Here is what I meant in my earlier comment: "Wide open and at f/2, its specular highlights have a very distinctive blunted cone shape, which seems to be a unique characteristic of this lens."
p.6 #4 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
It's interesting, this lens has the wide open character/rendering of a vintage lens but Funleader appears to have eliminated almost all of the wide aperture SA glow. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. At least it's an SA-free option.
Without 'excessive' SA, are you finding that it has minimal focus shift stopped down 2-3 stops?
p.6 #5 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
Copper will oxidise more readily than brass. For a helicoid you typically want two differing metals (to avoid binding and increase slip) and historically that was stainless steel and brass.
I hope like hell they don't have copper and aluminium surfaces mated somewhere like a helicoid. Even with a good grease barrier that is a surefire recipe for galvanic corrosion over time.
Tariq Gibran wrote:
I'm curious if it is somewhat unusual that the material the focusing helicoid is made from is listed as copper. I wonder if this is accurate or maybe an incorrect spec or translation error. It seems like brass would be the obvious choice as it's less expensive, stronger for this use, machineability might be easier, it's more resistant to corrosion and so on.
p.6 #6 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
rscheffler wrote:
It's interesting, this lens has the wide open character/rendering of a vintage lens but Funleader appears to have eliminated almost all of the wide aperture SA glow. I'm not sure if this is good or bad. At least it's an SA-free option.
Without 'excessive' SA, are you finding that it has minimal focus shift stopped down 2-3 stops?
I can still notice some spherical aberration and definitely extreme coma in the samples, but as you mentioned, it is better corrected...possibly on par with or even better than the Nokton.
p.6 #7 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
thrice wrote:
Copper will oxidise more readily than brass. For a helicoid you typically want two differing metals (to avoid binding and increase slip) and historically that was stainless steel and brass.
I hope like hell they don't have copper and aluminium surfaces mated somewhere like a helicoid. Even with a good grease barrier that is a surefire recipe for galvanic corrosion over time.
Yeah, it sounds like that's exactly what they did. There are quite a few reports about stiff helicoid rotation, and based on what you mentioned, it might not get better over time as you would expect. In fact, it could actually worsen due to the galvanic corrosion between copper and aluminum. So, if this is indeed the case, it’s definitely not a great design choice in the long run.
p.6 #9 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
Fred Miranda wrote:
Yeah, it sounds like that's exactly what they did. There are quite a few reports about stiff helicoid rotation, and based on what you mentioned, it might not get better over time as you would expect. In fact, it could actually worsen due to the galvanic corrosion between copper and aluminum. So, if this is indeed the case, it’s definitely not a great design choice in the long run.
It’s difficult to believe that they would have done this given that it would be more costly to use copper over brass in addition to all of the other well-known negatives of going that route.
In your review of this lens and communication with fun leader, perhaps you could ask them about this.
p.6 #10 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
Tariq Gibran wrote:
It’s difficult to believe that they would have done this given that it would be more costly to use copper over brass in addition to all of the other well-known negatives of going that route.
In your review of this lens and communication with fun leader, perhaps you could ask them about this.
p.6 #11 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
Desmolicious wrote:
I have noticed that with many Chinese lenses, they actually mean brass when they say copper. I would reach out to the mfg for clarification.
Google translate shows that brass in chinese is literally 'yellow copper' Huáng tóng.
p.6 #13 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
FrozenInTime wrote:
Google translate shows that brass in chinese is literally 'yellow copper' Huáng tóng.
I bet it is a translation error. If you search for the Funleader website, here is the website description in the search results:
"Funleader is aimed to provide unforgettable funny experience for photographers. Shop fun lenses at fair prices."
I will say that I too was impressed at the speed of their customer service in responding to an email question over this past weekend about shipping - within a few hours!
p.6 #14 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
Even if they mean copper, it's not totally wrong because brass is mostly made of copper and zinc. The zinc is added to copper to give it that corrosion resistance.
Given all this, I think it's brass, but I'll ask just to be sure.
p.6 #15 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
UPS dropped it off at my door about 15 minutes ago. Nicely packaged and feels solid. I bought a NOS #15 Yellow Series VII Kodak Wraten filter. The paperwork in the filter box was dated 3/59. The filter dropped in to the hood and when I attached it to the lens, it clips solidly in place but it does not lock. Be prepared for a hood that rolls around when changing f-stops. It's mostly a good thing, making it easy to move the tabs that hold the hood in place so you can reach the aperture wings. There's not much distance between the wings and the hood. Both the aperture and focus are a bit stiff. The infinity lock has the hallmarks of being a pain. Just remember to get your finger in the tab and not grab it by the edges. Anyone who has used 1960's era Leica lenses will recognize the haptics.
It's on the M4 and I'm looking forward to putting film through the camera. The feel is different than the Nokton and it will be interesting to see the images.
p.6 #16 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
madNbad wrote:
Anyone who has used 1960's era Leica lenses will recognize the haptics.
Indeed, aside from the stiffness in the rings, you've just described the haptics (and the hood mechanism) of the 1967 Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux v2 with Infinity Lock.
Although the Artzlab 35mm f/1.4 Classic mimics the look of the v2 (which featured a plastic tab and lacked an infinity lock) while adding an infinity lock, the true infinity lock version differs slightly from this lens. For instance, the barrel does not include a 35 number engraving.
p.6 #17 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
Ran a roll of HP-5 through the M4 and the Artizlab Classic. The hood found a proper spot to keep the tabs out of the way of the aperture wings. The infinity lock wasn't as annoying as expected. Both the aperture and focus rings are getting smoother. It's a nice lens to use, even with the one meter MFD.
I'm working on a second roll and will have pictures in the "Films Not Dead" forum in a couple of days.
p.6 #18 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
This reviewer demonstrates the differences I was referring to between the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux V2 with an infinity lock, without an infinity lock, and the new Artzlab 35mm f/1.4 Classic. The video is in Chinese, and while the subtitles aren't very accurate, it's still watchable.
p.6 #20 · Funleader to Release Lens Inspired by Leica 35/1.4 Summilux
I got my lens this afternoon. The first impression is the aperture ring is stiff, but the focus ring is smooth. The lens seems to "glow" more than my Voigtlander 40mm 1.4 (from memory not side-by-side impression), but the center is noticeably sharp. I like the transition from center to the edge from the steel rim reissue better (and it "glow" more still).
At least it's an SA-free option.