p.24 #1 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
brla-brla wrote:
Finally pulled the trigger on a GFX 50R. I have a cousin younger than this camera, so wish me luck that I get at least 5 good years out of it, if not 7 or 8
I know before I got a medium format camera myself I was driven crazy by the lack of image samples with MS Optics lenses. They weren't nonexistent, but they were so painfully limited.
Great samples! I've purchased a GFX 100 recently and am always looking out for which lenses will cover the sensor.
p.24 #3 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
I receive my copy of 73mm sonnetar today. I notice a few design changes compared to earlier model seen online. My copy is black chrome No. 297.
1. A new metal hood sizing down compare to the old model.
2. Close focus down to 0.8m.
3. Addtion of a depth of field marking in the rear end.
4. The focus flow from infinity to 0.8m seems a bit short to me, I would expect focusing accuracy will be fairly lower than earlier model when shot wide open.
p.24 #4 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
Fred Miranda wrote:
I received the MS Optics 28mm f/2 Apoqualia URUSHI today, and its an absolute beauty. This copy was very well cared for and appears to be in mint condition.
Like all the MS Optics lenses I own, the focus adjustment was far from perfect and required a quick tweak to get it perfectly aligned. Thanks for the tip about the Heliopan 28mm filter! It attached perfectly. (see the picture of the lens with it attached).
Here are some quick instructions I wrote for myself on how to adjust MS Optics lenses to work optimally with the Leica M rangefinder.
---------
To calibrate MS Optics lenses, adjust in the same direction as the focusing discrepancy.
For example:
If, after focusing on your target using Live View, you need to rotate the focus ring counterclockwise (CCW) to achieve proper focus (indicating front-focusing), rotate the lenss RF adjustment ring on the back counterclockwise (CCW) as well to correct it. This is typically the outermost ring and requires a spanner wrench for adjustment.
If you need to rotate the focus ring clockwise (CW) to achieve proper focus (indicating back-focusing), rotate the RF adjustment ring clockwise (CW) to correct it.
p.24 #5 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
My copy seems fine with the focus. You might need to adjust the rear coma adjustment to fine tune the focus. The red mark is factory preset at 3m, you may try to set the red dot slightly forward and backward from 3m.
gordec wrote:
I just got the 73 Sonnetar. Does this calibration method apply as well? Mine is out of focus straight out of the box.
p.24 #6 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
gordec wrote:
I just got the 73 Sonnetar. Does this calibration method apply as well? Mine is out of focus straight out of the box.
It's rare to get a MS Optics lens correctly calibrated with the rangefinder, so what you experience is unfortunately the norm. I don't remember how the rear of the Sonnetar lens look and I'm not able to check it right now but perhaps it's easy to calibrate it.
p.24 #7 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
Mayasan wrote:
My copy seems fine with the focus. You might need to adjust the rear coma adjustment to fine tune the focus. The red mark is factory preset at 3m, you may try to set the red dot slightly forward and backward from 3m.
I think mine is actually ok too. The long FL and the unusual focus mechanism may have thrown me off. The focus ring is not that smooth like Leica lenses. I assume thats how MS Optics lenses are.
p.24 #8 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
After my 73/1.5 arrived yesterday I was anxious to give it try and begin with first light since it is a 1.5 and I was going to focus on wide open, or nearly so for my first round. These photos are from my driveway or backyard in Tucson AZ that gives me a good landscape shot to the north that is well lit by rising Sun and the plants in my backyard that gives a diversity examples of plants with differing colors, contours, and spines that catch the morning light.
The new edition of the 73/1.5 appears to me to be better constructed than some of my prior MS-Optics lens that felt fragile and called out to be careful, my Petz for instance that I like as a lens but is one pf the careful use lenses. The focus knob is reasonably damped and focuses easily but has a short throw. The aperture is clickless and can be moved easily and I found I had to be careful with it. I captured images close in, plant portraits at 1.5 and while I shot landscape at 1.5 I found I liked 1.7 or 2 better. I have not yet used the lens at something like 5.6 wanting first to see the lens character at 1.5 or so. I like that the lens is 49 mm so I can use ND filters I have for my 1966 LLL but have not yet tried them on this lens.
