As of March 5, 2009, Leica Camera AG at Solms launched the following Press Release:
In the course of an extraordinary meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Leica Camera AG unanimously appointed Mr Rudolf Spiller (53) as the new CEO. With effect from April 1, 2009, Rudolf Spiller will take up the position previously held on an interim basis until February 28, 2009 by Dr Andreas Kaufmann.
In this function, Rudolf Spiller will be responsible primarily for the Sales Division.
Dr Wolf Schumaker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Leica Camera AG: ´ I am very pleased to say that we have found an experienced manager for Leica Camera AG in the person of Mr Spiller. He will join together with his fellow board members and employees in addressing the challenges of the market and will lead the Company into a successful future´.
Until recently, Rudolf Spiller was an independent management consultant. Prior to this, he held leading positions in various companies in the optical industry.
The previous CEO, Dr Andreas Kaufmann, will return to his position on the Supervisory Board as planned. One year ago, Dr Kaufmann, the Managing Director of ACM Projectentwicklung GmbH, Salzburg, which currently holds 96.5% of the Leica Camera AG shares, assumed the function of CEO on an interim basis.
Dr. Wolf Schumacher continued: ´ On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I would like to thank Dr. Kaufmann for taking personal responsability for the Company in a period of financial difficulty. He has succeeded in promoting new structures and processes and, above all, significant new products that open up whole new perspectives for the Company ´.
Andreas Lobejäger (CFO), Dr Martin Picherer (Assistant CEO, Marketing, Product Management and Business Unit Sport Optics) and Stefan Trippe (COO) maintain their functions as members of the board.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEWS
By José Manuel Serrano Esparza. LHSA
By José Manuel Serrano Esparza. LHSA
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, the main innovative driving force behind Leica Camera AG impressive renaissance since 2006.
to LFI Magazine 3/2008 in which with his proverbial humbleness he explained that he didn´t really want the position of CEO and he was forced to take it as an interim management because of the circumstances and his sense of responsability towards the staff and the company.
Leica M8 digital rangefinder. Front view.
Leica M8 digital rangefinder. Back view.I do think the labour performed with high marks for Leica during recent years by Mr Andreas Kaufmann as CEO deserves great accolades, including a high historical significance regarding the digital photography.
Kodak KAF-10500, the state-of-the-art CCD of the Leica M8.On the other hand, as Dr. Kaufmann always stated, time has proved that the Leica M8 is not a transition product, but a long term project founded on a very well grounded system of digital photography, whose core is the formula rangefinder + superb digital CCD + the best 35 mm format lenses in the world.
Six-bit coding for Leica-M Lenses.- Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21 mm f/4 ASPH, (equivalent to a 21-24-28 mm f/4 when used with the Leica M8), introduced at Photokina Köln September 2006.
- Elmarit-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH (equivalent to a 37 mm f/2.8 when used with the Leica M8), introduced at Photokina Köln September 2006.
- Summarit-M 35 mm f/2.5, introduced in August 2007 (with very interesting price/quality ratio and rendering an excellent bokeh thanks to its 11 diaphragm blades).
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann posing with the Leica M8, the masterpiece with which Leica Camera AG implemented the real transition from analog to digital.
Photo: Jason Schneider.
- Summarit-M 75 mm f/2.5, introduced in August 2007 ( "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ).
- Summarit-M 90 mm f/2.5, introduced in August 2007 ( "" "" "" "" "" "" "" "" ).
- Summilux-M 21 mm f/1.4 ASPH (equivalent to a 28 mm f/1.4 when used with the Leica M8), introduced at Photokina Köln 2008.
- Summilux-M 24 mm f/1.4 ASPH (equivalent to a 32 mm f/1.4 when used with the Leica M8), introduced at Photokina Köln 2008.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann presenting Woody Allen with a special Leica M8.2 digitalrangefinder on November 3rd 2008, during the Leica event held inside the Rose
Club at the New York Plaza Hotel. Photo: Donald Bowers.
- Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH, introduced at Photokina Köln 2008.
