December is set to see the UK launch of a new S-System camera from Leica, plus three new professional medium-format lenses.
The revamped 37.5-million-pixel model boasts an extended equivalent ISO sensitivity range of 100-1600, plus predictive autofocus (using an upgraded AF module), ‘higher speed and enhanced handling’.
Leica claims that the new S-model also delivers ‘improved noise characteristics, natural colour rendition and white balance precision’.
Tweaks also include a doubling of the buffer memory to 2GB and support for transfer rates of up to 166 MS/s. This is designed to allow the photographer to shoot a burst of up to 32 raw-format images at full resolution.
Leica has added a new 3in, 920-000-dot, monitor that is claimed to offer an improve coverage of 98%.
The new Leica S is due to cost £16,000.
Leica has also unwrapped three new lenses: the 24mm f/3.5 Super-Elmar-S ASPH (due in November priced £5,330; the 120mm TS-APO-Elmar-S f/5.6 ASPH tilt/shift lens (due in January 2013 costing £4,920); and the Elpro-S 180, a close-up lens designed to extend the working range of the Leica 180mm f/3.5 APO-Elmar optic (expected out in October with an £800 pricetag).