I should note I spent my career doing technology, now retired I have gone seat of my pants, impressions, and trying to get what I like. I will leave the technical assessments to others, These are impressions are just that doing what I like no more no less.
Wide open or nearly so and portrait distance there is good subject separation and 3D, colors are interesting and with better light I think I could get more glow from this lens. I did not like it at 1.5 for landscape as much, but even 1.7 or 2.0 is vast improvement while retaining the depth in the image. I looked at it stopped down further and at distance is reasonably sharp, but nowhere near enough that this lens would be my choice for a distant shot. To have a foreground object framed by a slightly out of focus background is more what my first impression would be good use of the lens. In general I think it is a portrait lens, including plant portraits and I think it will shine there rather than for more distant views. For landscape in the end I think something like a 90 mm F2 voigtlander will be my choice for short telephoto landscape, although it has muted character. I will try some F 4 or 5.6 for distant objects, and I want to try some low light at F1.5 before my LLL 3.5/1.4 arrives so I can test that, I probably have a few days before that happens.
p.24 #10 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
Yes resales can be difficult, expensive, and one of the things I fear is the lenses are not that robust so one is buying into the care of the prior photographer. I have a few ms-optics lenses all purchased new. So at present they are remaking the 73/1.5 and next is 35/1.3 and 1.4 (I ordered a 1.4- March 2026 projected delivery), if this trend continues they may be remaking their best and most popular lenses that are also then expensive on the resale market. This seems to me a good business strategy. You could ask them if they have the 28s on schedule- a lot of us could well be interested in that one as well as a new lens, that like the 73/1.5 the new one was < 50% the cost of a resale in recent ads.
p.24 #11 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
EMH2025 wrote:
After my 73/1.5 arrived yesterday I was anxious to give it try and begin with first light since it is a 1.5 and I was going to focus on wide open, or nearly so for my first round. These photos are from my driveway or backyard in Tucson AZ that gives me a good landscape shot to the north that is well lit by rising Sun and the plants in my backyard that gives a diversity examples of plants with differing colors, contours, and spines that catch the morning light.
The new edition of the 73/1.5 appears to me to be better constructed than some of my prior MS-Optics lens that felt fragile and called out to be careful, my Petz for instance that I like as a lens but is one pf the careful use lenses. The focus knob is reasonably damped and focuses easily but has a short throw. The aperture is clickless and can be moved easily and I found I had to be careful with it. I captured images close in, plant portraits at 1.5 and while I shot landscape at 1.5 I found I liked 1.7 or 2 better. I have not yet used the lens at something like 5.6 wanting first to see the lens character at 1.5 or so. I like that the lens is 49 mm so I can use ND filters I have for my 1966 LLL but have not yet tried them on this lens.
I should note I spent my career doing technology, now retired I have gone seat of my pants, impressions, and trying to get what I like. I will leave the technical assessments to others, These are impressions are just that doing what I like no more no less.
Wide open or nearly so and portrait distance there is good subject separation and 3D, colors are interesting and with better light I think I could get more glow from this lens. I did not like it at 1.5 for landscape as much, but even 1.7 or 2.0 is vast improvement while retaining the depth in the image. I looked at it stopped down further and at distance is reasonably sharp, but nowhere near enough that this lens would be my choice for a distant shot. To have a foreground object framed by a slightly out of focus background is more what my first impression would be good use of the lens. In general I think it is a portrait lens, including plant portraits and I think it will shine there rather than for more distant views. For landscape in the end I think something like a 90 mm F2 voigtlander will be my choice for short telephoto landscape, although it has muted character. I will try some F 4 or 5.6 for distant objects, and I want to try some low light at F1.5 before my LLL 3.5/1.4 arrives so I can test that, I probably have a few days before that happens. ...Show more →
I love the gentle, classic rendering from this lens. Great samples.
