According to Wired, a French magazine leaked details of a new Leica aspherical f/0.95 50mm Noctilux, coming in at a predictably heavy 8,000 euros. While that’s cool and all, I’m not sure I see the point… as the article points out, the depth of field is "ridiculously small — focus on a pupil and the [...]

There’s now a growing database of Leica’s lens codes for use on the M8. Why pay $120 and wait 6–8 weeks to have Leica code your lenses when you can do it yourself with a marker? Check out this how-to by Mike Prevette on the Leica user forums for details. Previous posts on the subject: [...]

As I posted previously [1, 2], Leica have a coding scheme for their lenses so that the new digital M8 body can automatically identify the mounted lens. It turns out that you can use a marker to code the lenses rather than paying Leica US $120 per lens for six dots of paint. You can [...]

As I posted previously, Leica have a new digital coding system for their M lenses so their digital bodies can automatically detect which lens is mounted. The coding consists of six painted dots on the mount, and normally costs a characteristically extortionate $120. Now, for a limited time only, US and Canadian customers can get [...]

Zeiss are blasting out a huge range of new manual focus lenses: Leica M mount Distagon T* 18mm f/4 C Biogon T* 21mm f/4.5 Nikon F mount ZF Distagon T* 35mm f/2 ZF Makro-Planar 50mm f/2 ZF Makro-Planar 100mm f/2 ZF Distagon T* 25mm f/2.8 Hasselblad CF mount (appear to be vintage-look versions of the [...]

Digital Photography Review write: Leica has announced that all new M system lenses will carry a new 6-bit code (painted in black/white dots) which will allow the upcoming digital M camera to identify which len is being used (up to 64 in 6-bit coding) and also to store this information in image metadata. As well [...]