Why LEICA M lenses are so expensive...'

DREW WILEY · May 26, 2023

Large format was the quality standard for a long time, and in terms of technical quality, it still is. Stock shot agencies and publishers wanted something they could easily see and evaluate the quality of with their own eyes atop a light box, namely SHEET FILM chromes. People with a Graflex of other handheld technical camera themselves used a lot of sheet film. Photojournalists and war correspondents obviously gravitated over to smaller gear, especially 35mm, and it caught on due to magazine publications of those kinds of things once 35mm cameras themselves arrived at a level of practicality and pricing realistic for the average Joe. But saying 35mm requires more technical skill than LF or MF is ludicrous. There are eighteen zillion potential definitions of what constitutes "creativity", and none of it is confined to any single format.

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

mshchem said:
Still think that the penny was glued on. Just not enough strength to keep a person from knocking it off.

I need to put this on my to do list. Probably use a motorized camera, electric release.

Not glued on.

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

250swb said:
This is true, in a sense, unless you missed the trend where many users of an f1.4 lens repeatedly state that they only use it wide open and that is why they bought it. Have you not followed any threads about bokeh, or what ND filter to use, if not then catch up. Demonstrating bokeh over and above making a good photograph is not something I like to do, but I do at the same time have my eyes open. But taking your advice for those people shooting at f1.4 at 400 ISO instead of 100 ISO means their shutter speeds aren't going to be fast enough so you've made it even worse for them.

Then they have no reason to complain: it was their choice.

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

Radost said:
I have many AF SLR. NONE OF THEM ARE EASY TO FOCUS!!!!NONE!!!!
Range finder is instant and 100% accurate.

Canon AE1 A1
Minolta X700 XD11 SRT101
Olympus OM1
Pentax superME
Konica AutoReflex TC and FC1
Nikon F3

None of them are easy to focus especially when it is a little darker.

Hasselblad 503 CX
Hasselblad 903 SWC
Nikon N75
Nikon N80
Nikon F100

All easy to focus, the last three focus manually and automatically.

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

guangong said:
Historically, you have it backwards. The larger formats were the entry level formats (roll film). While Leitz and Zeiss introduced 35mm photography as practical, it was really after WWII that 35mm photography (until then 35mm was called miniature photography) took off with higher quality lenses, etc. A plethora of books then appeared illustrating how to cultivate the new techniques necessary for using 35mm cameras in creative photography. In a way, 35mm requires greater technical skill. As for myself, in addition to 35mm, I use 66, 67, and 45...opps! Also Minox and Minolta 16. It all depends.

I am not historical. I live in the real world. I went from MF to 35mm and then added MF and LF.

mshchem · May 26, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
Not glued on.

Even so it doesn't say anything about blur induced by mirror flop. I shoot Hasselblads and absolutely love them. There's a reason why the design team put a button on the side to trip the mirror ahead of time.

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

mshchem said:
Even so it doesn't say anything about blur induced by mirror flop. I shoot Hasselblads and absolutely love them. There's a reason why the design team put a button on the side to trip the mirror ahead of time.

I do not have mirror flop. They work correctly and well. It is the rangefinder people who are jealous of SLRs and Hasselblads in particular that they perpetuate the mirror vibration myths.

logan2z · May 26, 2023

mshchem said:
Even so it doesn't say anything about blur induced by mirror flop. I shoot Hasselblads and absolutely love them. There's a reason why the design team put a button on the side to trip the mirror ahead of time.

I almost always shoot by pre-releasing the mirror of my 500 C/M (I always use the camera on a tripod). On occasion, I have forgotten to pre-release the mirror but I can't say I've really noticed any reduction in image sharpness as a result.

logan2z · May 26, 2023

I'll never understand these endless debates about RF vs. SLR, 35mm vs. MF vs LF, Leica vs. Everything Else. Pick the cameras/formats that work best for you and forget about what everyone else is doing.

brbo · May 26, 2023

But when do you then get to tell people how stupid they are for using RF, SLR, MF, LF, Leica, Nikon, Hasselblad...

Nikon 2 · May 26, 2023

logan2z said:
I'll never understand these endless debates about RF vs. SLR, 35mm vs. MF vs LF, Leica vs. Everything Else. Pick the cameras/formats that work best for you and forget about what everyone else is doing.

