Leica Summilux-C Primes on NAB 2010 BandPro Randy Wedik interview

[Andrew Rieger]

With the set of 5 lenses 16, 21, 25, 35, 50, 75 T1.4 lightweight 1.6-1.8kg (3.5-4.0 lbs) that would costs

you about 82500 Euro or 111,127.50 US Dollar (USD) that is actually a price range of one high quality

fast zoom like Fujinon 18-85 mm / T2.0 that has weight 6.9kg (15.2lbs).

With each of those lightweight prime lens on also lightweight EPIC you could probably comfortably ride and fly the newest

Steadicam Tango stabilizer in many low and available light situations that with heavy zoom or other heavy fast primes you can't.

That's something revolutionary for the future filmmaking and storytelling.

Sanjin, I agree that these lenses are revolutionary but that fact that they are 5X more expensive than RPP speaks about Leica as a company. I mean, are they really that much better than the Red lenses and if you put the footage side by side, could anyone really tell other than optics experts? While I would not consider myself a Red fanboy, I can say comfortably that red could make these exact lenses for half the cost.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

Sanjin, I agree that these lenses are revolutionary but that fact that they are 5X more expensive than RPP speaks about Leica as a company. I mean, are they really that much better than the Red lenses and if you put the footage side by side, could anyone really tell other than optics experts? While I would not consider myself a Red fanboy, I can say comfortably that red could make these exact lenses for half the cost.

I can't say anything about this but can say that today new sort of a Stanley Kubrick's like filmmaker would like them very much.

 

[Christopher Polis]

Sanjin, I agree that these lenses are revolutionary but that fact that they are 5X more expensive than RPP speaks about Leica as a company. I mean, are they really that much better than the Red lenses and if you put the footage side by side, could anyone really tell other than optics experts? While I would not consider myself a Red fanboy, I can say comfortably that red could make these exact lenses for half the cost.

Maybe it says something about Leica that they can sell them for 5x the price that RED does.

The other thing is that realistically, RED lenses are already quite some distance up the quality scale. To get better* costs exponentially more from there. Don't forget that these are also faster, smaller, and lighter; all of which adds to the cost.

*'Better' being an unproven judgment at this time..

 

[Bob Renalds]

Also don't forget that you'll get a Panavision like sort of quality images from those new Leica prime lenses.


Of course you do............

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

SJ, I also thought of the Steady-Tango + Epic + Leica Primes. :thumbsup:

One sweet beast of a combo if you hire the right steady op!

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

The following are the shots were made with Leica Summilux-C's little brother Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH. on RED1

that is one of Leica's masterpiece lenses from the newest Leica aspherical lens design.

Shot on R1 with Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH.

Shot on R1 with Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH.

Shot on R1 with Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH.

Shot on R1 with Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH.

Shot on R1 with Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH.

Shot on R1 with Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH.

Some of "The Making Off" shots:

Location: Belvedere gardens Vienna.

Location: Belvedere gardens Vienna.

Leica Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2.0 ASPH on R1.

At the end a short test HD WS clip >>>>

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

lol... spam attack!

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

lol... spam attack!

Ha ha ha............

as you like it!!!!!!!!!

 

[Shawn Nelson]

I held two of these lenses and they were very nice, lighter than the RPPs, amazing focus marks, nice rear netting. But, $178,000...holy shit! I think they'd be worth literally double what the RPPs are, but that'd put 8 primes at ~$60,000. I must say that having them be over 500% the RPP price is just insanity. Oh well, they aren't stupid, they've sold 43 sets at 178k a piece for almost $8million usd in sales. They could probably sell the same amount next year. Oh well. The good news is that Zeiss Ultraprimes/MasterPrimes and Cooke S4/S5s now have new competition.

 

[Erik Franzén]

So, they essentially are saying FU to everyone not currently a big company or semi-rich? That's nice. Though I expected better pricing. Almost 200K just doesn't sit right with me. For half the price, I would have considered them at a good deal. Now they seem priced like some sort of luxury item.
Ah well, beautiful images at least! =)
(p.s. and thanks Sanjin for spamming up the biggies, someone needs to take that responsibility! Away with you small images! :beer

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

I held two of these lenses and they were very nice, lighter than the RPPs, amazing focus marks, nice rear netting. But, $178,000...holy shit! I think they'd be worth literally double what the RPPs are, but that'd put 8 primes at ~$60,000. I must say that having them be over 500% the RPP price is just insanity. Oh well, they aren't stupid, they've sold 43 sets at 178k a piece for almost $8million usd in sales. They could probably sell the same amount next year. Oh well. The good news is that Zeiss Ultraprimes/MasterPrimes and Cooke S4/S5s now have new competition.

