Leica Camera UK announced a new Leica MP limited edition set (with a Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH lens) created in collaboration with photographer Terry OʼNeill. Only 35 sets will be produced. Shipping will start on May 17th, 2018. The price is £10,500 including VAT (around $14,500).
Press release:
A new Leica camera was registered in Asia under the code name 1546. The new model will have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth installed. The camera will have the same radio parts as the Panasonic TX2 and Panasonic GX7 and it will use a new ACA-DC 16-E power adapter. The Leica 1546 will be manufactured by Panasonic AVC Networks Xiamen Co., Ltd. in China. This indicated that the new 1546 will most likely be one of the Panasonic rebadged cameras – most likely a new Leica D-Lux since the current D-Lux model was announced back in 2014.
Some websites report that Panasonic will be producing a new version of the full frame mirrorless Leica SL – this information is completely wrong because the current Leica SL (Typ 601) camera is made in Germany and I do not expect to be replaced any time soon (see this and this post):
Just a reminder that Leica will increase their prices in the US on May 1st. If you were planning on purchasing some new Leica equipment, now is the time to contact one of our US sponsors:
Here is the new 2018 Leica price list:
Leica has registered the Leica Q2 trademark in Europe. You can see the details of the application at tmdb.eu (click the screenshot above for larger view):
The German trademark for Q2 (Word) was filed on 29.09.2017 for goods and services in class(es) 9 at the German Patent and Trademark Office (GPTO). The current status of the trademark DE302017109928 Q2 is ‘application’.
The Japanese website Nokishita reports about another registration for a new Leica camera (unknown model number) with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The camera will have the same radio parts as the Panasonic TX2 and Panasonic GX7.
Back in 2012, Leica trademarked the “M11” name.
Via PhotoRumors
Converting Leica images using the new Adobe Camera Raw monochrome profiles by Michael Letchford (website | flickr):
Up until very recently my favourite way to make a monochrome image conversion was to use Adobe Camera Raw to process the colour RAW file, then transfer it to Photoshop and use the DxO FilmPack Elite V5 plug-in profiles as my starting point.
My favourite profiles from the DxO set are the Agfa Scala 200x and the Ilford FP4 Plus 125 profiles, the former being a lower key, darker conversion but providing a broad range of tonality, particularly good on skin tones, and the latter being more even and a brighter rendition overall. I use these and DxO’s Kodak Tri-X 400 profile most often, depending on the tonality of the initial RAW conversion. These profiles hark back to my old film days and the film ‘equivalents’ were my favourite film choices at the time.
You can also adjust the tonality of the DxO conversion in the FilmPack application itself, which I do, and then export the result to Photoshop for final editing.
Just recently though, Adobe has made an update for Camera Raw and Lightroom available that provides an alternative – a very wide range of colour and monochrome conversion profiles (and the freedom to use LUTs provided by third parties) that give you the opportunity to make your conversions without the need for additional plugins.
In particular, for those like me that prefer to work in monochrome, there are 17 new choices of black and white profiles to try out. My first impressions were that they are very useful as starting points, offering a broad range of conversions from fairly flat tonal gradations through to very contrasty results and that they may well be varied enough to give great conversions for all types of image situations – low key, high key, low contrast, high contrast etc.
Testing the Leica 180mm f2.8 APO Telyt R Lens on a Leica SL
I decided to test the various profiles on a specific Street Photography project I am working on, which explores the use of well loved Leica R lenses, from the 80s and 90s, in combination with a Leica SL body and various adapters. I’ve used some of the images from that project to experiment with the new ACR profiles. All the images were shot in London’s streets; this first one in Covent Garden:
The first reviews of the upcoming 7Artisans 35mm f/2 rangefinder coupled lens for Leica M-mount are already available online (I will be getting one shortly, so stay tuned for a more detailed coverage):
Unboxing video (source: Weibo):
More reviews:
The Leica M-D Typ 262 camera is approaching end of life – I was told that this model is no longer in production. The camera is on back-order at B&H and Adorama (in stock on Amazon from third-party resellers).
The Leica M-D Typ 262 model was announced in April 2016 and was the first serial production model of the digital M family to be made without a monitor screen.
