Leica still produces the lens, and most places you will find a 2 year waiting list for it. Which was what I was told from a dealer when I wanted one in 2010. I came to spread a rumor in 2011 that the Leica 90mm APO-Summicron-M ASPH f/2.0 was not in production anymore as Leica was redesigning it. However, I do use it with the shade because I already a couple of times bumped into things. I could persuade myself to use it as shown because I lke the look of the glass and it's compact that way. The lens comes with a small front ring (which can be seen in the picture) that is screwed off so the shade can be mounted. The lens shade is bought seperate (item no 12 460 for 75mm and 90mm Summarit-M) and offers good protection not only against flare but also takes bumps and protects the lens and glass. Not to mention the legendary 40mm Summarit f/2.4 on the Leica Minilux camera (which was Henri Cartier-Bressons retirement camera).Ī very handy and light lens - and economical too! Leica M9 with Leica 90mm Summarit-M f/2.5 (without the lens shade). And let's not forget the Leica family of lenses has grown with the S-lenses of which quite a few are also Summarit-S f/2.5 lenses. Hence they are still well and alive in the ranks of world renowned Leica lenses. With the Summarit thousands were produced so as to be economical, always in stock, always available, and at a good price a new Leica user could easily handle.Īll in all not an entirely stupid strategy. They would switch from making one type of lens in the morning, another after lunch and a third type after the afternoon tea. Leica lenses and cameras have traditionally been made in smaller batches. Leica M9 with Leica 90mm Summarit-M f/2.5. Hence more economical production overall. The secret behind the lower prices was rethinking the design and materials used, and that they made much larger batches.
LEICA M10 WITH 50MM SUMMICRON SERIES
The opinions were divided in 2007 when the "the evil Summarit quadruplets" were introduced.īut now, with waiting lists from China to Cambridge for $7,000 Leica cameras and $11,000 Leica lenses, the Summarit series of four economical lenses are still alive and doing well. What now were these new, economical lenses? This was almost blasphemy for the Leica users who are accustomed to hand-made lenses designed with no considerations to cost. The "Summarit Quartet" of the 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm f/2.5-lenses was born during a period with changing CEOs and changing ownership of Leica Camera AG. The Leica Summarit lenses have an aura of "not good enough" about them. (The Leica 90mm Summilux-M ASPH f/1.5 review is on this page) Over the years, Leica have refined the 90mm lenses for combined macro (the f/4.0 Macro-Elmar), the inexpensive Summarit (f/2.4), and the outstanding APO (f/2.0).
LEICA M10 WITH 50MM SUMMICRON SKIN
Further down the road, Leitz introduced the legendary Thambar lens that was deliberately made "faulty" to make blurred portraits that looked like the large format Hollywood portraits (where the photographer would put vaseline on the front lens to smooten the skin and produce a soft, glowing, radiant portrait!). The first 90mm lenses from Leitz became popular as portrait lenses because you could blur out the background and isolate the person in the portrait.