Why do you think of the price of the new 50mm Summicron?

[Moriturii]

I will buy one for my mom. She has a Sony NEX, so I need to get an adapter as well. But I am sure she will enjoy her new lens.

[Archlich]

Someone would argue (and had argued) that since you use Leica, you pay the Leica price.

From the normal photog's perspective a $2,295 50/2 lens is ridiculous enough. That is the Leica price many here are willing to pay fo; yet even that has its limit, which is known as sanity.

That is, the $7,150 price tag is way beyond what used to be the Leica price; or more precisely, Leica is trying to redefine the term, that people paying $2,000 for a 50/2 are not the ones paying enough, and should be ruled out.

Utter lunacy out of greed, that is.

[matt335]

Originally Posted by mfogiel

One could say the same about Leica M7 - why is it 7 times more expensive than Bessa R4A, and why therefore nobody would buy it... As far as I am concerned, I use Tri X for most of my photos, and frankly even a Planar 50/2 is an overkill in terms of resolution on this film, however, if I had a 50MP digital M, perhaps the new Summicron WOULD make a lot of difference, and I think this is precisely why it has been produced.

This makes a lot of sense. The 50mm was due for an upgrade. I read the review and specs. It's an APO and ASPH. Either way I bet it sings sweetly on either the new M Monochrome or a film body.

[Araakii]

Originally Posted by Archlich

Someone would argue (and had argued) that since you use Leica, you pay the Leica price.

From the normal photog's perspective a $2,295 50/2 lens is ridiculous enough. That is the Leica price many here are willing to pay fo; yet even that has its limit, which is known as sanity.

That is, the $7,150 price tag is way beyond what used to be the Leica price; or more precisely, Leica is trying to redefine the term, that people paying $2,000 for a 50/2 are not the ones paying enough, and should be ruled out.

Utter lunacy out of greed, that is.

Greed is when someone wants to buy something that's out of their purchasing power for cheap.

[Araakii]

Originally Posted by PMCC

I'm sure one could blow 10K on something worthwhile beyond pure amusement. Just takes a little imagination.

And a 50mm f2 asph is exactly that "something worthwhile".

[DominikDUK]

I wonder what a Zeiss lens with same specs would cost. The new Leica Motion Picutre lenses are superb, but the Zeiss are better. So I imagine that Zeiss Oberkochen can produce an equal or better lens than Leica if they set their mind to it.

The price is high and I personaly feel that too much correction and sharpness isn't really all that great. But leica will have a market for this lens, and they will sell a lot of it. I personaly can't afford the lens, but I think its a good move from Leica. Entry level Summicron> Intermediate Level Summilux > Pro Level APO Summicron. The Levels are equal to Leica mystique or the Leica club

Dominik

[TR3B]

My 50mm stable:
Summitar= $275
Summarit=$275
Summicron=$175
summilux=$700
I love each and every one for different reasons.... i need nothing

[semilog]

Originally Posted by Moriturii

I will buy one for my mom. She has a Sony NEX, so I need to get an adapter as well. But I am sure she will enjoy her new lens.

Dude, you just won the internets. Happy Mother's Day.

[rxmd]

Originally Posted by Archlich

From the normal photog's perspective a $2,295 50/2 lens is ridiculous enough. That is the Leica price many here are willing to pay fo; yet even that has its limit, which is known as sanity.

That is, the $7,150 price tag is way beyond what used to be the Leica price; or more precisely, Leica is trying to redefine the term, that people paying $2,000 for a 50/2 are not the ones paying enough, and should be ruled out.

Utter lunacy out of greed, that is.

In other words, all the emotional uproar we've seen over the last days is the clamouring of people who've been paying $2,000 for 50/f2 lenses because it makes them feel special, but now there's something better that even they cannot afford and now they feel ruled out.... is that what you mean?

[semilog]

Originally Posted by Araakii

Greed is when someone wants to buy something that's out of their purchasing power for cheap.

That is not the commonly accepted definition of that word. Not even close. I infer that you're speaking some language other than English.

