raid
Dad Photographer
OK. Must be your SONY.
ELCAN replica lens posts
- Thread starter scautez
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OK. Must be your SONY.
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
I was close-focusing (about 1 meter) wide open on my M10.
Duofold RF
Well-known
From what I have learned from internet about Hologon 15mm f8, the LLL has manufacture issue for grinding the center piece and ended up in high rate of failure. The center grey filter proved to be difficult to manufacture. Reverse engineer/copy is nothing new in China, almost all of their copy/reverse engineer products are poorly made and unable to compete with the real products. Just look at made in China Montblanc pen, use it make you look like a real loser.
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
I think I recall that Zeiss also had difficulty with that element, and Don Goldberg told me that they ended up cementing two pieces together to make it -- from the 3 or 4 15mm Hologons that had come his way for cleaning. Certainly the 16mm Hologon must have been somewhat easier to make, due to the several split / cemented parts.
And I think that Chinese manufacture is done to a price point. What is good is very good and expensive, and less so down the line. Certainly the LLL 8-element is high quality, and the ELCAN replica seems to be also. I have not seen Chinese Montblanc pens, but my Meisterstück, bought in 1965, always had problems -- clogging, leaking. It had to be repaired several times. I still have it, but since I am no longer in practice and having to write patient notes multipole times per day (which are now on Epic EHR around here), it is retired. High-end Chinese guitars are supposed to be excellent also, but not my hobby.
And I think that Chinese manufacture is done to a price point. What is good is very good and expensive, and less so down the line. Certainly the LLL 8-element is high quality, and the ELCAN replica seems to be also. I have not seen Chinese Montblanc pens, but my Meisterstück, bought in 1965, always had problems -- clogging, leaking. It had to be repaired several times. I still have it, but since I am no longer in practice and having to write patient notes multipole times per day (which are now on Epic EHR around here), it is retired. High-end Chinese guitars are supposed to be excellent also, but not my hobby.
Duofold RF
Well-known
Hi Doc
You can ask Kevin to send you a copy of Montblanc replica to try, and you can write user report for LHSA
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
Actually, Bill Rosauer, the LHSA’s Viewfinder Editor, wrote an article awhile ago on the Montblanc PIX, because Barnack had a role in its development.
So I guess he beat me to it.🙂
So I guess he beat me to it.🙂
Archlich
Well-known
There're plenty of Chinese fountain pen makers today that make (as always, relatively good) pens that resembles the Meisterstück or, because the shape has became so ubiquitous, Sailor pens. Plenty of Duofolds out there too. I remember certain iterations of the Conklin Duragraph being made in China.
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
Back to the ELCAN 50/2 replica prototype, here is an image I made today at f/2. It is cropped, but still shows Howell the lens does with a portrait.
L1002558-Edit by woodswoman57, on Flickr
L1002558-Edit by woodswoman57, on Flickr
raid
Dad Photographer
What a beautiful dog! The lens is a very good lens.
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
Not much action on this thread, unfortunately. Here is a shot I made yesterday. The pumpkin was in a cut-out for a window in the construction, and the shot, at f/2 with the ELCAN replica, was focused on the pumpkin and the cutout. One can see through to the open other side of the construction. Fun.
Monoichrom image, colorized in PS21.
L1002566-Edit copy by woodswoman57, on Flickr
Monoichrom image, colorized in PS21.
L1002566-Edit copy by woodswoman57, on Flickr
raid
Dad Photographer
The image looks abstract to me, with a strong geometrical element, Ed. I like it.
f.hayek
Well-known
raid
Dad Photographer
Junk? Replica Junk?
kram
Well-known
I salute LLL for producing M mount lens. But cashing in on the 'its a Leica' replica is a great marketing ploy. Chinese made 4 element 50mm based on a 70s Leica optical formula ($1300), just don't have the same pull.
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
I'll bite on this. First off, here is my own genuine Montblanc Meisterstück No. 149, given to me by my parents on my graduation from medical school. I used this pen daily for over 40 years writing patient notes and prescriptions. Enough of the snide references.
IMG_0696 copy by woodswoman57, on Flickr
LLL has not, at least in the draft of an insert to go along with this lens, referenced the ELCAN 50/2 at all. They call it a Ultrastigmat design lens, which is technically correct . There is no "ELCAN" written on the prototype, and I would not expect this on the finished product either They label the lens M E 50mm f/2. They do of course say that it is in M-mount, which it is.
The hype about this lens has come from me mostly, regardless of what you are reading on line elsewhere. It is a truly excellent lens, and I would pay the apparent proposed price for it in a heartbeat.
