The image-stabilized kit lens for Panasonic's Lumix DMC-L10, this Leica-branded Four Thirds system zoom is marginally slower and smaller than Panasonic's similar 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 Leica (now $900, street) that shipped with the L1. The new lens, a 28-100mm equivalent, is available only with the L10. Read the whole test here
Leica has today announced a completely new range of compact M series lenses; the 35 mm, 50 mm, 75 mm and 90 mm Summarit-M, all with a maximum aperture of F2.5. These lenses are clearly aimed at being more 'affordable' than previous M lenses and will be ideal companions to the M8 digital rangefinder. On the M8 these lenses provide equivalent fields of view (rounded) of 47 mm, 67 mm, 100 mm and 120 mm respectively. These lenses do not feature any aspherical elements. Read the whole article here
Panasonic and Leica have announced a shipping date and price for the Leica D Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH lens that was first shown at Photokina in September 2006. It will be available by May 2007 at a retail price of $999. The lens is compatible with digital SLRs that follow the Four Thirds standard, including Panasonic's Lumix DMC-L1 and Leica's Digilux 3. The Four Thirds 2x conversion factor gives the new lens the same angle of view as a 50mm lens on a 35mm film camera. Read the whole article here
Leica's new full-frame, M-series wide-angle is a 37mm equivalent when mounted on the M8 digital rangefinder. It's the most compact of all M-series lenses -- small enough, in fact, that with the lenshood removed, it blocks only a little bit of the active finder area. This $1,495 28mm's most unusual feature is the new "6-bit code" engraved into the bayonet flange. It joins the much-admired Leica 28mm f/2 Summicron, which we called "unsurpassed" in our July 2002 test report. Read the full test here
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Panasonic and Leica have announced a shipping date and price for the Leica D Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH lens that was first shown at Photokina in September 2006. It will be available by May 2007 at a retail price of $999.
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