- Super-Elmar-M 18 mm f/3.8 ASPH (equivalent to a 24 mm f/3.8 when used with the Leica M8), introduced in February 2009.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann during his opening speech for David Douglas Duncan exhibition Picasso held inside Vienna Westlicht Schauplatz für Fotografie on
December 3rd 2007. Photo: Westlicht
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann giving away a Leica M8 to 92 year old David Douglas Duncan, the legendary photojournalist of the Korean War, during his exhibition
Picasso held inside Vienna Westlicht Schauplatz für Fotografie. Impossible to
express with words the moments lived. Photo: Westlicht.
Dr Andreas Kaufmann with Erich Lessing and David Douglas Duncan during theopening ceremony of the latter´s exhibition Picasso, held inside Vienna Westlicht
Schauplatz für Fotografie with photographs made by him to the great Spanish painter.
Photo: Westlicht.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, a great passionate for top-notch photography and Leica level of excellence, fought very hard until becoming the main shareholder of the firm, above all taking the helm, putting the necessary wherewithal to accomplish the suitable reestructuring and striving after making Leica company return to its halcyon days, something that he has attained to remarkable extent, when many ´gurus´ haughtily proclaimed to the world that Leica ´ would never adapt to the digital era ´ and ´wouldn´t be able to make high quality professional digital cameras ´.
Dr Andreas Kaufmann holding a chromed Leica M8 rangefinder, a milestone model and the biggest technical tour de force made until now in the world for the creation of
a professional digital camera (because the lack of a mirror box leads to a higher angle
of incidence of light beams into the sensor) made from the ground up as such, but without
compromising the size, extraordinary quality and handheld usability of the mythical
M series design, the historical flagship of the German firm.
The non existence of a mirror box leading to a higher angle of incidence of light beams into the CCD
required a tremendous designing effort which resulted in the special modification of the
image sensor with a micro-lens offset so as to avoid any vignetting in the corners of the
picture, also managing to prevent the usual undesirable refraction of light when light rays
strike at an angle by means of a specially thin cover glass reduced to only 0.5 mm, it all
being decisive to attain very high contrast, sharpness and colour reproduction on the whole
image surface, from its center to the corners, and the absence of a Moiré filter has proved
to be a key factor to utterly exploit the impressive resolving power of the Leica M lenses,
enabling the capture of the finest details.
which are the biggest optical tour de force made in the history of photography, sporting the size and weight of a professional full frame 24 x 36 dslr like the Nikon D3) have appeared.
Leica M8 chrome with Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann presenting Camilo Guevara (Ernesto Che Guevara´s son) with a Leica M8 chrome during the opening day of the exhibition Che Guevara 80 Jahre, held
inside Vienna Westlicht Schauplatz für Fotografie on May 26th 2008, to commemorate
the 80th birthday of Ernesto Che Guevara, with pictures by René Burri and others.
Photo: Westlicht.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann with René Burri during the opening ceremony of the exhibitionChe Guevara 80 Jahre, held inside Vienna Westlicht Schauplatz für Fotografie on May
26th 2008, to commemorate the 80th birthday of Ernesto Che Guevara.
Photo: Westlicht.
- Photokina Köln 2006, where the digital rangefinder Leica M8, was introduced, undoubtedly being the Queen of that year edition, when many people thought it was impossible to create such a high quality digital RF camera, due to the short back focus of Leica M Lenses. But Mr Kaufmann and other world class experts like Stefan Daniel bet strongly on this model and Leica finally managed to solve the technological conundrum, designing and producing this masterpiece taking advantage of microlenses and a very thin sensor cover glass, getting excellent off-axis performance, without having to resort to extensive software which degrades the image quality, a very important bonus that added to the world class performance of the Leica-M vast assortment of RF lenses, make up a highly trustworthy and long lasting photographic system.
Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21 mm f/4 ASPH.- April 2008. Publication of the Vienna Verlag der Metamorphosen book "Herbert von Karajan" with pictures by Magnum photographer Erich Lessing to commemorate the centennary of the great classical music Austrian conductor. Dr. Andreas Kaufmann made the prologue.