Leica Summilux-C Primes are about in the same price range like a similar fast cine lens sets from Cooke S4i T1.4 and Carl Zeiss Master Primes T1/3.

They are all expensive because Leica's high-performance lenses are all made, by hand, maybe the same like with other famous competitors lens sets.

Also Leica set has a slight advantage over other sets because of its lightweight, size, optical excellence at all apertures from T1.4 to T22 together

with unique Leica true and incredible color rendering.

 

[Tom.Wong]

a big complaint about the RPP's is that they are heavy and big, and the flange distance in some of the wider lenses don't work on all the systems. RPP 18 mm I remember in one post, someone tried to put on a 35 mm camera, and it wouldn't work.

Leica primes are 2.8 pounds a piece, matching front diameter, super fast matched speeds, color rendition, and I believe seeing some videos of it at NAB, the biggest praise about them was that you could easily just palm handle each lens they are so light. It also has a titanium housing so more expensive but efficient materials went into the lens. Leica is a company about no compromise quality, keeping the price down may have compromised quality, who knows, and they aren't about to do that.

there are also a lot of competing DSLR cameras, full frame and which such high megapixels it's close to medium format, but they still came out with a medium format camera in a SLR form factor ranging over 30 thousand dollars for just the body. they could have made a 35 mm format camera instead for a lot cheaper, but that isn't what they are about...


and they are half a stop faster than RPP's, half a stop is a huge price difference, especially at that level of optical quality. You can argue whether you will notice the difference between an RPP and a Leica prime when you put them up on the big screen, to most people, probably not, but for the AC who's handling the lens, and the DP is seeing how it reacts and the uses of it, yes, BIG difference.

 

[Mike Brent]

I don't understand this whole discussion... do you also ask "why would someone buy a Lexus when he can buy a Toyota?" Some people can afford them... so why not. I'm still using a Nokia phone from 6 years ago, on principle, even that I can afford nearly anything I want, including these lenses. Some people define themselves by the junk they buy, some people by what they don't buy. Consumerism is sick... people are crazy/sick.... yada yada yada. its a discussion for another forum.

 

[John Brawley]

I don't understand this whole discussion... do you also ask "why would someone buy a Lexus when he can buy a Toyota?"

More like why buy a Rolls, Bently or a Ferrari than a toyota.

There is a big difference when comparing these to RPP. Really they are the same league as Master Primes and Cookes S5's. Similar pricing too. The idea that Leica are pricing these at a premium just because they can is ridiculous. If you don't see the value in using them then don't.

You're paying a lot more for incrementally small improvements in quality, practically and consistency. To some people, they're happy to pay the premium it costs to do that. There's plenty of room for everyone....

jb

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Or why not price this set of primes at 1/3 the cost and sell 10X as many sets? I'm sure they have a valid reason for not doing so. Not every company chooses the route of higher volume with lower cost. These lenses look really great, but I can think of a lot of other places I could better spend $178K, even if I did have that much money burning a hole in my pocket just for new glass. On the bright side, they seem to be selling well, so I should have no problem renting these lenses after a bunch of these sets get delivered.

BTW, who dropped the 18mm Summilux-C that was in the display case? It had a nice dent in it, LOL... They didn't want to sell it to me at a discount though. Hehe.

 

[Stephen Williams]

Or why not price this set of primes at 1/3 the cost and sell 10X as many sets? I'm sure they have a valid reason for not doing so. Not every company chooses the route of higher volume with lower cost. These lenses look really great, but I can think of a lot of other places I could better spend $178K, even if I did have that much money burning a hole in my pocket just for new glass. On the bright side, they seem to be selling well, so I should have no problem renting these lenses after a bunch of these sets get delivered.

BTW, who dropped the 18mm Summilux-C that was in the display case? It had a nice dent in it, LOL... They didn't want to sell it to me at a discount though. Hehe.

Hi Jeff,

They probably can't produce 10 times the quantity with the same Q.C. They have always been a premium low volume player, why should abandon that now?

Stephen

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

You never know what the future brings but to tell you that if Leica already has a success in making high-end cine lenses today

could be possible that Dr.Andreas Kaufman also wants to make one day a high-end lightweight cine camera.

Also don't forget that Leica Camera AG has a successful business relationship with Panasonic.

 

[Stephen Williams]

Also don't forget that Leica Camera AG has a successful business relationship with Panasonic.

I don't think those Leica lenses are produced in a Leica factory in Germany...

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

I don't think those Leica lenses are produced in a Leica factory in Germany...

Right, the lens design made in Germany with the lenses made in Japan.

But this is still pretty healthy business for Leica Camera AG.

 

[Victor Papalucas]

One question for You guys... Who makes Panavision G-Series lenses ?