p.3 #1 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
A Canon P can be had for well under $500 last time I checked, and it's a very nice Japanese LTM body with capability to focus accurately. One of my favorite film bodies.
Desmolicious wrote:
A new film M mount camera would be much more useful than an LTM, as it can also use LTM lenses whereas an LTM camera cannot also use M lenses.
I’ve owned Zorkis, Feds and Kievs and the reason for their existence is because you cannot afford a Japanese or German LTM. Yeah you can make nice pics with them, but that is more in spite of the camera, rather than because of. What redeems them are the lenses. I got rid of them after the novelty factor of trying them out wore off.
p.3 #2 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
Desmolicious wrote:
Polar's last post that I can find was in July. Not a good sign.
j.liam wrote:
Seems like yours is pimping for these fly-by-nighters. Hope their checks clear.
j.liam wrote:
Actually, happy with calling you out for shilling.
He points out that the company has gone silent for months and states it's not a good sign, so you claim he's a shill receiving checks from them? Shirley you can't be serious.
p.3 #3 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
CrazyLeicaFox wrote:
He points out that the company has gone silent for months and states it's not a good sign, so you claim he's a shill receiving checks from them? Shirley you can't be serious.
Dear Shirley,
No, I’m not being serious. As background, I was once involved with a medical device company who entered into a venture with a Chinese partner—no other arrangement is possible there. Within two years, the partner, a somewhat reputable operation, passed on the idea, the engineering schematics, etc., to a crony for a hefty payoff, who then knocked off what we had spent years and millions of dollars developing. I learned something from that experience and am repelled by the business culture there where no holds are barred and free trade means they can do whatever they like while everyone else must bend over—yes similar things happen everywhere but not on the same scale and magnitude, without the protection of the courts. So no, I don’t admire “tribute” products that capitalize on the achievemets of others. Señor Huss’ and others here remain endlessly enthusiastic for every new pop up company that peddles a fresh gadget claiming to be a cheap version of something acclaimed, historic and now unaffordable. Expressing doubt on these pages is responded to with mockery of anyone who doesn’t share the glee. It’s all good fun but doesn’t occur in a vacuum.
p.3 #4 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
ISO1600 wrote:
A Canon P can be had for well under $500 last time I checked, and it's a very nice Japanese LTM body with capability to focus accurately. One of my favorite film bodies.
Yeah, the Canon P is really nice. I had a perfect, shutter curtain wrinkle free one but sold it because I had too many cameras (still do). And those are still very reasonably priced. I prefer the P than any Leica LTM - it's a much better shooter.
That's why I don't get the appeal of LLL developing an LTM camera (does LLL even make LTM lenses?) w/ no rangefinder. It's a question no-one has asked!
What people would love is an affordable film M mount camera w/ rangefinder.
p.3 #5 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
Desmolicious wrote:
Yeah, the Canon P is really nice. I had a perfect, shutter curtain wrinkle free one but sold it because I had too many cameras (still do). And those are still very reasonably priced. I prefer the P than any Leica LTM - it's a much better shooter.
That's why I don't get the appeal of LLL developing an LTM camera (does LLL even make LTM lenses?) w/ no rangefinder. It's a question no-one has asked!
What people would love is an affordable film M mount camera w/ rangefinder.
The technology is not there yet.
We could wish Cosina to reprise their Bessa line.
p.3 #6 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
Sonnar-7 wrote:
The technology is not there yet.
We could wish Cosina to reprise their Bessa line.
I liked my Zeiss Ikon ZM much more than my Bessa R3A. The Zeiss Ikon ZM should be brought back as long as it is about $1k. Otherwise I'd just get a used M.
p.3 #7 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
The Bessa has a pretty short rangefinder base length. I like the pre-P/pre-7 Canons because you got a magnified view when switching into 50mm. This came at the cost of a parallax correction but it would be pretty neat if someone could develop that too.
p.3 #8 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
The Bessas always felt like toys to me, and the Ikon felt like a REALLY NICE toy, because in reality it was just a Bessa made to a much higher standard, with a nicer finder system. I never fell in love with my Ikon, although it was nice to shoot with. My mechanically perfect Canon P is one of the photography items i most regret selling.
I agree that there's more supply than demand when it comes to affordable LTM bodies. What the market needs is more options in M-mount cameras. Make a modern-construction/classic-inspired M body with no electronics, and a simple but reliable shutter that can do at least 1/1000, ideally faster because 1/1000 sucks lol.
Back to the topic of a super old 35mm lens design, I think a reproduction of an impossibly overpriced (by most realistic standards) lens is just fine. I wish I would've bought a 35cron V4 10-15 years ago, the last time they were somewhat reasonably priced...
p.3 #9 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
ISO1600 wrote:
The Bessas always felt like toys to me, and the Ikon felt like a REALLY NICE toy, because in reality it was just a Bessa made to a much higher standard, with a nicer finder system. I never fell in love with my Ikon, although it was nice to shoot with. My mechanically perfect Canon P is one of the photography items i most regret selling.
