[Leica] Is it just me?

[photo.forrest at earthlink.net (Philip Forrest)]

But the Wide Tri-Elmar is not aimed specifically at the M8 since it's
backwards compatible with the former M's.  I, for one am not going to be
purchasing an M8 yet still I would like to see the venerable old camera
company survive.  I just think the new multi-focal length lens is a solution
to a non existent problem, a bit of a hassle for those of us who like our
cameras very small and light and a bad bit of marketing that's just going to
help the corporation further into the grave.  Granted, I don't have to buy
it, but so many others don't have to buy it as well.  If it flops, then
there's just one more lens specifically for collectors, all that R&D and
overhead cost just helping Leica reach it's demise sooner.
Phil

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+photo.forrest=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+photo.forrest=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf
Of grduprey@mchsi.com
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 11:48 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Is it just me?

Isn't the whoel idea of the 16/18/21 Tri-Elmar to give the M8 the extreem
WA field of view that is lost on the M8 smaller sensor?  Yes you loose the
max aperture, but you do keep the fov, and on a film M you get even wider
choices all in one lens.

Gene


-------------- Original message from Didier Ludwig
<rangefinder@screengang.com>: -------------- 


> Philip 
> 
> I feel similar. Fast primes is what I like, plus some slow primes which
are 
> extremely compact. Have never been a big fan of tri-whatevers. Their
versatility 
> in terms of focal lengths is eaten up by slowness and bulkyness, not
talking of 
> the price. It's a kind of zoom for RF systems. Not so smooth like a slr
zoom, 
> but as slow and even more expensive. 
> 
> The Tri-E is likely intended for the M8, where it produces field of views
of 
> 21-24-28, that's admittedly (a little) bit more variation. I use 21mm or
28mm 
> lenses on film cameras often, but rarely have both with me, and have never

> missed the one I left home. Stepping around, or making other framings, is
ok for 
> me. 
> 
> What concerns Leica's marketing strategy, I have given up trying to
understand. 
> A fast wide below 28mm would sell much more, IMO, than this particular
lens. But 
> so what. I use their gear which suits me well and don't care about the
rest. 
> 
> Didier 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >When I was handling the M8 a few weeks ago, I heard about this new 
> >Tri-Elmar, the wide angle one. 16/18/21 correct? Now, at f/4 aren't we 
> >giving up a little bit of light for these three focal lengths? That is,
Why 
> >not just have a 15mm or a 16 or the 21? A person could get a 21 a full
stop 
> >faster or at the same speed, you could get a range of focal lengths for
the 
> >same price as the new wide angle zoom. I'm only saying this because the 
> >difference between 16mm and 21mm is so slight that you can walk it in 6 
> >steps. I can't imagine looking at a scene and saying "if I only had a
lens 
> >two millimeters longer (or wider)." instead, I'd just take two steps and 
> >shoot. Three focal lengths, very close to each other in appearance, less 
> >speed, greater size and more weight. Granted, I'll not be able to afford 
> >one, but it seems like this marketing of Leica's is in the wrong place. 
> >It's an expensive lens to make and the company needs to make up the costs
of 
> >production as well as make a profit, hopefully keeping themselves alive
for 
> >years to come. This looks like it will be a connoisseur's/collector's
lens 
> >at best but is that were the company should be concentrating it's
marketing? 
> >Perhaps I missed the thread where the new Tri-Elmar wide was run through 
> >it's paces, but it just seems like a solution for a problem that never 
> >existed. 
> > 
> >Philip 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Leica Users Group. 
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information 

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