Discussion Forum Leica S System S Lenses Which S lens should Leica make next??
  • #4347
    RVB

    I thought it might be interesting to hear peoples opinion on which lenses should be added to the S range.. I would love to see a f1.8 fast focusing portrait lens,Mamiya has an 80mm 1.9 which covers the “full frame” 645 sensor so Leica should be able to match that for the smaller S sensor,a 100mm to 120mm focal length would be perfect..:)

  • #4348
    Doug

    I would have said 45mm but they just did it! Is there room for a 55mm? Indeed a 100mm Summicron has a place on a few want lists too, I think. And something around 280-350mm would be desirable, though maybe Leica thinks the dedicated extender with the 180 is sufficient.

    I have been using some of the 100mm and up lenses from the Pentax 6×7… And I’ve decided my use of lenses longer than 100mm is so infrequent that I’m glad Leica has been filling in the wide angle range.

    Doug

  • #4349
    RVB

    Doug;5713 wrote: I would have said 45mm but they just did it! Is there room for a 55mm? Indeed a 100mm Summicron has a place on a few want lists too, I think. And something around 280-350mm would be desirable, though maybe Leica thinks the dedicated extender with the 180 is sufficient.

    I have been using some of the 100mm and up lenses from the Pentax 6×7… And I’ve decided my use of lenses longer than 100mm is so infrequent that I’m glad Leica has been filling in the wide angle range.

    Doug

    A long Zoom is a good idea or a 250-350 prime,the 180 is equivalent to 140 so a lens thats equivalent to around 200mm would be nice.

    I have a HC300mm which is very sharp but I think the best thing about S glass is not just resolution but colour,So I would prefer not having to use other brands glass,The contax 350 could be good but weighs a lot..

    Another lens that would be welcome is a wide tilt and shift.. 30mm or less would be great..

  • #4353
    peterv

    I’d also prefer a fast focusing portrait lens, an f2.0 would be fine. I’m not sure about the focal length though. A 100 mm would perhaps be too close to the 70 mm. A 150 mm would be better for me and I’d like it to be truly a portrait lens in such a way that it becomes legendary for the beautiful way in which it renders skin(-tones) and faces in general.

  • #4354
    RVB

    peterv;5720 wrote: I’d also prefer a fast focusing portrait lens, an f2.0 would be fine. I’m not sure about the focal length though. A 100 mm would perhaps be too close to the 70 mm. A 150 mm would be better for me and I’d like it to be truly a portrait lens in such a way that it becomes legendary for the beautiful way in which it renders skin(-tones) and faces in general.

    150MM is the 35mm equivalent of 120mm,that would be nice if it was f2 and very fast focusing,I agree with your thoughts on rendering,such a lens would bring more people to the S system,maybe two portrait lens would be a good idea, a 150mm and also 100mm which would be a similar F.O.V to the Canon 85L..Hasselblad have two portrait lenses,the 150N and the 100 2.2,both are very good..

  • #4355
    Rolophoto

    A Pancake lens and I hardly care what focal length it is. I just want something small and light so I can carry the camera everywhere. I don’t mind if it’s manual focus, it’s about portability. The S might have twice the size of sensor compared to an M, but compare a 35mm S to a 35/28mm M lens and it’s scale gone mad.

    6 months ago, I talked to Stephen Schulz about a lens like the Mamiya 80mm f1.9 and suggested a Summicron would be ideal. It may happen one day, but the development plan is already in place for several years.

    I firmly believe that a small lens, or two, is essential for the expansion of the S into amateur markets. I believe the amateur market is needed to support used S camera pricing and reduce the cost of ownership. It’ll open up the market and increase volumes, IMO.

  • #4359
    RVB

    Rolophoto;5722 wrote: A Pancake lens and I hardly care what focal length it is. I just want something small and light so I can carry the camera everywhere. I don’t mind if it’s manual focus, it’s about portability. The S might have twice the size of sensor compared to an M, but compare a 35mm S to a 35/28mm M lens and it’s scale gone mad.

    6 months ago, I talked to Stephen Schulz about a lens like the Mamiya 80mm f1.9 and suggested a Summicron would be ideal. It may happen one day, but the development plan is already in place for several years.

    I firmly believe that a small lens, or two, is essential for the expansion of the S into amateur markets. I believe the amateur market is needed to support used S camera pricing and reduce the cost of ownership. It’ll open up the market and increase volumes, IMO.

    Good idea,a small portable lens (or two) would broaden the appeal of the S camera and most likely increase sale’s (I think the Mamiya,HC,Contax adaptors did this too..)