I agree that there's more supply than demand when it comes to affordable LTM bodies. What the market needs is more options in M-mount cameras. Make a modern-construction/classic-inspired M body with no electronics, and a simple but reliable shutter that can do at least 1/1000, ideally faster because 1/1000 sucks lol.
Back to the topic of a super old 35mm lens design, I think a reproduction of an impossibly overpriced (by most realistic standards) lens is just fine. I wish I would've bought a 35cron V4 10-15 years ago, the last time they were somewhat reasonably priced......Show more →
Cosina already had the 1/2000 mechanical shutter, so that could have been used. Sure it is more of a metallic crack than the muffled Leica shutter curtain sound, but I still enjoyed it.
I just don't get the point, at all, of introducing an LTM mount (or M mount) film camera that has no rangefinder or way of accurately focusing, let alone one without a viewfinder.
How many people sat around and said 'you know what would be in really high demand right now? A new LTM camera with no vf or way to focus apart from guessing. Also it would be great if it didn't have a meter. Or a modern loading system. We'd sell a boat load of that!'
p.3 #12 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
So anyone know if they're going to release more of this lens beyond the 200 that was already sold off as mentioned in this thread. Imo this lens looks better than the 'china' labelled LLL Version
p.3 #13 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
I've always wanted a V4 cron but absolutely can't justify the cost of one these days. The LLL doesn't interest me in the slightest as it's simply not the version i want.
I don't care who makes it, but I want *somebody* to build a half-decent V4 replica and sell it at a typically-PRC lens price.
p.3 #14 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
ISO1600 wrote:
I've always wanted a V4 cron but absolutely can't justify the cost of one these days. The LLL doesn't interest me in the slightest as it's simply not the version i want.
I don't care who makes it, but I want *somebody* to build a half-decent V4 replica and sell it at a typically-PRC lens price.
Just buy the 40mm Summicron, it's a derivative of the IV KOB.
p.3 #16 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
j.liam wrote:
Is that actually the case?
Summicron-C 40/2 may be a derivative design of Summicron 35/2 v3, a classic double Gauss design with 6 elements in 4 groups. The Contax-G 35/2 Planar has a very similar optical design to the Summicron-M 35/2 v4, a 7 elements in 5 groups configuration, as does the Voigtländer Nokton 40/1.4.
p.3 #18 · "Polar" replica of the Leica 35mm f/2 Cron 7-Element
retrofocus wrote:
Now what I would really love to see is that a Chinese manufacturer copies some of Leica's rangefinder cameras. Maybe not as first digital versions but already some film camera knock-offs would be great. Imagine a M6 copy for less than $500....
I just looked through my old emails and I sold a Bessa R4A for $450 a decade ago.
Cosina-Voigtlander should bring back the Bessa line and attempt a cloth shutter. They have a head start over everyone else (minus Leica).
I fully agree with you that all of Summicrion-m non-ASPH 35/2 lenses from v1 to v4, including Summicron-c 40, have very similar characters that they all have good center resolution wide open and extend to outer zone stepping down after f/2.8. The peak performance of these Summicrons is around f/4-5.6.
If we look back to the beginning when Leica developed the Summicrion v1 in the 1960’s, that lens had a larger center sharpness area compared to other later versions but with lower contrast/micro-contrast wide open. I believe these characters made the v1 lens desirable for higher MP digital color and B&W captures. Leica released v2 and v3 in 1970’s mainly because some of materials in the glass element used in v1 were no longer available or permitted. The center sharpness of v2/v3 remained pretty strong wide open with improved contrast relative to v1. Although v2/v3 is an economical design, many really like the images from v2/v3 (myself included) for both color film and digital. I also like the Summicron-c 40 which as mentioned in the previous posts was a derivative design from the Summicron 35 v3. For Summicron v4, the lens contrast was further improved with a larger center sharpness area compared to v2/v3, although still smaller than that of the v1, wide open. But edge resolution remains relatively low until f/8, but by then, the center sharpness started to reduce. Later version of v4 made in later 1980 and early 1990 (made in Germany) has similar modern Leica coating applied as some of their current lenses. Late in 1990, Contax made a 35/2 Planar lens for its G1/G2 to compete with Leica M, which has very similar design and characters. There are converted Contax G35s to M mount available.
Bottom line is that there is NO bad Summicron 35/40 lenses. I like them for:
V1: greater resolution wide open and unique rendering
V2/V3: great general purpose one-lens-one-body for travel
V4: modern color with classic rendering.
