On May 22, Leica introduced one of those special finish, special edition sets they’re known to create from time to time. These, of course, are luxury items that primarily sell to collectors. This one celebrates — in their words — „100 Years of Leica Photography“. I seem to recall that this set, of which 101 will be made, will sell for about 22,000 Euros – but don’t hold me to that as I haven’t yet been able to confirm the price. This release also coincided with special events celebrating Leica’s opening of their new corporate headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany – the place where Leica Camera was born. Obviously, it’s easy to be cynical about luxury Leica offerings like this – and their prices. They’re ready fodder for the armchair quarterbacks of the Internet who will readily, and gleefully, declare that — with such products — Leica has „lost its way„. But, the fact is that these collector products apparently sell out every time and thus generate income that a company such as Leica can use on continued R&D for their more mainstream (if any Leica product can ever be called that) cameras and lenses. To my knowledge, the only two camera companies who did well last year — financially — were Phase One and Leica. Leica, then, is crazy like a fox. Crazy, even, like a fox on yet another trip to make a bank deposit……

Source: www.luminous-landscape.com

Leica 28/1.4 M Summilux ASPH luminous landscape Sean Reid