    I really do hope they built a Cron portrait lens,and with very fast focusing,can they use larger motors to increase focusing speed..?

    I digress but another useful change would be to make the GPS module transmit (perhaps as a password protected option as an option in the menu to mitigate peoples privacy concerns) as well as receive so stolen camera’s could be Locked or at least tracked and adding integrated wi-fi and a free iOS app to control the camera (like the new IQ backs),Leica should create an iOS app now that could be used with image shuttle on coal networks with the S/S2..and of course USB3,another small change that might be useful would to use the Nikon D4 style backlit switches on the Menu keys,I have used both Cameras in the dark and the D4 backlit buttons are very useful.

  • #4361
    David Farkas

    I think a 90-250mm zoom (70-200 equiv) would be a great companion to the 30-90. I don’t think it needs to be a constant aperture. In fact, f/4-5.6 would be totally fine. A lens like this would be great for landscape, travel, or in studio.

    I’d also welcome an f/2 or f/1.8 lens, although DOF would be crazy thin, especially on a short-to-medium telephoto.

    It’s pretty impressive that after just four years, Leica now has full range of lenses available: 24, 30, 35, 45, 70, 120, 180, 30-90 and 120 T/S. 9 S lenses. It took Hasselblad over a decade to get to this point with the H system. And, with the ability to use all HC, HCD, P67, CF, FE and C645 lenses, the selection is pretty broad.

  • #4363
    RVB

    David Farkas;5728 wrote: I think a 90-250mm zoom (70-200 equiv) would be a great companion to the 30-90. I don’t think it needs to be a constant aperture. In fact, f/4-5.6 would be totally fine. A lens like this would be great for landscape, travel, or in studio.

    I’d also welcome an f/2 or f/1.8 lens, although DOF would be crazy thin, especially on a short-to-medium telephoto.

    It’s pretty impressive that after just four years, Leica now has full range of lenses available: 24, 30, 35, 45, 70, 120, 180, 30-90 and 120 T/S. 9 S lenses. It took Hasselblad over a decade to get to this point with the H system. And, with the ability to use all HC, HCD, P67, CF, FE and C645 lenses, the selection is pretty broad.

    90-250 would be great,good for portrait’s too as long as focus speed is fast,would probably be quite heavy but it wouldn’t matter too much as landscape shooters would use it on a tripod and it would replace a few lenses in the bag.

    I think the fast prime for portraiture is essential to the system,D.O.F would be thin at 1.8 but not as thin as the mamiya 1.8 on a full 645 sensor,buttery Bokeh is essential for such a lens,This shot I posted is the 120CS wide open at MFD and the Bokeh is very nice,caveat with this lens is the slow auto focus,too slow for fashion or portraits of dynamic subjects.

    Attached files

  • #4364
    David Farkas

    RVB;5731 wrote: 90-250 would be great,good for portrait’s too as long as focus speed is fast,would probably be quite heavy but it wouldn’t matter too much as landscape shooters would use it on a tripod and it would replace a few lenses in the bag.

    I think the fast prime for portraiture is essential to the system,D.O.F would be thin at 1.8 but not as thin as the mamiya 1.8 on a full 645 sensor,buttery Bokeh is essential for such a lens,This shot I posted is the 120CS wide open at MFD and the Bokeh is very nice,caveat with this lens is the slow auto focus,too slow for fashion or portraits of dynamic subjects.

    The 120 is an awesome portrait lens, but you’re right. The focus throw is extremely long, which is what you’d expect from a macro lens. This is one reason why Leica released the Leica ELPRO-S 180mm Close Focus Adapter for the 180.

  • #4368
    RVB

    David Farkas;5732 wrote: The 120 is an awesome portrait lens, but you’re right. The focus throw is extremely long, which is what you’d expect from a macro lens. This is one reason why Leica released the Leica ELPRO-S 180mm Close Focus Adapter for the 180.

    David,the 180 is a great lens of course,just a bit light hungry,lets hope the cron portrait lens is on the way..:D

  • #4453
    Paratom

    a 50 mm in smaller and lighter build size. please.

  • #4454
    RVB

    This is the first I have seen of Leica plans for the sinar system..

    Attached files

  • #10931
    Albert Knapp, MDAvatar photo

    I think that a 90mm-250mm zoomlens would be a great idea but even at say f/5.6, I fear that it would be to heavy for easy use.
    I look forward to a 300mm f/3.5 lens..
    I have been looking forward to that lens now for 3 years but I am patient…


    Attachments:
    • #13114
      Giorgio

      280mm to 300mm or longer would be wonderful and please make it an APO.

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.