Elmarit-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH.
Summarit-M 35 mm f/2.5- June 17, 2008. A long term cooperation agreement signed with Jenoptik in the area of development, integration, manufacture and supply of digital imaging components comprising optoelectronics and software.
Summarit-M 50 mm f/2.5
Summarit-M 75 mm f/2.5- The agreement of cooperation between Leica Camera AG and Phase One, made some weeks before the Photokina Köln 2008, something highly fostered by Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, which could be very profitable for both firms in future.
Summarit-M 90 mm f/2.5- And the last event attended by Dr. Andreas Kaufmann as CEO of Leica Camera AG has been on March 2nd 2009, with his visit (accompanied by Dr Martin Picherer, the Deputy Chairman of Board, the Counsellor Mr Moellner and his wife) to the Renmin University of China, signing with Professor Peng Heping (Secretary General of RUC Education Foundation) a bilateral agreement on cooperative matters as Leica supplying RUC with photographic equipments, establishment of a Leica laboratoy, mutual scholars visits between Leica Akademie and RUC and so on.
Leica D Summilux 25 mm f1.4 ASPH for 4/3 cameras, equivalent to a standard50 mm f/1.4, a clear example of what the German firm is able to accomplish when
designing uncompromising quality lenses for other companies.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann and Henrik Hakosson, CEO of Phase One, shake hands during Photokina 2008 to celebrate the agreement of cooperation between both
companies.
Rudolf Spiller, as new CEO of Leica begins his tenure with the great legacy left by Dr. Andreas Kaufmann with the mythical German photographic firm having three cameras in the lead of the digital photographic industry in terms of image quality and mechanical and optical excellence in their respective segments:
- The Leica M8 (and M8.2), at the present time the best rangefinder digital camera in the world, in synergy with the extraordinary ultraluminous Leica-M lenses between 18 mm and 35 mm. When taking pictures with this masterpiece of craftsmanship and mechanical precision sporting a top-notch rangefinder and connected to world class optical performance Leica M lenses, looking through the viewfinder and focusing are identical to a classic Leica M3, M4, M4-P, M6, M7, MP, etc, when their unique traits of stealth and maximum quality shooting hand and wrist are needed.
It features exceptional image quality between iso 160 and 640, very good at iso1250 and rather acceptable at iso 2500, always understanding that the original DNG archives are superb, very pure and as least possible altered by the internal firmware, in order that the photographer can treat them (sharpening, etc) personally as best as possible.
Leica M8.2, supplementing but not supplanting the M8. It can be seen here with an Apo-Summicron-M 75 mm f/2 ASPH. Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza.
Summilux-M 21 mm f/1.4 ASPH.On the other hand, the Leica M8 is together with the Leica Modul R the digital photographic system producing the most Kodachrome 64 film like and highest quality image original digital files available at present from any camera in the market until reaching the medium format digital reflex cameras segment.
Summilux-M 24 mm f/1.4 ASPH.- The Leica S2, with difference currently and in the upcoming years the best medium format digital reflex camera in the world, not a studio camera at all (though it can fulfill that task with very high marks) but a highly versatile and portable professional photographic tool conceived for its handheld use without a tripod or monopod in a wide variety of photographic genres: fashion, photojournalism, desert and polar expeditions, landscapes, travels, glamour, sports, commercial shots, advertisements, publicity pictures, billboard king size posters, outdoor portraits, all kind of catalogues, product shots, weddings and all kind of social events and celebrations, wildlife photography, etc. And everything with a size and weight comparable to a professional 24 x 34 full format dslr like the Nikon D3.
Elmar-M 24 mm f/3.8 ASPH.- The Leica D-Lux 4, an actual jewel in very compact size, featuring unique design concept and features, the current camera of choice for a lot of discerning photographers and pros needing a little sized second camera delivering great working quickness, excellent image quality, including in low light situations where it´s not possible to use flash, a picture taking environment where its superb eight elements (4 of them being aspheric ones) in six groups zoom DC Vario Summicron 5.1-12.8 mm f/2-2.8 (equivalent to a 24-60 mm f/2-2.8) excels capturing even the finer details.
