An update to my Leica saga

While I haven't heard directly from Leica my dealer has been able to offer some information...

I still very much like the Leica M9 and the 4-lenses I have been able to obtain. My dealer, Capture Integration, was able to provide me the M9 and a choice of lenses earlier this year and I decided on the Summicron 35mm and 50mm as well as the Summarit 90mm then in August I obtained the Elmarit 24mm from a different source.

Based on my limited experience I feel Leica makes an excellent product; the M9 and lenses are not mass produced and are assembled by hand. I knew this going in. I also knew that there would be delays, due to the hand build and quality of the Leica product; one just has to look at the back log of M9 orders world wide. This said I still did not expect such a long delay in Leica fulfilling my order for a lens that has been in production since 1998. I've done my homework, the 135/3.4 APO Telyt M, currently the only M 135 lens has been in production for 12 years. There also appears that much like the new M9, the 135 is on a world-wide back order. It makes me think that if you shoot with a Leica M8 or M9 you need to order lenses that you "think" you might need or use months or even years in advance.

Hand made quality should not equate to "one of a kind". So what have I learned from my dealer? I'll get my 135 just as soon as he receives it from Leica. When is this going to be? Your guess is as good as mine. While do not question the quality of the Leica products I do based on my limited experience question their customer service, especially when it comes to their dealer relationships.

This is what I call intergalactic backorder.

Don

There are currently 3 135/3.4 APO's available that I can tell, all on E-Bay; two are new and are either in Hong Kong or Poland and the other is a used lens from a dealer in Boston.