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D-lenses designed for Leica R10?

M

Michael B. Elmer

Guest
Just a funny but interesting thought:

Leica R-lenses can be used on Leica Digilux 3 by way of an adapter.

The format of Leica D is half that of a full frame, so a Leica D 3,5/14-50 vario lens correspoinds to a 28-100 lens in full frame.

We also know that Leica will introduce R 10 at Photokina 2008 or at least give a clue of it. We also know that it will be a full frame (or more?) camera, and that a new line of lenses with autofocus will be launched as well.

So: here is my question: Could Leica D-lenses with just a few alterations be used on Leica R 10. In that case, Leica would already have a 28-100 mm zoom lens for the R 10 and a 1.4/50 mm lens, and we would already know those lenses.

Could anybody elaborate further on this or is it only stupid speculation?
 

jaapv

Subscriber Member
In a lens designed for a smaller format, the circle of coverage is also smaller. So you would have no corners....
 
M

Michael B. Elmer

Guest
In a lens designed for a smaller format, the circle of coverage is also smaller. So you would have no corners....
Yes, I understand that - but are those lenses designed exclusively for the D-format - or are they really designed with the R10 in mind?

To illustrate my way of thinking: On the M8, the M 21/2.8 asph works like a 28/2.8 asph, because of the multiplication factor (1.33 x FL).

The format of the sensor in the Leica D is half of full frame. The 14-50 mm lens thus corresponds to a 28-100 lens on the 35 mm format, i.e. on the analogue R9.

My question, thus, is: Could it be that the D-lenses are in fact designed for Leica R, so that they could with another mount be used on the R10?

From a design and production point of view, that would make sense for a small company like Leica.

But of course, one has to possess a D-lens to evaluate this possibility. I do not.
 

Robert Campbell

Well-known member
The format of Leica D is half that of a full frame, so a Leica D 3,5/14-50 vario lens correspoinds to a 28-100 lens in full frame.

We also know that Leica will introduce R 10 at Photokina 2008 or at least give a clue of it. We also know that it will be a full frame (or more?) camera,
The 14-50 would remain a 14-50 on full format - or any format. But it's designed for a much smaller sensor, therefore would only 'fill' the centre of FF. It may act as if it was 28 - 100 on FF, but this is equivalent field or angle of view - it cannot change from being 14 - 50.

Full frame lenses have an image circle of about 43 mm - the diameter of FF. The 'largest' sensor which would work with these lenses is about 30 x 30 mm.
 

jaapv

Subscriber Member
Yes, I understand that - but are those lenses designed exclusively for the D-format - or are they really designed with the R10 in mind?

To illustrate my way of thinking: On the M8, the M 21/2.8 asph works like a 28/2.8 asph, because of the multiplication factor (1.33 x FL).

The format of the sensor in the Leica D is half of full frame. The 14-50 mm lens thus corresponds to a 28-100 lens on the 35 mm format, i.e. on the analogue R9.

My question, thus, is: Could it be that the D-lenses are in fact designed for Leica R, so that they could with another mount be used on the R10?

From a design and production point of view, that would make sense for a small company like Leica.

But of course, one has to possess a D-lens to evaluate this possibility. I do not.

No. The basic design might be similar, but the dimensions of the barrel are too small, correction would be different - a different lens altogether for the larger format.

Lens design is a highly complicated art that has no one-size fits-all type of solutions.
 
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