It yields better image quality than the very good Panasonic LX3, rendering far superior JPEGs and improved RAW, also boasting an advanced optical system of stabilization assuring sharp images both at slow shutter speeds and under low light levels.
Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH.To all intents and purposes, this is a full-fledged professional compact camera, boasting a 1/1.63" 10.1 megapixel CCD image sensor (unusually large for this type of cameras, with the manifold advantages it means) rendering superior images not only in terms of resolving power and contrast, but also as to remarkable colour accuracy and tonality, aside from a comprehensive range of manual control options enabling professional photographers and connoisseurs alike to grasp the full control.
On the other hand, Olympus and Panasonic have just introduced a new and very interesting open standard, a kind of innovative hybrid between reflex and compact camera format called Micro Four Thirds, which eliminates the mirror mechanism found in SLR cameras and uses an electronic viewfinder, allowing the design of very small cameras with interchangeable lenses and through-the-lens viewing. This way, the mirror box doesn´t hinder back focus and so, the system is rather suitable to take advantage of top class rangefinder lenses.
Leica D-Lux 4, a very high quality compact camera which has received great kudosfrom professional photographers. Its zoom delivers an image quality that is
currently second to none in this segment.
Bearing in mind the exceedingly thorough correction of the flange focal length difference boasted by Stephen Gandi´s adapters, to practical effects, with a Micro Four Thirds camera it´s a cinch to use all kinds of lenses from every brand and epoch, both manual focusing and AF ones, always being aware that generally speaking manual focus using an EVF is more difficult than using it with a DSLR or RF optical viewfinder.
In any case, truth is that both the Leica M8 and M8.2 are much better photographic products than Micro Four Thirds cameras, to such an extent that they´re some years ahead in terms of the most important parameters: building quality, durability through years, resistance to hard professional use, unrivalled mechanical precision, quality of image delivered both in RAW (DNG) and Jpeg, reselling value, quality of the CCD and above all the real top-notch optical viewfinder of the M8 (far superior to the electronic viewfinders currently available in the photographic market in which the image captured by the lens is projected electronically onto a miniature display), whose epicenter is the rangefinder featuring an unmatched precision excelling in available light picture taking contexts .With the M8 we´re speaking about uncompromising quality in all the most decisive aspects for a photographic system, which very significantly increases the production cost compared to any Micro Four Thirds camera.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann holding the Leica S2 AF digital medium format cameraduring Photokina 2008. Photo: Chris Cheesman.
Nowadays, truth is that electronic viewfinders outside military industry feature a performance between poor and just acceptable, but bearing in mind the fast technological breakthroughs and progressive dropping in price of the new contrivances appearing, it is probable that within some years the quality of the EVFs for civil use in photographic cameras improves significantly, though even in that case Herr Optische Entfernungsmesser will prevail in terms of viewing quality.
In an unexpected way only some months ago, it could happen that Leica could have in this Micro Four Thirds scope a new line of research and revenue, because the possibility of connecting the Leica M lenses to cameras like the Panasonic Lumix G1 or the coming soon Micro 4/3 Olympus camera that will be launched next June, could entice those people longing for maximum image quality obtainable with a Micro Four Thirds camera.
Leica S2 front view.Anyway, it seems clear that the Micro Four Thirds, though without being the reference in image quality, building quality, mechanical thoroughness, viewfinder, etc, could have great future, since undoubtedly it sports some advantages: very little size, great portability, 100% coverage of the final image in most cases, connectability to all kind of reflex and RF lenses and above all a relatively low price. And its level of image quality and global performance can be enough for many people, while the Leica M8 is a far higher quality product, a masterpiece of optical design and mechanical engineering delivering such a high level of Kodachrome like pictures that it clearly settles differences in which has always been and will go on being the most important thing for Leica: the best possible image quality.