p.24 #13 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
I received an update from MS-Optics about the expected release schedule of Apollon 36/1.3 and Apoqualia 35/1.4 re-release. Earlier it was expected to happen in February / March but it seems to be be delayed to April / May and Black Paint versions will be expected to arrive about one month later than regular Black and Silver versions (so probably shifting to May / June for BP versions). Since I have reserved a BP version of Apoqualia, there was an option of switching color if I wanted to get it earlier, but I opted to stick with BP version. I suppose others who have made reservations will have received or will receive similar communication (I received it in Japanese and I'm not sure if English communication has been sent out at the same timing).
p.24 #14 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
Juha Kannisto wrote:
I received an update from MS-Optics about the expected release schedule of Apollon 36/1.3 and Apoqualia 35/1.4 re-release. Earlier it was expected to happen in February / March but it seems to be be delayed to April / May and Black Paint versions will be expected to arrive about one month later than regular Black and Silver versions (so probably shifting to May / June for BP versions). Since I have reserved a BP version of Apoqualia, there was an option of switching color if I wanted to get it earlier, but I opted to stick with BP version. I suppose others who have made reservations will have received or will receive similar communication (I received it in Japanese and I'm not sure if English communication has been sent out at the same timing)....Show more →
they did send it in english... got it last night, no big deal a month or two...... for my silver one to come.
p.24 #16 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
Mayasan wrote:
I also reserve the 36mm Apollon, thinking what color between a BP or silver. I previousy had the black chrome but sold to a local user.
I am in a minority of M users not liking the worn look of BP with time= I really like my 1950s-60s Ms and lenses as they still look good to me in chrome- each to their own..... so silver (or black chrome or aluminum are my choices for Ms) I have a few BP lenses.... just not a big fan.
p.24 #17 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
Here are images of the new finishes shown on the re-release 36/1.3 Apollon, which are also available for the 35/1.4 Apoqualia.
(FYI, they are actually both close to 36mm in FL)
The black versions look very similar to the previous black paint and matte black MS Optics finishes. The silver, though, seems different. It might actually be silver chrome (They call it Silver Gloss Finish). My Apollon 36/1.3 in silver has a different finish, more in line with the traditional MS Optics silver lenses.
The USD amounts reflect the total price listed, including tax and overseas handling. You may still need to consider any additional import duties or tariffs your country could add on top, though I'm not certain what that would be.
Kamii also mentioned they plan to make roughly 50 units of the non-coated version as a limited run. If you prefer the non-coated option over the multi-coated, you may need to reserve one in advance.
p.24 #19 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
The non-coated version is an interesting idea for those who prefer to shoot low contrast / black and white image, I would love to have a moderate contrast lens for purely black&white but I expect worse flare performance compared to multi coated version.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Current pricing in yen and approximate USD:
The USD amounts reflect the total price listed, including tax and overseas handling. You may still need to consider any additional import duties or tariffs your country could add on top, though I'm not certain what that would be.
Kamii also mentioned they plan to make roughly 50 units of the non-coated version as a limited run. If you prefer the non-coated option over the multi-coated, you may need to reserve one in advance.
p.24 #20 · MS-Optics lenses Image and Discussion Thread
Thanks Fred. the silver chrome is perhaps more durable while the BP will fade over time. It is difficult to source a 34mm silver uv, lol.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Here are images of the new finishes shown on the re-release 36/1.3 Apollon, which are also available for the 35/1.4 Apoqualia.
(FYI, they are actually both close to 36mm in FL)
The black versions look very similar to the previous black paint and matte black MS Optics finishes. The silver, though, seems different. It might actually be silver chrome (They call it Silver Gloss Finish). My Apollon 36/1.3 in silver has a different finish, more in line with the traditional MS Optics silver lenses.
