nehemiahphoto wrote:
I like character too. But not all types and not on all lenses And you’d fall into the group of shooters Thypoch is betting on that I mentioned.
I don’t like axial CA nor do I really like the type of FC that bends to the corners into focus. It’s inherent to the 50/1 Noct optical design—a favorite lens of mine. But I think it’s ugly on that lens too. And this Ksana isn’t really a “character” lens to me—the Thypoch is quite modern inside optically and it’s a 21/3.5. To me, a character wide would be a Leica 19/2.8 v1 or Canon FD 20/2.8.
But lower contrast, flare, SA, coma, vignetting and less than stellar corners in the outer mid frame to corner are fine and even preferred for much of my shooting.
Anyway, if the IQ hit doesn’t bother you, that’s great. You’ll probably enjoy the lens and if you’re shooting stopped down, as we often do for nature and street, the FC won’t be relevant.
And I loved the Contarex line—I had a beater 85/2 I should have never sold.
I absolutely agree. None of the Thypoch lenses are true character lenses. They are modern lenses that are not as aggressively modern as others ("rounded sharpness" and all, if that makes sense), and I would see them as an alternative to a truly modern lens rather than a vintage lens. This is a somewhat underserved market segment, I feel, though that might be changing.
Whether I like the tradeoffs Thypoch has made with the Ksana remains to be seen. The sample images on their website look fine to me, and didn't see anything offensive (to me) in Bastian's review samples either. But they are all small web-sized, and I would want to see larger images. I quite like their flare, and might get one just to play with it. I did that with the Simera 35mm this winter, but it hasn't quite convinced me, so far.
What I truly want is a line of lenses that all have the same or at least similar character. The Contarex are close (as well as being lovely), but they have a tendency for their focus helicoid to seize up.
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Yep! I remember in the old days when you generally liked very smooth well corrected glass and I had recommended to you the CV 35/2 Ultron and 73/1.5 Sonnetar but at that time they were not attractive to you. And I also remember you getting into the old Leica glass and PM’ing and getting excited about that. Those are actually some of my fonder memories on my time on FM.
And I remember the same process myself. I was loaned a 35 Lux 1.4 pre-ASPH and did not like it the first time I tried it around 2015! At that time, I was into the RX1 and ZM 35/1.4 and coming from an ZA 135/1.8 and such. And while I still like those lenses, they are a bit boring for me. They are usually applied in specific use cases or for a certain modern qualities—excellent flare resistance, across the frame resolution WO or high microcontrast WO.
The CY 35/1.4 was my first gateway drug Then followed Pentax 31/1.8 and MS Optics 35/1.4 and 35 Lux pre-asph and so many others now. I have found my taste to have been pretty consistent after that pivotal shift about 7 or 8 years ago. Even on my modern lenses, I like to have some character/stand out feature. Most of my photography budget is for character glass and/or film.
I also played with using diffusion filters and started a thread that ran for a couple years on here, but I never found those to work like old glass.
The modern stuff is easier and cheaper to come by more and more. And I think cell phone/computation photography, competent cheap 3rd party glass and videography make that modern clean look even less singular....Show more →
You did show me that there is beauty in imperfections. Thank you!
mranger211 wrote:
Whether I like the tradeoffs Thypoch has made with the Ksana remains to be seen. The sample images on their website look fine to me, and didn't see anything offensive (to me) in Bastian's review samples either. But they are all small web-sized, and I would want to see larger images. I quite like their flare, and might get one just to play with it. I did that with the Simera 35mm this winter, but it hasn't quite convinced me, so far.
Headed to Kentucky for bourbon tasting and this seems to fit the bill nicely for indoor/outside shots on the M11- I have had the Voigt 21 1.4 in the past and just found the size to much to deal with-
RustyRus wrote:
I went ahead and ordered this lens-
Headed to Kentucky for bourbon tasting and this seems to fit the bill nicely for indoor/outside shots on the M11- I have had the Voigt 21 1.4 in the past and just found the size to much to deal with-
This one looks perfect in that regard.
Eager to see your pics if you don't mind sharing! I'm curious about this lens.
I'm not sure if it's been mentioned somewhere here, but there was a Thypoch Ksana 35/2 on display at CP+ 2026 at Shoten Kobo booth, next to Ksana 21/3.5. Apparently that 35/2 is planned for the series next, sometime in 2026.
I couldn't try it on my A7CII though as I had left my mount adapter home and there was a DZO guy talking about the lenses to me but he said that they also didn't have an adapter on hand and they were planning to bring adapters the next day.
Juha Kannisto wrote:
I'm not sure if it's been mentioned somewhere here, but there was a Thypoch Ksana 35/2 on display at CP+ 2026 at Shoten Kobo booth, next to Ksana 21/3.5. Apparently that 35/2 is planned for the series next, sometime in 2026.
I couldn't try it on my A7CII though as I had left my mount adapter home and there was a DZO guy talking about the lenses to me but he said that they also didn't have an adapter on hand and they were planning to bring adapters the next day.
I was not aware of a Ksana 35mm F2, looks damn interesting to me.
I find the concept of that line to my taste, what I wished the Eureka would have been, just the 21mm focal length is really not my thing.
And you’d fall into the group of shooters Thypoch is betting on that I mentioned.