Leica S2 back view.On the other hand, apart from the option of using M lenses for Micro Four Third cameras users, perhaps a further line of business could be starting for Leica, if at any moment it could decide the production of completely new RF manual of reflex AF through phase detection lenses for Micro Four Third System featuring very good quality if not as stellar and luminous as Leica M ones (whose excellent performance at high aperture among other things makes them very expensive) at least at a bit lower price trying to make them more affordable to average users.
Rudolf Spiller, new CEO of Leica. The beginning of his tenure will soon be followedby the launching into market of the medium format digital reflex Leica S2 next summer.
Summarit-S 35 mm f/2.5 CS ASPH
Summarit-S 70 mm f/2.5 CS ASPHAmong his extensive background, we must highlight:
- Historical lecture ´ New uses for the Zeiss KS-153A Camera System´ given in San Diego (USA) on July 11 1995, where he explained in-depth the great aptitudes of this top-notch photogrammetric camera to attain amazing geometrically correct horizon to horizon photography, measuring of flood levels, all kind of low altitude surveillance, forest infestations, the locating and safe removal of mines, environmental control detecting subtle changes in vegetation,etc, thanks to the Zeiss optics boasting superb special response and resolution, including a highly effective haze penetration which allows the pilot to have the control even on cloudy days when he can´t watch the terrain, with the added bonus of a modular concept meeting almost all of nowadays airborne requirement needs, configured with four different lenses by means of high acuity horizon-to-horizon Pentalens and Multi-Spectral Lens modules added to the basic KS-153A with Trilens and Telelens, also including tests with CCD arrays (we´re speaking about 14 years ago) that also produced outstanding results.
Apo-Macro-Summarit-S 120 mm f/2.5 CS.From then, the new independent company was providing open Windows NT-based photogrammetry solutions, including aerial cameras, workstations and image processing cameras, being able to use theses systems as a front-end to mapping , geographic information system and civil engineering software from a variety of leading vendors, fostering the photogrammetry used for spatial and volume measurement of terrain in order to study what is happening on the earth´s surface, apart from comparing sequencies of aerial photographs taken over time, with which the professionals can perform such tasks as monitoring land use and environmental compliance, developing site plans for highways and railways, performing defense reconnaissance and planning improvements in urban infrastructures and utilities.
Apo-Elmar-S 180 mm f/3.5 CS.- Historical and very in-depth lecture ´Z/I Imaging: A New System Provider for Photogrammetry and GIS´during the Photogrammetrical Week 1999 in Heidelberg University, where Rudolf Spiller dealt with the dramatic changes undergone by photogrammetry industry during the previous years.
- President and CEO of Z/I Imaging GmbH at its headquarters in Oberkochen from April 1st 1999.
- Carl Zeiss AG General Manager for Central & Eastern Europe, Denmark, Scandinavia and Italy from February 2005.
Apo-Tele-Elmar-S 350 mm f/3.5.I think that with Rudolf Spiller as new CEO, Leica Camera AG will strive after achieving an even further integration between world class lenses, digital technology and optoelectronics within its existing and future cameras in order to expand its position as a leader in the premium segment.
Super-Elmar-M 18 mm f/3.8 ASPH.But though the Leica M8 (and its variant M8.2) is clearly the best digital rangefinder camera in the market rendering medium format Kodachrome resembling second to none image quality at low ISOS and the Leica S2 is likewise with difference the digital medium format camera delivering the best image quality on earth linked to its formidable assortment of S-System lenses, bearing in mind the current circumstances of the photographic market, i think it is not enough.
Leica M8.2 with Super-Elmar-M 18 mm f/3.8 ASPH and 18 mm finder. Front View.
