Will you pay $7,195 for the new 50 'cron Asph?

[braver]

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.

Speed is hardly the only factor that decides the cost of production. However, it is the one that mostly levers desirability, so in that sense it doesn't make sense to build a 50/2 that's more complex than a 50/1.4.

Read into what APO means and you'll understand.

 

[I Love Film]

I'm going to buy one, or maybe two. I may never open the box of the second one.

I'm going to stick the lens on the front of my M9 Titanium, and I'm not even going to take any photos with it.

I'm just going to use it to upset all the poor people, and laugh at them. "Ha ha ha! I have an $8000 lens (with sales tax), and you don't. I don't even know how to use my camera, but I can afford to pay someone to take the photos for me. HA HA HA!"

Too bad for all of you who can't have one. Who is to say who is capable of using the lens better, me or you?

 

[Nikon Bob]

I can't understand the emotion this thread is generating. Leica is making a high end lens they think will sell at the price they want to charge. If you have the money or not you don't have to buy it. Car companies sell many models of cars and just because their top of the line models are super expensive not many people get this emotional about it. You drive what you can afford. Not a thing wrong with Leica or what they are doing.

Bob

 

[jonoslack]

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.

Hmm - that sounds like you're saying that there's no point in any further development - because everything is fine already.

But new working photographers won't already have everything. Still, providing a 'perfect' 50 could be an end in itself, and hardly a despicable one.

My problem with it is that I want one . . and I can't qualifying buying it!

 

[Rayt]

The price took me by surprise but why does it matter? There are plenty of other stuff I can't afford.

 

[MikeL]

Have folks here been to dpreview? Good, thoughtful discussions can be found there too. Please check it out. Now.

 

[mynikonf2]

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.

This does not represent the normal everyday discretionary spending of the American people but borders on the obscene and arrogant flaunting of wealth that is taking place throughout the world. If we were willing to be honest with ourselves & others we could admit that there is something fundamentally wrong with this, other wise we would not be having this conversation.

Anyway, it is really pointless trying to express this in an environment like we have here in the RRF Forum. I have been wrong in trying to do so. This is or should be a place where we can refrain from dragging in our own personal political and/or moral/spiritual points of view and talk about our common love of all things photographic. I apologize to the membership for doing so. 😱

 

[maddoc]

Have folks here been to dpreview? Good, thoughtful discussions can be found there too. Please check it out. Now.

I stopped after the third of 408 replies to the "hands on preview with image samples" after reading

"look at the rest of the world to see what your foreign policy is doing......." 😱

 

[caasols]

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.

David, you're right in some aspects about Portugal, but this is just wrong. Struggle with TB? Dilapidated slums? Come on...

You're right about the labor costs and the skilled workers. Leica decided to build the factory in Famalicão, because this zone had a industry for precision watches, to they had skilled workers for precision jobs.

 

[MCTuomey]

.... dilapidated slums, homelessness and open drug-dealing were some of the things I saw during my stay.

C'mon -- slums, homelessness, and drug-dealing characterize most, if not all, major cities everywhere. Come to some of the places I shoot in the U.S., David. Detroit. New Orleans. Plenty of all three to be witnessed there. And a bit of resurgent TB too.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

When I read Mr. Puts' review (there are other reviews equally as positive) of the new 50mm Summilux (which has risen to the price of 4k and is still unavailable) I thought that would be the ultimate lens. I would like to see how the Summicron will be better. 7k+ is truly unbelievable for a 35mm lens. I think I will forgo that lens in the hope of some day obtaining a Summilux and save 3k.

 

[braver]

I stopped after the third of 408 replies to the "hands on preview with image samples" after reading

"look at the rest of the world to see what your foreign policy is doing......." 😱

I saw that... Wow, they even manage to drag US foreign policy into a discussion about lenses. Gotta love the internet, everything is possible here!

 

[splitimageview]

Have folks here been to dpreview? Good, thoughtful discussions can be found there too. Please check it out. Now.

It's a lovely place. Everyone should visit.

 

[Erik van Straten]

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?

Well, I am disappointed because a new normal 50mm f/2 lens from Leica is out of reach of the most of us. It is not a special edition item, but just a new version of a standard lens.

Erik.

 

[splitimageview]

Considering a new 50/1.8 AF Nikkor (for example) is $120, isn't a 50/2 pre-asph out of the reach of most of us too, at $2200 retail?

I mean, this is nearly what an X-Pro1 body and 35/1.4 costs and the lens has been tested to be in the same league as a 50 lux asph.

 

[Erik van Straten]

the lens has been tested to be in the same league as a 50 lux asph.

All that testing doesn't improve lenses. The recent 50mm f/2 lenses are also tested I presume.

Erik.

 

[rxmd]

Well, I am disappointed because a new normal 50mm f/2 lens from Leica is out of reach of the most of us. It is not a special edition item, but just a new version of a standard lens.

I don't think it's meant to be within the reach of "the most of us". It's a "standard" lens solely by focal length. "The most of us" wouldn't have a use for the marginal optical benefits that come at a colossal price. For all practical purposes this is a special edition item, like other high-end lenses priced in the same ballpark (21/f1.4, wideangle Tri-Elmar...).

 

[splitimageview]

All that testing doesn't improve lenses.

Erik.

Not sure what this means, but clearly the 50/2 pre-asph at $2200 is not meant to be for 'the rest of us' either.

 

[splitimageview]

this is a special edition item, like other high-end lenses priced in the same ballpark (21/f1.4, wideangle Tri-Elmar...).

bingo.

Where is all the vitriol against the 21/24 lux, which are $7k new?

🙂

 

[Erik van Straten]

this is a special edition item

I presume it is made to make pictures, just like any other lens.

Erik.