[Leica] New 35/1.4 ASPH?

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBcZ1jaWXRw
> 
> Look at the lens at 0:59.  This is the likely to be the new milux-M
> 35/1.4 ASPH.  Note that the hood design is different from the current
> version, and the lens itself is also larger.
> 
> Joseph


It's my understanding that unlike the current (late 90's) Summicron ASPH 35
the Summilux ASPH 35 blocked the rangefinder for the past ten or twelve
years. I had the Summicron so it didn't bother me. But that was not my
excuse for getting it instead of the Summicron I think it was not the
principle of the thing - it was the money.
What I expected to see at this juncture was a new design which didn't block
the viewfinder. Why not? design has come a long way.
Instead I see  one more of the new  bloated Leica super lenses. Such as the
Summilux 21 and 24 and Noctilux .95. I call that real bad news especially in
this case. As the 35 has always  been a lens which is small and light and
relatively affordable.
Perhaps there will be a new generation of multi millionaire photojournalists
who will be using this gear. As is now its a bit much for a successful
dentist to bite off.
A 35mm lens when  I got my M6  in April  of 1993 was the what we now call
pre aspheric Summicron or Summilux. Both were the same size. Both were far
lighter and smaller than the aspherics which came out as the current models
in the late 90's. You put a 35mm lens on the camera and forget it. Maybe
even didn't use a lens shade. No use for a collapsible this glass were near
pancakes.  A two pancake short stack. It a very low key way of working.
My Summicron ASPH when I got it felt was so heavy that I found it a bit of a
bummer.
What smoothed it over was my sure ability to get stupendous results wide
open. It was a super lens as far as I could imagine. And all my pals were
using Nikons and canons so for my lens I could have got a half dozen of
theirs. But it was worth it.
To me I call a 35mm lens on a 24x36 format camera I'm used to the "bring
back the shot" lens.  Instead of being hard ass with a 50 or artsy with a 24
the 35mm lens is just going to be able to get a picture. Other focal lengths
can be just too much. So SURE I used it wide open a good deal of the time
the lens was always on my camera. And the camera was always on me. And I'm a
night person.
I was not going to drag the 24 around all day it was twice the size and
weight and really got in the way.
But now the 35mm is catching up. I call that a bummer.
 I think that with the use of aspherics a Leica m rangefinder lens can be
made compact so it dos not block the viewfinder. Instead a line of super
lenes. The Noctilux should have been reduced to the size of the first 1.2.
Instead of becoming even more bloated in every way.
I think if they were smart they would re introduce a modern Noctilux 1.2.
A Summilux on one or two steroids instead of the lens which ate NY.

Its time for Leica to think about some new years de bloating.
Happy new year half the cultures out there think the new year is in March.
And you can to. I know I do.

Lets see Leica come out with a lens which is smaller not bigger.
A lens the size of a pre Summacron  or Summilux 35mm.
Both were identical in size in weight other than the writing on the front of
the barrel. Or if you measured the f stop.

My 35mm Summicron ASPH in February of the year 2000 cost me $1495.
A nikon lens at the time cost what 300 dollars? It cost $319.95 now  so
maybe it was 200 usd. So you could get five to eight of them.
Now a new Summicron ASPH  cost 3 grand; the price has doubled.
But is one of the cheapest lenes Leica has now and I thought there was a
Leica rumor they were phasing it out. Or I dreamt it last night. Same thing.
It is now.
300 by the way goes into 3000 ten times.
The decimal system.

The new generation of cutting edge Leica shooters will be doing what they
always did. Using very old used Leica gear.




[Rabs]
Mark William Rabiner