I like-a that...!

logan2z · May 26, 2023

brbo said:
But when do you then get to tell people how stupid they are for using RF, SLR, MF, LF, Leica, Nikon, Hasselblad...

Unfortunately you don't. But you do get to spend your limited time on earth making pictures instead, so there's some consolation

Radost · May 26, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
Hasselblad 503 CX
Hasselblad 903 SWC
Nikon N75
Nikon N80
Nikon F100

All easy to focus, the last three focus manually and automatically.

Hold on those Nikons are AF. As I said SLR Af is the fastest easiest to focus and when focus by back button success rate is great

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

Radost said:
Hold on those Nikons are AF. As I said SLR Af is the fastest easiest to focus and when focus by back button success rate is great

Of course, hence my note.

Pieter12 · May 26, 2023

Radost said:
Hold on those Nikons are AF. As I said SLR Af is the fastest easiest to focus and when focus by back button success rate is great

This is what you wrote: "I have many AF SLR. NONE OF THEM ARE EASY TO FOCUS!!!!NONE!!!!" Keep your story straight, or at least understandable.

Radost · May 26, 2023

Pieter12 said:
This is what you wrote: "I have many AF SLR. NONE OF THEM ARE EASY TO FOCUS!!!!NONE!!!!" Keep your story straight, or at least understandable.

Ups. Thanks corrected. All the slr mentioned are non AF. I meant to say non AF.

reddesert · May 26, 2023

mshchem said:
Still think that the penny was glued on. Just not enough strength to keep a person from knocking it off.

I need to put this on my to do list. Probably use a motorized camera, electric release.

FWIW, I was able to duplicate the penny video with a Bronica SQ (I don't own a Hasselblad). The penny didn't fall off, although it took a couple of tries before I could get one where the penny didn't move at all.

SLR vs rangefinder is a personal preference. Some people find one easier to focus than another, for example. I don't see the point in arguing that one's personal preference is right or universally better. It's like arguing about flavors of ice cream.

bjorke · May 26, 2023

hsvdg said:
I got my first Leica a few weeks ago (an M5), just to understand what the prices are all about.

This is so very much not the reason to have one.

Sorry about your issues though. Sherry Krauter is the O.G. on M5 work, btw

Nikon 2 · May 26, 2023

What ever happened to “WHY LEICA M LENSES ARE SO EXPENSIVE....?

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

Nikon 2 said:
What ever happened to “WHY LEICA M LENSES ARE SO EXPENSIVE....?

What? You are expecting the thread to stay on topic?

Nikon 2 · May 26, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
What? You are expecting the thread to stay on topic?

I don’t like-a that...!

mshchem · May 26, 2023

reddesert said:
FWIW, I was able to duplicate the penny video with a Bronica SQ (I don't own a Hasselblad). The penny didn't fall off, although it took a couple of tries before I could get one where the penny didn't move at all.

SLR vs rangefinder is a personal preference. Some people find one easier to focus than another, for example. I don't see the point in arguing that one's personal preference is right or universally better. It's like arguing about flavors of ice cream.

I got rid of my Bronicas. I love these cameras. I had 4 or 5 SQAi bodies at one time, incredible cameras.

mshchem · May 26, 2023

Nikon 2 said:
What ever happened to “WHY LEICA M LENSES ARE SO EXPENSIVE....?

Leica lenses purchased used from Japan cuts the costs by half. When the latest 35mm f1.4 steel rim came out there were 3 of the current model popped up on MAP camera. I bought one just like new, all the packing etc. Half or less of what new in US.

Leica makes totally cool stuff, it's either obvious or not. Being a "Leica Man" I should be a sucker for fancy Rolex watches. I couldn't give a fig!

Sirius Glass · May 26, 2023

mshchem said:
I got rid of my Bronicas. I love these cameras. I had 4 or 5 SQAi bodies at one time, incredible cameras.

When I was a teenager I wanted the Bronica S in the worst way. I ended up with a 35mm camera. Decades later I settled for Hasselblads instead.

ph · May 27, 2023

One factor apart from German wage and social security costs might be that instaed of leaving quality control to customers, they actually check before shipping (or at least used to). Also, advertising and sales cost a lot (as well as the repair service and spares they used to keep for everything they produced but that is long gone)

p.

Why LEICA M lenses are so expensive...'

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