[semilog]

Originally Posted by J. Borger

Leica just made what they can make like no other: the best 50mm lens technical possible.

The best 50mm lens technically possible would cost a good bit more than that. Check out the prices on the optics for steppers if you want a sense of perspective. And note that it's Zeiss and Nikon who control that market -- not Leica.

[Araakii]

Originally Posted by semilog

That is not the commonly accepted definition of that word. Not even close. I infer that you're speaking some language other than English.

I feel like I am really taking this too seriously, but oh well.

greed

   [greed] Show IPA
noun excessive or rapacious desire, especially for wealth or possessions.



If someone's desire to own the best, top of the line 35mm lens even if his or her financials does not permit is not considered an excessive desire for possession, I do not know what is.

I will not buy the 50mm summicron by the way although I can afford it. Like many others here I feel like I can spend the money on other things. But I do not point my fingers at the seller for not selling it to me for 2 grand.


In fact, greed is already abundant in this forum (myself included). I would actually consider even owning the old 35mm summicron v5 to be excessive.

[Steve M.]

Well, I don't know. I still say Leica's reputation comes from lenses that they used to make. So a new Leica lens is of little value to me. The old stuff is that good.

[semilog]

Originally Posted by Araakii

I feel like I am really taking this too seriously, but oh well.

Probably we both are. We should definitely go shooting some time. I do like your work posted to flickr.

[Araakii]

Originally Posted by rxmd

In other words, all the emotional uproar we've seen over the last days is the clamouring of people who've been paying $2,000 for 50/f2 lenses because it makes them feel special, but now there's something better that even they cannot afford and now they feel ruled out.... is that what you mean?

Yes, obviously. And some people also feel that they need to keep up-to-date with the best stuff because either they are photographers so they have a right to, or because they need to use the best gears to make sure that their stuff remains good.

[Ben Z]

Don't get me wrong, I would hope my wife would have me declared mentally incompetent to handle finances if I were to buy the new Summicron, but I could believe it's worth $7K before I could believe the current Summicron is worth $2K. The new one is at least a new and tour-de-force design, whereas the current one is the same lens that sold for under a grand a decade ago.

[Gabriel M.A.]

While the price seems to be wild, I'm surprised that people keep on being surprised at the prices from Leica.

It's like going to Siberia and being surprised at how people don't go to the beach to tan (more often??) just like they do in Ibiza. It points more to a lack of acceptance that Siberia is colder than Ibiza, than the fact that Siberia is cold.

Even crazier would be to read about people in Siberia complaining about how Ibiza is so expensive, and that their beaches could never host ice sculptures outdoors without expensive cooling systems. What's worse, water is really really expensive over there.

[KM-25]

I had no idea they were charging 7 grand for this lens, LOL! Mostly due to the fact I got smart and got rid of all my Leica crap, left with a nice M3 and 50/2 ZM, I stopped paying attention.

I am going to wager they are out of business in 10 years, they have completely lost it.

[I Love Film]

Possibly a hot one will eventually turn up on Craigslist, a flea market or at a pawn shop. I'd snap that one up if it were a grand or two.

[ktmrider]

Price=RIDICULOUS

[dreamsandart]

One advantage to getting the new Summicron is when someone asks you about what 50mm lens you are using you can just say its a 50 Summicron and they won't think you're showing off with a Summilux ASPH or Noctilux ;-)

[baisao]

"Cash Rules Everything Around Me / C. R. E. A. M / Get the money, dollar, dollar bill y'all"
-- Wu Tang

[alan davus]

Am I going to buy the new Summicron?....Nope
Would I like to buy it?....Yep
Do I hate Leica for producing a lens I'll never buy?....Nope
Do I wish them well and hope many do buy it?....Yep
Do I think Leica have lost the plot?....Nope

I've followed too many threads here on RFF over the last few years predicting the demise of Leica for producing products only a few can afford. But all I've seen over the last couple of years is Leica unable to manufacture stuff quick enough for the market to absorb it. Yes the price of the new Summicron is outrageous... but can it be justified??? That I neither know or care.