By David Farkas, LeicaStore Miami
After teasing the new
range of Summicon SL prime lenses at Photokina back in September of 2016,
production is ramping up so that shipment can begin next month. As originally
planned, the first lenses out of the gate will be the 75mm and 90mm f/2APO-Summicrons. With superior sharpness, luscious bokeh, an unmistakable 3D pop
and accurate color reproduction, these lenses are geared equally well toward
walk-around shooting as they are for portraiture.
Like other SL lenses, both
are completely weather sealed and feature an AquaDura water-repellent coating
on the front element. The optical designs employ aspherical lenses and a
floating element to guarantee optimum performance at all distances and at all
apertures, across the entire imaging area.
16-35mm Zoom and Two More
Summicrons
Following the February
launch of the the 75 and 90, the hotly anticipated 16-35mm f/3.5-4.5
Super-Vario-Elmar-SL zoom should start shipping in April. I think it’s safe to
say that almost anyone who shoots landscape or interiors will be on the hunt
for this one. Then, later this year, we should be seeing another pair of
Summicrons – the previously announced 35mm f/2 and a 50mm f/2 APO. The 50 APO
was never previously mentioned, and comes as a bit of a surprise given the 50
Summilux-SL, but I’m not opposed to a complete lineup of compact-sized,
exceptionally-performing Summicrons at every major focal length.
I’m hoping that the
following year, in 2019, Leica will start to roll out some wide angle primes
and macro lenses to really round out the system. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse
during Photokina this coming September. As always, I’ll be on site to bring you
the most in-depth Leica coverage available, with interviews, analysis and more.
The Summicron-SL Lenses
As incredible as the
current SL zooms and the 50 Summilux-SL are, this new range of APO-Summicrons
look to offer even greater imaging quality. As a nice bonus, this jump in
performance will come in the shape of smaller, lighter lenses. One of the most
frequent objections about the SL-System is the large size of the SL lenses. The
Summicrons are a direct answer to this request. The first four Crons will all
share the same lens barrel and the same E67 filter size. This is modeled after
the approach that sister company CW Sonderoptic has taken with the Leica Cine
lenses.
If you haven’t already, I
highly recommend reading my interview with Peter Karbe, head of optics for
Leica, regarding the new SL lenses:
One of the more
interesting points of discussion was that these Summicrons would offer a look
more like an f/1.4 lens, rather than that of an f/2. The optical designers were
able to achieve this by manipulating the sharpness gradient so that the point
of focus is much sharper and the falloff is quicker. Karbe goes into more
detail in the interview.
Availability and
Pre-Ordering
Priced at $4,750 for the
75mm and $5,150 for the 90mm, the lenses are available for pre-order from Leica
Store Miami. You can email at info@leicastoremiami.com, call 305-921-4433, or
place an order online by clinking the links below.
Be sure to scroll down for
pictures of the lens, as well as sample images produced with the two lenses,
and Leica’s full press release.
Images of the 75mm
Images of the 90mm
MTF Charts
75mm Apo Summicron SL
90mm Apo Summicron SL
Press Release
Leica Camera is pleased to
expand its line of SL lenses with the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75 mm f/2 ASPH and
the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 90 mm f/2 ASPH. These Summicron-SL lenses boast
top-level image quality, speed and robust construction – features important in
the professional camera segment. These lenses were designed concurrently with
the SL camera body, ensuring that the optical and sensor design and the imaging
process match perfectly to achieve the highest quality images.
The Leica APO-Summicron-SL
75 mm f/2 ASPH and the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 90 mm f/2 ASPH are made in
Germany. Both lenses will be available from February 2018.
The Leica
Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35 mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH will be available in April 2018.
Leica Camera will expand its line of SL-lenses further with the launch of the
Summicron-SL 35 mm f/2 ASPH and a new APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH later
this year.
The Leica APO-Summicron-SL
75 mm f/2 ASPH offers the following benefits:
- A versatile focal length which is Ideal in many situations – street photography, portrait, etc.
- Razor-thin depth of field in combination with exceptional imaging performance
- Opens up new horizons for photography in the transitional zone between standard and telephoto focal lengths.
- Minimum focus distance of 0.5 m for tight close-up portraits and higher magnification
The Leica APO-Summicron-SL
90 mm f/2 ASPH offers the following benefits:
- Fast aperture combined with longer focal length creates an aesthetic rendition of out-of-focus areas that make this telephoto lens ideal for portrait photography.
- Silent and precise autofocus allows photographers to concentrate on the moment they are capturing without any hesitation.
- Minimum focus distance of 0.6 m for tight close-up portraits and higher magnification
Both lenses also offer the
following unique features:
- Highest image quality at all apertures with maximum detail transfer and pure color reproduction from the center to the edges over all distances and F-stop settings.
- The Dual Syncro Drive Precision Autofocus allows the Summicron-SL lenses to focus from infinity to the closest focusing distance with exceptional speed and achieving top performance, features important in the professional camera segment.
- Two aspherical elements are included in the design to ensure optimum imaging performance across the entire image field.
- From the closest focusing distance to infinity, optimum imaging performance is ensured due to the floating lens element.
- Each lens offers a special look synonymous with Leica photography with the shallow depth of field, exceptional imaging performance and the 3D “pop” that separates subjects from the background.
- Meticulously crafted to the highest quality standards, with a primary focus on high-grade materials and durability, important for professional use.
- Lens hoods individually matched to prevent light from entering the lens from the sides. A perfectly calculated lens hood is essential for maximum contrast in every lighting situation.
- Lenses have Leica AquaDura® coating which protects the exposed lens surfaces from dirt and scratching. Seals on the front element, the focusing ring and the bayonet ensure that lenses mounted on the camera are well protected from the elements.
Made in Germany, with a
delivery scope that includes: lens hood, lens caps and lens bag.The Leica
APO-Summicron-SL 75 mm f/2 ASPH and the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 90 mm f/2 ASPH
will be available from February 2018.
For the full article by David Farkas go here
For other articles on this blog scroll down in the column to the right to BLOG ARCHIVE
To comment or to read comments please scroll past the ads below.
All ads present items of interest to Leica owners.
___________________________________________________________________________
To comment or to read comments please scroll past the ads below.
All ads present items of interest to Leica owners.
___________________________________________________________________________
Buy vintage Leica cameras from
America's premier Leica specialist
Buy vintage Leica cameras from
America's premier Leica specialist
Click on image to enlarge
Order: info@gmpphoto.com
Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography
Click on image to enlarge
Order: info@gmpphoto.com
Click on image to enlarge
Order: info@gmpphoto.com
Click on image to enlarge
Order: info@gmpphoto.com
Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography
Click on image to enlarge
Order: info@gmpphoto.com
Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography
Click on image to enlarge
Order: info@gmpphoto.com
Please make payment via PayPal to GMP Photography
No comments:
Post a Comment