Lens

All things must come to an end... Including Leica's seemingly perpetual 12% savings program in the USA launched a year ago on May 1, 2015. Alas, this coming May 10, 2016 will mark the end of the program. Because of the weakness of the Euro to the Dollar exchange rate, the program was renewed an unprecedented twelve times; basically every month. Most M, S and TL lenses are going up with a range of increases from $79-$975 depending on the item. Better hurry! Read more below!

Leica Camera just recently (officially) announced the APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 lens for the Leica SL (Type 601) camera. Check out this hands-on video preview of the lens by Kristen Meister and the full preview article as well.

Today, Leica Camera has officially announced the Leica APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90–280mm f/2.8-4 that will be available from March 24, 2016 (shipping in April) for $6,395 USD. This fast telephoto zoom lens offers a range of focal lengths that follows on directly from the Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24–90mm f/2.8–4 ASPH, which launched with the SL camera at the end of last year. Read more below for details and specs!

Today we have this little gem; a preview of the new and upcoming Leica Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens (posted by Leica Camera Korea)! The "TL" designation is relatively new, meaning that the lens will work on both the Leica T (Type 701) and Leica SL (Type 601) cameras. This lens was announced back in October 2015 alongside the Leica T (Type 701) firmware v1.4 release and will be available "Spring 2016" - or, soon! Read more below for additional info, photos and pre-order links!

There is a new Kickstarter project by ExperimentalOptics for a 50mm f/0.75 lens for Leica M cameras! It works on full frame as well as mirrorless bodies (through any necessary adapters). They are being produced by De Oude Delft, a highly acclaimed optics company from the Netherlands and have been able to secure a very small batch of these very rare lenses – in pristine condition. They are able to fit them with an M mount bayonet, though there is no rangefinder coupling. Read more below for details!

Many folks might recall (fondly or not) an affair with the Russian Jupiter lenses. Lomography today has announced a new Jupiter 3+ Art Lens (1.5/50) - a resurrection of the original Russian Jupiter 3 lens, "exuding the same elegance and classic compact design as its predecessor." It is handcrafted by Zenit, the same factory in Russia where the original lens was born. The redesigned lens is equipped with an LTM screw mount and comes with an M mount adapter. The results are said to be "phenomenal—expect crystal-clear sharpness, natural colors and a beautiful, dreamy bokeh." Limited quantities are available on a first-come, first served basis for $649 USD. Read more below for details!