgraded. Otherwise it is still going strong after 25(?) years. I had 2 T90 and both had shutter mechanics issues at the tender age of maybe 6. $250 bucks each.
If your photographer job doesn't pay for the tools, then ... draw your own conclusions.
This discussion is seriously revealing the envious character of most people. Instead of being angry you should relax and be glad that there is something new on the market which some people might affort but a lot of people will never. Either they don't have the money or they have other priorities in life. Of course are these price tags insane for what the product is : a lens or a camera. But it's not just any camera or any lens and there are alternatives for everybody at every price point, go get 'em, they just don't come with the red dot.
Don't loose any sleep over this folks. Take it easy
sanmich
Veteran
Robert,
I really hope I'm wrong on this one, but I don't remember them keeping a model in production after they have introduced an upgrade.
bob338
Well-known
Araakii
Well-known
Your logic applies to every discretionary spending and every single American makes this kind of spending every single day. When you drive your car to somewhere, do you think of all the people in this world that can only commute by foot? There are kids somewhere in this world who walk 6 hours a day just to go to school.
semilog
curmudgeonly optimist
They're not as accurate or as reliable as a garden variety Casio G Shock, and they are at least as unattractive as a G Shock. Aside from those shortcomings, nothing. But, then, I think that jewelry worn as a signifier of socioeconomic status is a bit tawdry. That goes double when it's mainly the nameplate, and not intrinsic craftsmanship or design excellence that serves as the signifier of status.
Steve Ash
Established
Right the first sentence of the apo summicron asph product brochure confirms that the normal summicron stays in production.
http://en.leica-camera.com/assets/file/download.php?filename=file_6721.pdf
Regards,
Steve
BobYIL
Well-known
1. This is a photography forum, not Beverly Hills Polo Club. We come here to exchange ideas, experiences and learn what we need to learn.
2. Here we have working photographers, photojournalists and amateurs; all are from any income level. Any new product, process or idea is discussed openly and people express what they have in mind as free individuals away from commercial considerations.
3. Here a lot of persons have been with Leica, using Leica probably more than the years you have lived through. Lot's of them are still loyal Leica users. Some others have started to use Leica newly. Most of us are using Leicas actively and in a number different ways. The realities with the use of Leica is here, right in this forum... We expect it to be the feedback gathered from these real Leica users to shape the future of Leica; rather than the one tailored to attract a certain sector who regard it not much different than a prestige object.
4. As a Leica user since 49 years, I have never experienced a period in which Leica has been ridiculed as in these few days following May the 10th "The Essentials".
So it's not our concern to ponder about "If someone has $10,000 spare change, you got to find something to sell to the person.", this is childish; nobody in this forum would even need to mind about it. Our concern is Leica is seeming of slowly turning his back to those loyal customers who made Leica what it was until now.
The sad side of this: Some of those who could afford the new Leica products with their left hand began to switch to other brands. Justification of cost...
(Araakii: With these above, I hope you learned a few things more to mind about posting with more insight. BTW, you do not need to blow Leica's horn as the majority of the Leica users here know Leica better than you do. And there really are zillions of ways to spend "$10.000 spare change"..don't concern..)
Araakii
Well-known
I never said I know much about Leica. And I don't really care how much they price their products and where they are going. I just don't understand all these negativities towards a company that 1) makes great new products 2) doesn't exploit 3rd world workers 3) keeps a fair share of production within its own country 4) maintains a product line that is still active and relevant after 70 something years and probably other good things that I can't think of right now.
I don't even use much Leica stuff now. But I have great respect for them as a company. I can't say the same for that many American companies.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
I'm not sure what it is that you're lecturing Araakii on, but it does baffle me a bit that some of you guys seem to get so worked up and emotional over this all of a sudden. What's the source of disappointment? Leica has been making luxury goods for ages (what did you think, back then, the LHSA special editions and Sultan of Brunei Leicas are all about?). These threads make it seem that you guys all of a sudden discovered something that, after all, been around for a long time. Is there some kind of disenchantment going on?
Hatch
Established
You respond in this way and dare talk about morality?
davidtan
Established
Almost all of Leica's camera components have been made in Portugal since 1973. The same is true for their other non-photographic products like sport optics. The parts are sent to Germany for assembly. Why Portugal? The story goes that Albert Leitz personally found the country lovely and the workers skilled. But one should also notice that Portugal has relatively low labor costs compared to other nations in W. Europe, and that it currently resides in the Eurozone - to the benefit of European companies that want to save on exchange costs.
Portugal isn't a third world country, but it isn't necessarily as "well-off" as it's neighbors in W. Europe. It has, for example, been in a struggle with TB for a long time. It's TB incidence rate is well over the standard in W. Europe, with the rate approaching third-world levels in major population centers like Porto. I found the country wonderful when I visited, but it still exuded a "rough" image compared the the rest of region; dilapidated slums, homelessness and open drug-dealing were some of the things I saw during my stay.
In any case, there's nothing wrong with sending jobs to other countries.
Adrian Nasti
Adrian N
No. The Planar ZM will suffice
javimm
Established
I'm not going to buy this anytime soon. My canadian 50 Summicron is more than enough for me. Cost me about 500 euros second hand like 6 years ago.
Adrian Nasti
Adrian N
The pricing doesn't make sense to me. Irrespective of how highly corrected and wonderful the new lens is, I am stunned that it costs more than the faster 50 Lux and 35 FLE Lux. It's akin to the 28 Elmarit ASPH costing twice the amount than the 28 Summicron ASPH.
Livesteamer
Well-known
Perhaps we need to remember the first 50mm f1.2 Noctilux. After a while they learned to make it faster/better/cheaper. In a way this lens is a technology test platform from which they will learn and which will benefit us in the future. Joe
Adrian Nasti
Adrian N
It's a worrying trend. It implies that any future versions of the 50 Lux for example will cost more than the new 50 Cron.