ArticlesShow ReportsPhotokina 2012: Schneider Kreuznach Stand Report

Photokina 2012: Schneider Kreuznach Stand Report

By R Butler | Published Sep 20, 2012 | Show Reports

Zeiss isn't the only renowned lens maker to venture into making autofocus lenses for Mirrorless cameras - Schneider Kreuznach has three prototypes of the lenses it plans to make for Micro Four Thirds on its stand. The lenses, whose development was first announced back in June, will be ready in early 2013.

The three examples on show are a Super Angulon 14mm F2, a Xenon 30mm F1.4 and a Makro Symmar 60mm F2.4. We weren't able to find any further detail on pricing beyond the 'below €1,500' target given when the project was first announced.

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Total comments: 15

What are the filter thread sizes of these lenses? I can't see any imprints from the shots here, are they not finalized yet?

0 upvotes

These lenses would be so nice to have on my AF100. My only wish would be for manual aperture rings.

0 upvotes

Schneider glass is so wasted on any camera with an AA filter. It's like buying Bowers & Wilkins speakers for an 8-track player. At LEAST they could have made these things in X-mount, if not just stick to their medium format offerings.

0 upvotes

And so the cameras with AA filter removed are wasted.
Cause you see - AA filters are there for a reason. It's not like manufacturers cripple their cameras cause they know no better.
Don't try to spread FUD.

2 upvotes

Hence the recent uprising of AA-free cameras, right? Fuji does alright without them in every camera with an X in the model name. People pay extra for the D800e and will pay more for the new Pentax K5IIs to get rid of it. Phase1 has never used them. These companies know that in the rare occasion you have moire or aliasing, you can get rid of it yourself in post. The rest are cutting themselves off at the knees to satisfy consumer ignorance and laziness. All I'm saying is that Schneider has a comfortable spot selling lenses for $6000 to professionals who can take advantage of their über-high-quality glass, and making lenses of the same quality for resolution-handicapped AA-centric consumer-grade mirrorless P&S bodies is an oxy-moron in itself.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Hopefully the range of camera bodies for MFT will expand beyond the current crop of Olympus and Panasonic.

I hope that we do get non AA sensors, monochrome sensors, foveon sensors and maybe something else!

With MFT being the closest thing we have to an open mount right now, I hope to see more competition and choice for photographers.

1 upvote

very...odd focal length choices to me....but SURE! WHY NOT!!! i am really interested in 30 f1.4

0 upvotes

Wow. Good focal length choices. Schneider studied the market well and is trying to excel at its core competency—lenses.

2 upvotes

I may be wrong, but they don't look particularly "micro" to me.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

Objects, particularly photography gear, tend to appear larger than they really are when photographed. I remember my first reaction, when I held my Olympus E-P1 for the first time - I had only seen it in photos until then -, was to say "it's minuscule"!

0 upvotes

Well, a 60mm f2.4 lens needs a front lens diameter of at least 25mm. And the lens barrel is at least three times the size of the front lens. So it seems obvious that this is not a very compact lens. If this prototype is anywhere close to the final lens, that is.

0 upvotes

In any case, it will be smaller than an APS-C lens and much smaller than FF.

0 upvotes

Not every lens for the system has to be "micro" as you put it. Some of us would like to attach a super high quality prime to our camera body when we need it without any consideration of how "micro" it is.

I frequently use my OMD with the Voigtlander 25mm lens which is one of the heaviest for the system, the combination feels very well balanced.

0 upvotes

I love to say it... German cameras and and lenses and cars have style...

7 upvotes

I hate to say it but german optics ooze style and build quality. Cannot wait to try one out.

5 upvotes

Total comments: 15