Wish #2: Tamron, Please Join Micro 4/3

I just wish all the people already in four-thirds would start producing lenses for micro *coughsigmacough*

 

Hopefully they will. But I hope they don't just take their 35mm lenses and put on m4/3 mounts. That would be OK but not optimal. I would like to see lenses designed for m4/3 as Cosina has done.

 

I am biased towards Leica optical designs. They already have a relationship with Panasonic and they already produce lenses with short flange distances.... unlike the retrofocus designs of SLRs lenses. I don't think it would take much effort to adopt similar optic formulas found in Summicrons and Summilux. The 45mm panny is one indication of possible products from panny-leica.

Unfortunately, cost is going to be an issue..... that and Leica has already shown little interest moving forward.


Tamron would be great. I still shoot with a 90mm Adaptall macro... lovely lens with silky bokeh.

 

Tamron also make/made hordes of middling and poor zooms for many DSLR formats. Of the few 1980's Minolta-fit Tamron lenses I've used on Sony DSLR I've not met one I'd even describe as adequate. Of the Zuiko lenses I've used on Olympus DSLR I've not met one I'd describe as less than excellent.

Just my point of view from my limited experience.

 

You won't get 'Leica' and 'low-cost' anywhere near each other, so forget that notion. I think Leica is perfectly fine building their M-lenses, and collaborating with Panasonic on Leica-badged Panasonic lenses and Panasonic's Leica M adapter. I don't see that there's anything to be gained from having a Leica lens converted to the m4/3 mount when you have the ability to mount Leica lenses to the camera now.

 

While Leica and low cost may not be near each other I think Leica and "lower cost" can be. Look at the 45/2.8 Elmarit macro. I believe Leica could put out a wonderful (and profitable) series of sub $1,000 primes for m4/3 if they choose to do so.

 

I hope that also Sigma decided to support MFT; indeed, I think they (both Sigma and Tamron) are waiting to verify how MFT market will establish

 

Sorry, I don't see it ever happening. That's my point - they'll never choose to put out lower cost products under the Leica brand. Perhaps some off-shoot brand, maybe, but no way they're going to endanger the Leica name. Leica's profit margin comes from the high-end luxury brand image, and they're not going to muddle that with anything low-cost. It's just not how marketing works, and they're very, very good at marketing (how else can you explain selling a titanium M9 for the kinds of cash they grabbed at Photokina?) They're lending the Leica name to the Pana/Leica lenses as to give Panasonic some credibility, but they're not Leica lenses. It's the same reason you'll never see a Porsche/Ferrari/Lamborghini economy class vehicle or pickup truck, etc., etc. The brand name itself has a lot of direct monetary value, and it's something companies work very hard to maintain and enhance.

 

actually you are wrong on both accounts. The Leica branding is much more noticeable on the lens than the Panasonic. (At first, i didnt think it said panasonic on it anywhere, but pulled mine to look and be sure) Of course Lumix is most visible of all.

Lamborghini had an SUV, so does Porsche, and Ferrari has seriously tours with the idea.

 

Not worth arguing here. I stand by what I wrote, and I'm not wrong. Cheers!

 

Looks like a Leica branded lens to me:



And so does this one:



Not to mention:



Leica lenses are already branded on 4/3, m4/3 and even point and shoots.

They just need to expand it more in the m4/3 arena.

 

Typical new summicron and summilux is running $3000 to $6000. They recently introduced a wonderful line called the Summarit which are priced between 1200 and $1700. While those prices are still considered expensive, my point is that they are willing to create a line of product that is almost half the price of their mainstream.

Quality and optically the Summarits are far from budget. Many online reviewers have rated them up there with the summicrons in terms of image quality. This is especially true with the 35 and 75.

I don't have the details but my guess is that Leica decided not to pursue the format for a variety of reasons and profit margin is probably not the primary reason. It's a small company and with three lines which include the X1, S2, and M9. They have a difficult time keeping up with demand already...

 

Optical design for zooms are one of those things that have undergone huge leaps in improvements. Most zooms from that time period could be described as inadequate... regardless of any brand. Heck there are zooms now that can out do some primes from the same time period.

 

So, I read Leica should try a 3 lens Summarit line in m4/3

• 14mm f/2.5
• 25mm f/2.5
• 70mm f/2.5

Already have a 45mm f/2.8

effective FOV range: 28/50/90/140

Personally, Zeiss may be in a better position to have Cosina make a few m4/3 lenses. And who's to say the 25mm f/.95 is not a CZ design? The price is about right for Zeiss Glass, branded under Cosina.

Zeiss has Cosina make their current line of Leica M glass.

 

Yup... Ultimately, I'd like to also see their Aspherical designs in the format. Summarit for sharp classical renderings and aspherical designs for the clinically sharp faster optics.

Some samples taken a few days ago on an E-PL1. Straight out of camera (click for larger):

E-PL1 with kit @ f/5.6

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23601399@N05/5242986162/" title="PC071992 by usayit_2000, on Flickr"> "640" height="480" alt="PC071992" /></a>

E-PL1 with Leica Aspherical @ f/5.6

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23601399@N05/5242986038/" title="PC071987 by usayit_2000, on Flickr"> "640" height="480" alt="PC071987" /></a>

E-PL1, kit cropped

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23601399@N05/5242986106/" title="PC071992-2 by usayit_2000, on Flickr"> "640" height="574" alt="PC071992-2" /></a>

E-PL1, Leica cropped

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23601399@N05/5242985980/" title="PC071987-2 by usayit_2000, on Flickr"> "640" height="554" alt="PC071987-2" /></a>

E-PL1, Leica wide open

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23601399@N05/5242391475/" title="PC071986 by usayit_2000, on Flickr"> "640" height="480" alt="PC071986" /></a>

Note: yup.. I know there's a slight focal length difference between the samples. Kinda my oversight. These are just to get the point.

The Leica lens is approximately the same size as an Olympus 9-18mm. It weights significantly more but I'm sure a big portion of that is the brass body construction. Now if they can package that in a autofocus lens, in more "friendly" to m43 focal lengths, with a professional level m4/3rds body (Panny or Olympus.. even Leica) to attach it too, it would be extremely interesting.

On the other hand... I'm no business or marketing guy. How feasible this would be? I have no clue. Just wishing...

 

Good call, I love my tamron 17-50 VC, and the non-VC before it. Great lenses that are also sensibly compact. A fast standard zoom for m43 would be ace.