The Mandler 35mm f2

[Godfrey]

I'll stick with my original, 1972-issue Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 lens that Walter Mandler designed. It's one of my favorite lenses.
DAG cleaned, lubricated, collimated, and coded it for six bit sensors a decade ago. It's tiny, takes excellent photos, etc.

Siding - Santa Clara 2023
Leica M10 Monochrom + Summilux 35mm f/1.4 V2
ISO 160 @ f/4.8 @ 1/1000​

G

 

[Out to Lunch]

After their recent opening of a dedicated online store, Mandler Lens Official Shop they sold out their entire stock within hours.

 

[Godfrey]

After their recent opening of a dedicated online store, Mandler Lens Official Shop they sold out their entire stock within hours.

Good for them! 😀 And likely good for the rest of us too ... More new successful equipment vendors is not a bad thing.

G

 

[skahde]

Rumors have it they may restock quickly after the chinese new-year holidays are over.

 

[skahde]

I'll stick with my original, 1972-issue Leica Summilux 35mm f/1.4 lens that Walter Mandler designed. It's one of my favorite lenses.
DAG cleaned, lubricated, collimated, and coded it for six bit sensors a decade ago. It's tiny, takes excellent photos, etc.

It is a little bit ironic the Summilux is selling for about the price of a Summicron V4 these days. I have even been tempted to buy a Lux because it suddenly looks like a bargain in comparison, considering the long term opinion about the Lux that it matches the Summicron's prformance and character and just offers one glowy stop more. We should keep it a secret... it is just an old dog loaded with abberations and without proper filter-threads anyway (cough, cough).

 

[Godfrey]

It is a little bit ironic the Summilux is selling for about the price of a Summicron V4 these days. I have even been tempted to buy a Lux because it suddenly looks like a bargain in comparison, considering the long term opinion about the Lux that it matches the Summicron's prformance and character and just offers one glowy stop more. We should keep it a secret... it is just an old dog loaded with abberations and without proper filter-threads anyway (cough, cough).

LOL! Filter threads unnecessary if you use the right lens hood... 😉

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Get the new “Mandler” and give the remaining $4000 to you local food bank charity! 😁

 

[Godfrey]

Get the new “Mandler” and give the remaining $4000 to you local food bank charity! 😁

What remaining $4000? I paid $900 for my lens, and $250 to have it serviced.

G

 

[Archiver]

I have to say that the lens visually looks very attractive, which is a testament to the original Leica designers who created the Summicron 35 v4.

 

[Ljós]

I have to say I'm intrigued because of the LTM-option. I'm priced out of having a Leica M2 again (and ideally I'd want two bodies, like I used to 10 years ago), using Canon L2 and L3 at the moment. I really love these small Canon rangefinders, I don't find myself pining for a M2 body as much (if at all) as if I only had the choice of Canon 7 (or P.) But an affordable 35mm f2 in LTM is tempting. I like the focus down to 0.7m, too. Apparently the Canon L2 etc. can focus a smidgen closer than 1m, and I'll take any centimeter of closer focus I can get.

Edit: And I sure would love if someone made a contemporary, fairly priced equivalent of the Summaron 35 2.8 in LTM.

 

[das]

I would support any manufacturer from any country making rangefinder lenses, as long as they are of adequate quality and performance. The Mandler lens looks nice, and I hope that it works out for the company and the users.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I have never understood the hype around the V4 Summicron. I used one for years before it was stolen and never thought to replace it. It has the typical focus shift of all of the pre-ASPH 35mm Summicrons, "king of bokeh" is a pretty ridiculous moniker for it, and it is insanely overpriced today. Instead of replacing the stolen V4, I opted for a NIB 35mm f/2 UC Konica Hexanon, which has similar ergonomics, size, performance (even with its own focus shift), and was about half the price of a used V4 at the time -- and I have never looked back. Today, there are so many 35mm rangefinder lenses that outperform the V4 and still have "character" or whatever.

