A source just sent me the first info about the future Schneider Kreuznach Micro Four Thirds lenses. Schneider will offer a “range of lenses for the MFT-System starting Photokina 2012. Details will be announced in the first half of 2012“. Thanks to the anonymous source for sending me this! Keep us up to date with your “rumors” ;)
So we don’t know yet what kind of lenses they will announce but it is good to hear that they will offer a “range of lenses” suggesting that there will be many of them! I don’t know if these lenses will be mainly “cine lenses” like the one offered by Zeiss or more “photographic lenses”. Schneider has a long history of high quality lenses for Large and Medium format cameras. Currently Schneider isn’t making many lenses for the “pure” digital photography system. There are only two for Canon/Nikon/Sony:
[shoplink 27385 ebay]PC TS Super-Angulon 50mm f/2.8 Lens (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27386 ebay]PC TS Super Angulon 90mm f/4.5 Lens (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
But Schneider also made many C-mount, FD, SL and M42 mount lenses in the past. Here are some of them:
[shoplink 27395 ebay]Xenon 16mm f/1.2 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27387 ebay]Xenon 25mm f/0.95 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27389 ebay]Curtagon 35mm f/2.8 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27391 ebay]Componon 50mm f/1.4 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27390 ebay]Xenon 50mm f/1.9 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27394 ebay]Xenar 50mm f/2.8 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27388 ebay]Xenar 75mm f/3.5 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27392 ebay]Xenotar 80mm f/2.8 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 27393 ebay]Xenar 180mm f/2.8 (Click here to see on eBay)[/shoplink].
I am sure Schneider completely new designed and high quality lenses. But just to make them know in what kind of lens you would prefer:
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In February 4 Schneider announced their membership of the m43 standard. And that was the press release:
“SCHNEIDER KREUZNACH now a member of the Micro Four Thirds System Standard Group
BAD KREUZNACH, 4 February 2011. Schneider-Kreuznach has joined the “Micro Four Thirds System Standard Group” – a consortium of companies with the objective of improving the possibilities and quality of compact digital cameras. Developed by Olympus and Panasonic, “Micro Four Thirds” is a standard for lens mounts that is tailored to digital system cameras. “This standard has great potential. It simplifies and improves the options for compact digital cameras and offers an excellent opportunity for the industry as a whole, as well as for us as a lens manufacturer. We are working intensively on a corresponding series of lenses,” says Dr. Josef Staub, CEO of the Schneider Group.
The standard defines the sensor size, the lens mount together with the communication protocol, the aspect ratio and the flange back distance, as well as the optical requirements for production and construction. The industry standard has been developed deliberately without taking into account conventional lenses, cameras or sensor sizes. In this way, compatibility problems with older components are avoided as is the need to compromise when designing new components.
The forum standard policy means that any member company can make and distribute accessories for the system that meet the standard. It is therefore possible to combine components from different manufacturers.”
Download the press release from Schneider (.pdf)
Reminder -> Rumors classification explained (FT= FourThirds):
FT1=1-20% chance the rumor is correct
FT2=21-40% chance the rumor is correct
FT3=41-60% chance the rumor is correct
FT4=61-80% chance the rumor is correct
FT5=81-99% chance the rumor is correct