IMG_0696 copy by woodswoman57, on FlickrLLL has not, at least in the draft of an insert to go along with this lens, referenced the ELCAN 50/2 at all. They call it a Ultrastigmat design lens, which is technically correct . There is no "ELCAN" written on the prototype, and I would not expect this on the finished product either They label the lens M E 50mm f/2. They do of course say that it is in M-mount, which it is.
The hype about this lens has come from me mostly, regardless of what you are reading on line elsewhere. It is a truly excellent lens, and I would pay the apparent proposed price for it in a heartbeat.
Duofold RF
Well-known
HI Doc
Your pen is a nice one, the wear out nib tells many stories. As to LLL, I guess the initial motivation was faithfully duplicate a lens that the Leica enthusiasts can use it, because Reid has snatched most of the genuine one from the market and kept in his collection. However, when Mr. Zhou saw the dollar sign everything has been changed. Even in the domestic market, Mr. Zhou was bashed by some users for his practice. No doubt, the LHSA article has been used for His marketing purpose. Like most of Parker duo fold replica or Montblanc wannabbe made in China, the so called LLL replica is not a true replica by stricly replica definition. I hope Leica will not sure Mr. Zhou for using "Leicia replica" in his product promotion,
Here is a photo of Chinese made Doufold wannabe, If you want a copy to write a review for LHSA let me know I can send you this copy.
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
What I was attempting to say is that high-quality products, like my Montblanc, hold their performance, but products like LLL's 8-element replica, and this new ELCAN replica do also. Quality is quality. I was able to compare performance with the 8-element replica and the original, and saw little difference. The build quality was also excellent. We had a thread here of over 100 pages on that. The 8-element was a close copy. I was told that LLL's lawyers ascertained that the Leitz patent had expired. I assume it is also the case with this ELCAN, which also is only a close copy. Someone will likely do a side-by-side with an original ELCAN. I have seen enough images with the original, and now my copy, to feel that they are very similar.
Mr. Zhou is entitled to run his business however he wants. You may or may not like this, and may or may not want his products. The market will determine how well Mr. Zhou performs. However, writing for LHSA's Viewfinder about these lenses is no different than what my dear friend Tom Abrahamsson did for many years for the Cosina lenses. It is no different than Jono Slack being given beta versions off upcoming Leica glass to test and write about. It is information for users, and, in the case of replicas, for historians like myself. Of course it is advertising also. Leica users are a small and privileged group and become excited about new products. I know I do. They want reviews and images.
And, as for images, here is full frame wide open on the Monochrom yesterday when freezing fog had coated tree branches. Usually I would not use the ELCAN replica for this sort of image, saving it for portraits (in the most general sense). I really like this lens.
L1002578-Edit by woodswoman57, on Flickr
Mr. Zhou is entitled to run his business however he wants. You may or may not like this, and may or may not want his products. The market will determine how well Mr. Zhou performs. However, writing for LHSA's Viewfinder about these lenses is no different than what my dear friend Tom Abrahamsson did for many years for the Cosina lenses. It is no different than Jono Slack being given beta versions off upcoming Leica glass to test and write about. It is information for users, and, in the case of replicas, for historians like myself. Of course it is advertising also. Leica users are a small and privileged group and become excited about new products. I know I do. They want reviews and images.
And, as for images, here is full frame wide open on the Monochrom yesterday when freezing fog had coated tree branches. Usually I would not use the ELCAN replica for this sort of image, saving it for portraits (in the most general sense). I really like this lens.
L1002578-Edit by woodswoman57, on Flickrcboy
Well-known
Thankyou for the insightful article @Ed Schwartzreic.. Seems to be well suited as a compact 50 for fast focusing for street with the handling of a 35.I wonder why Leica never made a reissue themselves or made modern take to the design like the Elmar M. Light and nimble is part of Leica's ethos and the Elcan certainly fits .
Cosmetically however im not so inclined with branding the obvious 'CHINA' which seems to be distracting and off putting. The chinese characters on the side give it a beautiful touch however, which i much prefer to be subtle. Disappointing that the CHINA brand is engraved since i would of loved to remove all lettering at the front to make it a purely discreet steet shooter as it seems to be geared toward.
Cosmetically however im not so inclined with branding the obvious 'CHINA' which seems to be distracting and off putting. The chinese characters on the side give it a beautiful touch however, which i much prefer to be subtle. Disappointing that the CHINA brand is engraved since i would of loved to remove all lettering at the front to make it a purely discreet steet shooter as it seems to be geared toward.
Ed Schwartzreic
Well-known
It looks like the ring with lettering on it would be easily removable with a spanner wrench. One would likely need a blank ring to replace this, though. Probably not a big deal. On the 8-element we had our choice of lettering.
Duofold RF
Well-known
The solution is simple use a sharpie to black out these letters you do not want to show