The Leica M8 has sold and goes on selling very well and this masterpiece was decisive in Dr. Kaufmann´s great and historical success: to save Leica Camera AG, (which had serious financial problems between 2003-2005), implementing the transition from analog to digital, even more highly fostered with the presentation during the recent Photokina Köln 2008 of the Leica S2 digital medium format reflex, a camera which creates a niche in itself and can attract a wide range of users needing the maximum quality of image available, in my viewpoint comparable to 8 x 10 large format best chemical films digitized to professional drum scan: all kind of reportages for top quality magazines, publicity agencies, advertisement corporations, firms devoted to king size posters, photographers specialized in large pictures of edible articles, jewellery catalogues, studio portraiture, industrial photography, aerial photography, etc, with noticeably higher portability, smaller size, handheld covenience of use and crystal clear image quality than the rest of current digital medium format cameras from other respected brands.
Leica M8.2 with Super-Elmar-M 18 mm f/3.8 ASPH and 18 mm finder.Aerial View.
And undoubtedly, it will require the designing of better and better lenses in future, a scope in which Leica has a lot of things to say.
On the left of the image: Stefan Daniel, product manager of Leica-M System product division since 1998. He has been working for Leica since 1984, when
he joined the German firm as an apprentice in precision mechanics, subsequently
becoming a service technician working in Leica facilities in Wetzlar, Solms and
Paris and product manager for Leica projector division in 1995. A world class
specialist, he worked closely with the engineers and opticians who developed the
M8, having already written the first technical specifications for a digital Leica M
in 2002. Another decisive man in the Leica renaissance and its transition from
analog to digital market.
On the right of the image: James L Lager, number 1 in the world authority
regarding Leica topics and author of the Illustrated History of Leica I, II and
III, the most comprehensive work ever made on Leica cameras, lenses and
accessories. 40 years devoted to deep research of the German company
photographic products since he started to work at the beginning of seventies
for the Leica Technical Department of E. Leitz, Inc. Rockleigh, having also
written other books on Leica and a myriad of top-notch articles in LFI,
Viewfinder and other photographic magazines, without forgetting his famous
Leica Archives 1988 photographic coverage of the Leica Museum in Leitz
Wetzlar, an around 1,000 items real trove of all kind of Leica cameras, lenses
and artifacts (for instance the Ur Leica, the Leica 75, the Wetzlar Leica Gun,
the Doppel Leica, the Leica IV, the Leica 110, etc), many of them highly valuable prototypes.
Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza.
It´s not an easy task to improve the image quality rendered by these great AF dslr 24 x 36 professional full format digital cameras produced by the most powerful brands of the photographic industry featuring the biggest investment capacity and R & D enabling them to often launch into market one, two or three new improved models every year, with all kind of updatings, features, etc.
Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R 100 mm f/2.8 ROM.
Apo-Summicron-R 180 mm f/2 ROM. Lateral back view.Truth is that CMOS sensors have improved a great deal since the times of the Canon EOS 1 Ds launched in 2002 with its 24 x 36 mm 11.4 megapixels CMOS sensor and 8.8 x 8.8 pixel pitch or the Nikon D2x introduced in 2005 with its DX format 23.7 x 15.7 mm CMOS sensor and 5.49 x 5.49 pixel pitch.
Currently, the CMOS sensors of the flagship cameras in the professional full frame dslr segment are top quality, as proved by the 12.1 megapixel full frame FX CMOS sensor of the Nikon D3 sporting 8.45 pixel pitch, the 24.5 megapixel full frame FX CMOS sensor of the Nikon D3x with 5.94 pixel pitch, the 21 million pixels CMOS sensor of the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III sporting 6.4 pixel pitch, the 21 megapixel CMOS sensor of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 6.4 pixel pitch, etc.
Apo-Summicron-R 180 mm f/2 ROM. Front view.In this respect, Leica decision to firstly produce and launch into market next summer the medium format S2 has proved to be very intelligent. The work has been brutal for the world class designing team, above all regarding the extraordinary S System lenses created by Peter Karbe, but I´m convinced it was worth and it will greatly pay off for Leica Camera AG, because from now on, Leica will have a technological platform for the further designing, development and launching into market of a new range of products based in the technology implemented with the S2, miniaturizing it depending on the kind of product.