 

[Godfrey]

I would support any manufacturer from any country making rangefinder lenses, as long as they are of adequate quality and performance. The Mandler lens looks nice, and I hope that it works out for the company and the users.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I have never understood the hype around the V4 Summicron. I used one for years before it was stolen and never thought to replace it. It has the typical focus shift of all of the pre-ASPH 35mm Summicrons, "king of bokeh" is a pretty ridiculous moniker for it, and it is insanely overpriced today. Instead of replacing the stolen V4, I opted for a NIB 35mm f/2 UC Konica Hexanon, which has similar ergonomics, size, performance (even with its own focus shift), and was about half the price of a used V4 at the time -- and I have never looked back. Today, there are so many 35mm rangefinder lenses that outperform the V4 and still have "character" or whatever.

Personally, I'm completely insensitive to the "hype" .. I never listen to it, don't know the models well enough to know what's a v4 vs a v2 or whatever, and really don't listen to other people's opinions in reviews very much other than for entertainment ... 😉

I buy a lens based on what its condition appears to be, to my eye, along with whether I can afford to pay cash for it at the moment I'm buying. I keep it based on how it performs for my use. If I find I don't like it much, I trade or sell it for something else. That's about it for my lens acquisition strategy... LOL!

G

 

[steveyork]

I would support any manufacturer from any country making rangefinder lenses, as long as they are of adequate quality and performance. The Mandler lens looks nice, and I hope that it works out for the company and the users.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I have never understood the hype around the V4 Summicron. I used one for years before it was stolen and never thought to replace it. It has the typical focus shift of all of the pre-ASPH 35mm Summicrons, "king of bokeh" is a pretty ridiculous moniker for it, and it is insanely overpriced today. Instead of replacing the stolen V4, I opted for a NIB 35mm f/2 UC Konica Hexanon, which has similar ergonomics, size, performance (even with its own focus shift), and was about half the price of a used V4 at the time -- and I have never looked back. Today, there are so many 35mm rangefinder lenses that outperform the V4 and still have "character" or whatever.

Yeah, I've owned two of the 4th 35/2 over the decades, and always thought they were a bit overrated. Think if I shot color film maybe I would have a higher onion of it. Of all the Summicrons I like the 8 element and the 3rd the best; much better made too, Similarly, twice I've owned the pre-asph Summilux, and twice I've sold them. The Nokton knockoff is far more predicable w/ better sharpness and contrast wide-open. Owned the pre-fle twice too, but prefer smaller lenses. If it wasn't for internet hype, I would've been one and done with those three 35's. Kept thinking, I must be missing something, but nope, not for me, I prefer others.

 

[valdas]

I remember years ago I bought V4 and paid 900$. Some people said it was crazy price (it was chrome, made in Germany version). It was OK, but nothing special. When prices skyrocketed I sold it. For a fraction of funds I bought LLL 8 elements replica (one of those initial batches that were advertised on RFF and sold for 500$). I like it.

 

[steveyork]

I remember years ago I bought V4 and paid 900$. Some people said it was crazy price (it was chrome, made in Germany version). It was OK, but nothing special. When prices skyrocketed I sold it. For a fraction of funds I bought LLL 8 elements replica (one of those initial batches that were advertised on RFF and sold for 500$). I like it.

When the asph summicron first came out, circa '98, think I paid $900 for leftover, new, silver, made in Germany, 4th 35/2. Ha, ha, wish I kept it; it would've appreciated a lot.

 

[boojum]

That Mandler 35 is so tempting. I have a box of M-mount lenses that were all so tempting. I am torn.

 

[Out to Lunch]

This afternoon Mandler replied to my email query within an hour: "As it is currently the Chinese New Year holiday, our factory is closed. We will do our best to replenish stock in the coming days, but we expect that a stable supply will not be available until March".

 

[boojum]

I got the exact same response. It's a bot answering. Year of the Horse. A good time to go out and feast on Chinese food and hand out those hung bao/lie cee (red envelopes).

 

[Godfrey]

That Mandler 35 is so tempting. I have a box of M-mount lenses that were all so tempting. I am torn.

Don't be torn. Just go take pictures.

G

 

[Archiver]

That Mandler 35 is so tempting. I have a box of M-mount lenses that were all so tempting. I am torn.

I second @Godfrey , just go take some pictures. A box full of lenses that were tempting before purchase means you have enough to find something 'new' in the box if you've used others for a while. After some years of almost solely the Distagon 35, I branched back into the Elmarit 28, Summicron 50 and even the soft and glowy Nokton 35s. Everything has its place.

Apart from that, I've never shot an original Summicron v4 before, so I'm still curious about the Mandler. YMMV.