Leitz Announces Hugo Primes
The new LPL-mount lens series will initially be available as a set of seven.
Ernst Leitz Wetzlar has announced the Leitz Hugo prime-lens series.
Leitz Hugo primes will have an LPL mount as well as the traditional cine orientation of focus and iris scales, expanded focus scales with a 270° rotation, and increased close-focus ability. They are compact and lightweight, starting at 1.78 pounds and ranging from 2.7"-4.4" long. Lens mounts can be swapped to Leica M mount or Leica L mount as well.
Leitz Hugo primes will initially be available as a set of seven full-frame lenses, from 21mm to 90mm (all T1.5), with 18mm and 135mm focal lengths to follow. A 50mm (T1) lens will also be available.
“Every lens we create is in some way an interpretation of the Leica M look,” says Rainer Hercher, managing director at Ernst Leitz Wetzlar. “The Leitz Hugo lenses are a more literal implementation that builds off the popularity of the Leitz M 0.8 series by using the same iconic Leica M optics, while elevating the housing design and build quality to match existing Leitz cinematography lenses in durability, usability and — importantly — serviceability.”
Like other Leitz cine lenses, the Hugo series will have readily available parts, replacement elements and lens-technician training. Existing M 0.8 lenses will be eligible for a conversion to Hugo lenses in the future (pricing TBD).
Leitz Hugo lenses are named for engineer Hugo Wehrenfenning, whose work for Leica Camera (then Ernst Leitz GmbH, Wetzlar) included creating the iconic Leica M bayonet mount still in use today, along with many of the early M-series lenses.
The initial seven-lens set of Leitz Hugo primes will list for $107,570. The 50mm T1.0 will list for $18,950.
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