Apo-Summicron-R 180 mm f/2 ROM. Back view showing the ROM contacts.
Apo-Telyt-R 180 mm f/3.4.Aside from these basic outlines, there´s a further significant factor, perhaps even more important than it could seem: the current Leica R users till now connecting their lenses to analog bodies or the Digital Modul R as only choices within the German firm.
Apo-Vario-Elmarit-R 70-180 mm f/2.8 ROM. 
Vario-Elmar-R 105-280 mm f/4.2 ROM. Front view.
Vario-Elmar-R 105-280 mm f/4.2 ROM. Lateral view.Logically, Leica won´t produce manual focusing lenses any more, and the Leica R10 will be launched only when the German firm deems it suitable and with a completely new line-up of top-notch AF Leica R Lenses created from the ground up.
Until now, truth is that there have been great experts in manual focusing Leica R lenses which have obtained impressive results conecting them to Olympus 4/3 reflex cameras and Canon EOS APS-C and FF reflex bodies: Gary Todoroff (linking the Vario-Apo-Elmarit-R 70-180, the Apo-Telyt-R 180 mm f/3.4, Summicron-R 90 mm f/2, Macro Elmar 100 mm f/4 and Summilux-R 50 mm f/1.4 to his E-330 through an adaptor for his professional pictures made from aircraft, helicopters, etc), Mark Bohrer (author of very deep research connecting through adaptor a two element achromatic Telyt-R 400 mm f/6.8 to Canon EOS 20D and EOS 1D Mark II digital reflex cameras), David Young connecting by means of adaptor the Vario-Elmar-R 80-200 mm f/4 to Canon EOS 20D and 30D and different Leica R lenses to his Olympus E-3, etc.
Apo-Telyt-R 280 mm f/4 ROM with Nikon D3.
Apo-Telyt-R 280 mm f/4 ROM. Lateral right view.That´s to say: the choice of connecting the new R10 digital AF to the world class manual focusing Leica R lenses like the Summilux-R 80 mm f/1.4, the Apo-Summicron-R 180 mm f/2, the Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R 100 mm f/2.8, the Apo-Telyt-R 180 mm f/3.4, the Vario Apo-Elmarit-R 70-180 mm f/2.8, the Vario-Elmarit-R 35-70 mm f/2.8 ASPH, the Vario-Elmar-R 105-280 mm f/4.2, the Apo-Telyt-R 280 mm f/4 and lenses with great ratio price/image quality like the Telyt-R 350 mm f/4.8, the Telyt-R 400 mm f/6.8, etc, without forgetting the long teleobjectives encompassed by the Apo-Telyt-R Modul System (which goes on being the world reference regarding long teleobjectives for sporting and nature photography together with the formidable Nikkor AF-S 400 mm f/2.8 G ED VR, Nikkor AF-S 500 mm f/4 G ED VR and Nikkor AF-S 600 mm f/4 G ED VR, can deliver certainly superb results with a gorgeous image quality, because they´d fully take advantage of the probably very powerful CCD included inside the R10 autofocus, which perhaps will boast between 21 and 28 megapixels.
Apo-Telyt-R 280 mm f/4 ROM. Lateral left view.
Apo-Telyt-R 400 mm f/2.8 ROM.
In this regard, the ISO 20 Adox CMS black and white film, rated at iso 12, finds difficulties to utterly draw the entire potential of the Apo-Telyt-R 280 mm f/4 shooting with this lens on a sturdy tripod ........
Therefore, one can easily imagine what this truly diffraction limited lens would be able to do in synergy with the very powerful CCD of the Leica R10 AF.......
In any case, it is perfectly understandable that very recently Leica has decided to stop making both the analog R9 camera and more Leica R manual focusing lenses, because the R10 would logically come with a starting assortment of AF lenses created from the ground up to maximize the synergy with the system set up by the specific CCD of the camera, the DSP, firmware, etc. It couldn´t be other way, and in my viewpoint this shouldn´t surprise anybody, since evidently professional reflex domain is now and will go on being digital and autofocus and it wouldn´t make sense to go on making analog reflex cameras and manual focusing reflex lenses.
