As with the new Summarits, I was late in getting round to handling the latest silver Noctilux and 35mm Summilux. There were just too many new cameras coming out of Wetzlar. These lenses surprised me once I managed to screw them on my M and have a play. For starters, they are light. Unlike the chrome Summilux, the new silver anodised Summilux appears to weigh no more than the black version. And the Noctilux is very similar in weight and feel to the black version. When I first heard of the silver Noctilus I imagined it would suffer from the same weight penalty as the chrome Summicrons and Summiluxes. But not so.
Optically and ergonomically these two lenses are identical to their older brethren. Only in price is there a difference. The silver Noctilux is £650 cheaper than the black which makes it something of a bargain at £7,500. I can hear the tills ringing already. The silver anodised 35mm Summilux is £3,550 which is £300 cheaper than the current black version. Another Leica giveaway.
What will Leica do with the brass/chrome lenses such as the 35 Lux and 50 Lux. Many people like them because they match silver cameras and look retro but they are a pain to use because of the weight. Now that silver versions are available without any added weight I don’t think the demand for heavy chrome lenses will hold up. I’ll be interested to see the sales split between black and silver in the future. The Summarits in silver look very cute and I can see them dominating the sales.