Today at their May 10 event Leica has offered an update to the status of the CS (Central Shutter) lenses for the Leica S2, with the biggest news being that the flash sync speed will now be 1/1000th of a second, faster than the originally planned 1/500th sync speed! This is big news and will make the Leica S2 with CS lenses one of the fastest-syncing cameras in the world:
Leica S-System Expanded By Five S-Lenses with Central Shutter: Available from October 2012
Solms, Germany (May 10, 2012) – Leica Camera AG is expanding the product range for the Leica S professional camera system with five new central shutter lenses, available from October 2012. The new models are the Leica Elmarit-S 30*mm f/2.8 ASPH. and Leica Summarit-S 35*mm f/2.5 ASPH. wide-angle lenses, the Leica Summarit-S 70*mm f/2.5 ASPH. standard lens, the Leica APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120*mm f/2.5 tele-macro lens and the Leica APO-Tele-Elmar-S 180*mm f/3.5 telephoto lens, all of which will also be available in a CS version with a central shutter. Designed and constructed exclusively by Leica, the central shutter available for all S*lenses is not only especially compact and efficient, but also has a guaranteed service life of at least 100,000 shutter cycles, making it extremely reliable.
The Leica S2-System features a dual shutter concept, allowing photographers to choose a shutter system to meet their needs and the particular situation before every shot. The camera body is constructed with a metal focal plane shutter offering a top speed of 1/4000th of a second and flash sync at 1/125th. The main switch on the S2 camera body allows users to rapidly change to central shutter use as soon as a CS lens is mounted. With a top speed of 1/1000th of a second, the central shutter offers a working range expanded by three f-stops. Users now have considerably more leeway for creative lighting, such as studio flash systems that may be used to suppress ambient light or to create fill light in bright surroundings at larger lens apertures. As a result of the seamless integration of the central shutter function in the camera’s electronics, photographers can switch rapidly between the two shutter systems at any time.
First and foremost in the development of all products is the consistent dedication to creating tools to fulfill the stringent demands of professional users of the Leica*S medium format system in their everyday photographic work. The objective of the Leica S-System is to provide absolutely reliable equipment that guarantees extreme precision and a particularly long operational lifespan.
The new central shutter designed and constructed by the Leica engineers in Solms is a masterpiece of high-tech mechatronics. The Leica central shutter offers high performance and is so compact in size that it can be integrated without any problems in all S*lenses. With a guaranteed life of over 100,000 shutter cycles per lens, it is also extremely durable and dependable in constant use. For the first time, the dust- and splash-proof construction of the lenses and camera now makes it possible to use the system under difficult conditions for ‘on location’ shots with the central shutter without any fears of equipment failure.
Well, we now know why they took their time with the CS lenses. Moving from 1/500 to 1000 and making it last 100,000 activations is a nice achievement!