Therefore, one can easily imagine what this truly diffraction limited lens would be able to do in synergy with the very powerful CCD of the Leica R10 AF.......
In any case, it is perfectly understandable that very recently Leica has decided to stop making both the analog R9 camera and more Leica R manual focusing lenses, because the R10 would logically come with a starting assortment of AF lenses created from the ground up to maximize the synergy with the system set up by the specific CCD of the camera, the DSP, firmware, etc. It couldn´t be other way, and in my viewpoint this shouldn´t surprise anybody, since evidently professional reflex domain is now and will go on being digital and autofocus and it wouldn´t make sense to go on making analog reflex cameras and manual focusing reflex lenses.
Apo-Telyt-R 560 mm f/4 ROM
Apo-Telyt-R 800 mm f/5.6 ROM
David Farkas, a remarkable international level expert on Leica and author of the bestarticle on the Leica S2 published till now in the world, included inside Photokina 2008 - Day One- All things Leica chapter of
his excellent blog.
Fully aware about the huge historical significance of the Afrika Project for the future
of digital photography, he wrote live this report on the Leica S2 during the last
Photokina in September 2008 just after the flight from USA, with high dosis of
jet lag, fatigue and without sleeping for two consecutive days, working at full blast
and being able to have the extraordinary article inside his blog within some hours,
(simultaneously giving in-depth information on a wide range of products from other
brands) and since then, he has been updating it to the treat of both professionals and
enthusiasts of photography all over the world, who likewise have recently had the
chance of watching his further information with new data on the Leica S2 and its lenses
in Updates on the Leica S2 and More details on the Leica S2, made during his stay
in the recent PMA 2009 in Las Vegas.
During all this time, there have been persistent rumours on the hypothesis that David
Farkas knows more about the Leica S2 than the members of das Projekt A.F.R.I.K.A.
In any case, some secret services of different countries go on trying to solve the
mystery.
Photo: José Manuel Serrano Esparza.
The future Wetzlar Park, which from 2010 on will hold the main headquarters and facilities of Leica Camera AG, together with a historical museum of the German firm.
But whatever it may be, it will be when Leica deems it suitable, without paying attention to any rumours or the usual foretellers, and only when they have a mature product ready for the market, in order to satisfy the needs of the customers.
" Every one at Leica truly respects and admires Kaufmann. I do believe that he is the best thing that could have happened to Leica ".
David Farkas, September 2008
" Leica has revolutionized the world of photography with the digital S System ".
" Leica did not just stop at the camera body, with the S2 they also rewrote the book on lens design ".
" 2010 will mark the rebirth of the R System "
Jean Bardaji, September 2008.
" With a completely new digital Leica R professional camera, there is certainly no need to fear a possible reduction of the big standard of all the virtues linked to a classical Leica. Since the entry to the digital world might also result in a certain refreshment of the Leica R series, even those who still prefer to take their pictures in the classical way on film will benefit. To offer a dslr professional alternative to the customer is not only a great advantage for them, but also for Leica a very important step into the future of the brand ".
Holger Sparr, June 2003.
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http://www.s.leica-camera.com/
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David Farkas, September 2008
" Leica has revolutionized the world of photography with the digital S System ".
" Leica did not just stop at the camera body, with the S2 they also rewrote the book on lens design ".
" 2010 will mark the rebirth of the R System "
Jean Bardaji, September 2008.
" With a completely new digital Leica R professional camera, there is certainly no need to fear a possible reduction of the big standard of all the virtues linked to a classical Leica. Since the entry to the digital world might also result in a certain refreshment of the Leica R series, even those who still prefer to take their pictures in the classical way on film will benefit. To offer a dslr professional alternative to the customer is not only a great advantage for them, but also for Leica a very important step into the future of the brand ".
Holger Sparr, June 2003.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.s.leica-camera.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
