Month: July 2016

Well we are now on holiday in Wales.  I have packed light, so just a Leica Rangefinder and a iPad for me.  Though for a change we have not gone to Wales on the motorcycle but in the car, as we are taking #TimmyOnTour so look out for the hashtag on our twitter feed.

I have heard on the grape vine and on Leica Rumours website that we should see a flurry of Leica announcements this week.  There are rumours of a new camera, hopefully a Leica X model or T model replacement, so far we only know its code number 8854.  The more substantial rumours point to new firmware for the current Leica cameras, at least the Q, SL and M could be getting additional features and bug fixes.

• Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH
• Leica Summicron-M 28mm f/2 ASPH
• Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH

As I posted in January, Leica have been updating their lens.  From the improved hood design to also making the lens design more digital friendly.

I have seen a few posts this last couple of weeks claiming that the new lens have more resolution and so Leica must be planning a major megapixel upgrade with the next M series camera.

While I would expect to see an increase from the current 24 MP sensor, I do not think we will see a very big jump and the lens that these are replacing are certainly no slouches on the resolution front.

The new lens are sharper in the corners but thats less the lens and more to do with the way the new lens present the light rays to the sensor.  Digital sensors like the light to come perpendicular to the sensor, and traditionally M glass does not present the light in that way on the edges of the frame, thus especially on none M cameras like Sony A7’s and Leica’s own SL, you do see softer corners, while these new lens look sharper.

 

I remember many years ago when Leica release a new 50mm R series lens, which they made bold claims for.  Basically saying it was the best 50mm lens money could buy and most people would agree that was true.

Then around the time the Leica M Type 240 was released they started to talk about a new ultimate 50mm lens for the Leica M, this was the Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH.  They also said that they would never produce it as no one would buy a lens that expensive.

Well around the time of the Monochrome release they also finally released this new 50mm, at around £5000 it was not cheap but it worked fantastically at any aperture.

Today Leica now announce a chrome version of this lens.  Certainly not something I would be purchasing but a nice announcement which will bring in the money for more affordable Leica lens.