[Leica] Summarit press release

[len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier)]

Hi Hoppy,

It sounds like you have more then a passing interest in this new  
series. I have no doubt these will be very good performing lenses. I  
think Leica had to come up with a new series of less expensive glass  
if they wanted to stay in business. The popularity of the new 28mm  
Elmarit Asph kinda proved that. What I don't like is the wording in  
the news release. It has too much marketing hype without saying  
anything. I'm also not impressed with 3x5 jpeg prints meant to  
illustrate high quality performance. The nice thing about these  
lenses is they are all 6 bit coded. You don't cut your prices in half  
without giving up something. What are they giving up?

Len


On Aug 3, 2007, at 11:18 PM, G Hopkinson wrote:

> Mark an entertaining post from you, as usual.
> On compactness, the 2.5 90 is small, dang small. Lilliputian next  
> to your Nikkor 105.
> 46 mm filter size, 2 6/10inches long in your speak and less than 2  
> 2/10inches diameter.
> I personally think this one might supplant the Elmarit M 90 in the  
> range. That lens I think is superb value.
> Personally I suspect that Leica will sell a bucket load of the 35's  
> since there is a popular wistfulness for compact 35's. Never
> will a lens have its bo-ke so pored over.
> The little 75 appeals to me without conflicting with the current  
> range. None of them are meant to compete with the asph designs
> IMHO. Rather they are an expansion of the options. Note that, in  
> the wides all of the current models are modern asph designs. I
> wonder if the little Elmar collapsible 50 will continue as well?
> I suspect that only the Summarit name has been resurrected. No  
> connection to the old and obsolete formulations? We shall see. Take a
> look at the first sample pics in the meanwhilst.
> Cheers
> Hoppy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Summarit press release
>
>
> Way back we joked about the Red dot really not being red when we  
> joked about
> the Gray Card not really being gray and none of us guessed it when  
> all in
> all all this time it was really true. The horror! The blue sky is  
> not really blue its cyan.
>
> But the hypemasters in Solms messed up. The first sentence reads:
> It is the lenses on which the legend of the Leica brand was founded.
> Well that's not how I think of the name "Summarit".
> No frog jokes please.
> A quick internet search revels this on a flickr thing:
> This group is for users (and lovers) of Leica\'s 50mm underdog.
> Sure its not a Summilux, or a Summicron... but its still a Leica!
> This is a lens nom which was not how "the legend of the Leica brand  
> was
> founded."
> But came way later and fell in the cracks.
> A pre Summicron if I recall correctly.
> Not worth now not much on the open market.
> Does not inspire fear nor longing in the hearts and minds of mild  
> mannered
> men.
>
> But what I do like is "2.5". The number.
> Inspires nostalgia for this camper puppy big guy.
> But for the wrong reasons.
> Nikon Reasons.
>
> The 105 2.5 AI which I now this month have with me to use when I  
> need some
> reach when out with my DSLRs.
> My first lens I made commercial money with in the mid 70's.
> And the ONLY for more than a year. And MAIN for after that.
>
> Its now it this digital world a 157.5mm for me with my crop circle  
> factor of
> 1.5 DX.
> So when out with my tiny 18-55 I can still get into those hard to  
> reach
> places far far away if need be when the time comes as I've got  
> plenty of
> room in my small pack for another compact lens. A good reason for  
> my trusty
> 105.
>
> Which was a pivotal lens in photography in the 70s and 80s but I  
> won't go
> into it.
>
> I was thinking Leica would come out with a compact crop factor  
> 1.33x lens or
> series of glass risking the wrath of its film users who would not  
> be able to
> then make much use of this Leicas new product.
> optimized for the what amounts to a half frame crop circle.
> And with all the optimal paths going straight back and not on  
> obnoxiously
> obtuse angles.
>
> This making about all the glass I've been buying lately. As the above
> mentioned incredibly compact 18-55 kit lens. And cheap. And sharp.
>
> I also hoped Leica might if lightning strikes which its doing right  
> now in
> NY come out with a nice line of compact lightweight not so expensive
> SLOW GLASS
>
> A series of glass with an EASY TOUCH.
> A series of glass I'd want to spend some time
> Not come and go in a heated rush
> I want Solms to understand
> When it comes to glass, I want a slow line.
>
> Bring back the 3.3's whatever they call those.
> 3.5 even.
> Heck bring back a line of f4's.
> f4 and be their that's me for you.
>
> There must of been some pet of Ernest Leitz everybody forgot about.
> And not that pet frog either.
>
> A 1.5?
> To me it sounds like an F2 with its widest click stop broken.
> An f2 on steroids for pets.
>
> Its just that with rangefinder optics for me its all about  
> compactness.
> The size of the current 21's and 24's are bloated beyond  
> recognition in my
> book. I'd almost buy Zeiss made in Japan instead.
>
>
>
>
> BUT WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT REALLY?
> Does ASPH glass design really offend Leicas customer block?
> News at 11. I'm going to read what Leica says about it i've not  
> even read it
> yet.
> Could not get past the first sentence.
> ...
> Then after Leica comes out with this half frame crop circle line of  
> glass
> they re introduce the Leica "72" to shoot film with it.
>
> Making me the happy camper puppy big guy of the decade.
>
> I hope this laptop is grounded.
>
> Mark William Rabiner
> Harlem, NY
>
> rabinergroup.com
>
>
>
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