[Leica] IMG: Leica M edition 100

[hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson)]

Here is the press release for one of the special collector's sets announced
in Leitz Park at Wetzlar. Very pretty, very expensive and rare. Who would
have expected a new Leica film camera? The Monochrom in this set is
machined from stainless steel. It is not the same as the new (and very
cool) serial production Monochrom in ummm chrome. The internals are
identical regarding sensor and electronics by the way. Notice the Summilux
28 ASPH as well. I guess we shall wait to see which products get into
serial production. Just my guess. It is a Photokina year.

I uploaded the original provide photo here:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/hoppyman/LDA/Leica+M+Edition+100.jpg.html

If there is interest in seeing this material I shall upload more.

.........................................................................................................



*Leica Camera AG is celebrating 100 years of Leica photography*

*Product highlight for the centennial year: the Leica M Edition 100*



This year, Leica Camera AG is celebrating 100 years of Leica photography.
On the occasion of this special anniversary, the company has already
announced two special centennial editions - the Leica S Edition 100 and the
Leica D-Lux 6 Edition 100. And now, a uniquely special highlight will be
presented in the course of the official opening celebration for the new
Leica headquarters in the Leitz Park complex in Wetzlar on 23 May 2014: the
Leica M Edition 100.



As the first Leica special edition of its kind, the Leica M Edition 100
brings together a purely mechanical rangefinder camera for film photography
- the Leica M-A - with a digital Leica M (Leica M Monochrom) in one set.
The combination of these two cameras is unique. Its symbolic character as
an homage to the beginnings of Leica 35 mm photography and, in particular,
to black-and-white photography makes the centennial edition truly special.
This applies, above all, to its high-quality construction and finish: for
the first time ever, both Leica cameras and the lenses in this set are made
from solid stainless steel.



Both cameras stand as symbols for the origins of Leica photography and the
present day. The Leica M-A, with technical specifications based on the
currently available Leica MP film camera, is a direct descendent of the
Ur-Leica. Many of the elements Oskar Barnack invented for the Ur-Leica are
revisited in this new camera. These include the fabric focal-plane shutter,
the accessory shoe and removable baseplate - and of course it is built for
using film. Alternatively, the second camera, a Leica M Monochrom, is the
contemporary variation of the theme composed a century ago by Oskar
Barnack. As the world's first camera conceived exclusively for
black-and-white 35 mm digital photography, and featuring a sensor
specifically designed for this purpose, it carries the traditions of
black-and-white photography into the digital age and sets entirely new
standards of imaging quality.

Alongside the exclusive combination of products, above all the premium
finish is one of the outstanding features of the Leica M Edition 100. This
is the first time that stainless steel - a material that is extremely
difficult to work with - has been employed for the visible metallic
elements of Leica products. A special protective coating applied by a Swiss
company protects the exposed surfaces against finger marks. Resistant and
durable in equal measure, this material guarantees enduring value
preservation and lends the products a refined character with a silky sheen.
The premium appearance of both camera bodies is further complemented by the
application of a special black leather trim.



The set also includes three Leica Summilux-M lenses with focal lengths of
28, 35 and 50 mm. Renowned for their combination of extremely compact size,
speed and exceptional imaging quality, they ideally reflect the
characteristic performance criteria with which Leica lenses contributed to
the establishment of the brand as a legend. The M centennial set will be
supplied in a black anodized aluminium case constructed by Rimowa
especially for Leica. Inside, the case is subdivided into compartments
precisely tailored to the individual components of the set and lined with
real leather in black. The set also includes Kodak TRI-X 400
black-and-white film for use with the Leica M-A. This film is considered a
classic in the genres of art photography and reportage and is still
renowned and extremely popular for its unmistakable look in prints. Special
engraving on the top plate of the body commemorates the centennial, as do
the unique serial numbers that end with the four digits of the years
between 1914 and 2014.


The Leica M Edition 100 is strictly limited to 101 sets for the entire
global market. The cameras and lenses will be available exclusively as sets
from Leica Stores and Boutiques from June 2014; none of the items contained
in the sets will be available as separate items.


Cheers
Geoff
http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman