Last Updated on 10/01/2013 by Chris Gampat
It’s ben a little while since we’ve heard about anything new coming for Leica’s S system of cameras. But if you’re part of the 1% that owns the system, you’re in luck. Today, the company is announcing their new 45mm f2.8 ASPH wide angle lens for the system. How is a 45mm f2.8 a wide angle? Well, Medium Format systems essentially have a reverse crop factor–so something around an 80mm or 75mm lens will instead render a more normal field of view around the 50mm range.
The lens has twelve elements. According to their product page, “Three of the twelve lens elements are manufactured using specialized glass with anomalous partial dispersion that minimizes chromatic aberration, and two others of high-refractive-index glass with exceptionally low dispersion. In addition to these, one aspherical surface is employed for the minimization of monochromatic aberrations. Rear group focusing guarantees consistently outstanding imaging performance from infinity to the closest focusing distance.”
Along with the announcement of the lens, the S cameras are also getting a firmware update. We’ve used the original Leica S2, and really liked it. But couldn’t justify it unless we were renting it. We don’t have an official word on the pricing, but we’re very positive that none of us will be able to afford it. It is, afterall, Leica glass.