Good news for lower-budget productions, Leica is now releasing a “budget ” version of the lenses which will be called the Leica Summicron-C lenses.
We saw the new Summicron-C lenses at yesterday’s Band Pro Open House. The Leica Rep told us that initially there will be a set of 6 lenses (18, 25, 35, 50, 75 and 100 mm). In the future, Leica will add four more focal lengths (21, 29, 40, and 135 mm) for a total of ten. The set of six retails for $97,500 or about $16,250 per lens. Comparatively, the Summilux-C lenses are about $24,750 each.
While we haven’t tested the Summicrons ourselves, it has been reported that Resolution, contrast, and MTF achieve the same lofty heights as the other high-end lenses such as Master Primes. Breathing is a little more noticeable than on the Summiluxes, which is almost nonexistent, but still on par with other premium lenses.
Do you have any upcoming projects that you want to shoot on the Summicron-Cs? What do you think about the price difference between the Summicron-C and the Summilux-C lenses?
Update 1-21-14:
Band Pro is currently shipping the Leica Summicron-C Lenses. You can visit www.bandpro.com, email them at [email protected], or call 1-888-BAND-PRO.
For more information on how to rent the Leica Summicron-C Lens Set, email [email protected], give us a call or stop in for a demo. We’d love to see you!
Watch Hurlbut Academy compare the Summicron and the Summilux in this video: