Leica 0-series replica

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Interesting; my 1926 Leica needs a bit of something in the accessory shoe/clip to stop the vertical RF wobbling about. I guess it took a while for them to sort out the minor details.

And nice to see the "O" is a good copy apart - I guess - from the lens...

Regards, David

 

[Austerby]

Nice photos but they do rather prove Stephen's point.

...Leica failed to get everything right by giving the 0 series replicas a modern, very sharp multi-coated lens instead of a replica of the original uncoated lens keeping with the spirit of the otherwise very well done replica.
Stephen

 

[SpikeT]

They do support that the lens is "a modern, very sharp multi-coated lens"; whether that has spoiled the camera is a matter of opinion. Obviously I don't believe that it has, because I bought one.

First of all, how realistic would it have been for Leica to replicate the original lens? Could they acquire the glass with the necessary optical characteristic (nothing like modern glass). Do they still have people that could create lenses without the support of modern machinery and computers?

Instead they went the other way and produced a very high quality lens which at current prices is probably something of a bargain.

I'm with FrozeninTime who wrote on the first page of this thread:
"In defense of the 0-replica: the reformulated Anastigmat lens is one of the best 50mm lenses ever produced.
Is amazingly sharp with very smooth bokeh. The MTF curves, as shown in Erwin Puts' Leica Compendium, have it easily ahead of all the Elmars including the last M version and on par if not better than the standard Summicron.
This lens and camera is one of Leica's great undiscovered secrets."

 

[Luddite Frank]

Spike - What wonderful pictures from your O ! 😎


At the risk of speaking heresy, could you try some color film through it ?


Would love to see how that "awful, regrettable" new Anastigmat handles color.... 😀


( Now REALLY kicking myself that I did not get one of these from Ritz eight years ago... :bang::bang::bang: )

Regards,

Luddite Frank

 

[SpikeT]

I could. I will. Have to finish the current roll of XP2 that resides within. What do you reckon would be a good film to use?

 

[SpikeT]

Chinese temple roof by Spike Tennyson, on Flickr

Filaments by Spike Tennyson, on Flickr

Lion and lines by Spike Tennyson, on Flickr

Head by Spike Tennyson, on Flickr

Unusual headpiece by Spike Tennyson, on Flickr

 

[Luddite Frank]

I could. I will. Have to finish the current roll of XP2 that resides within. What do you reckon would be a good film to use?

Some Kodak Portra NC, if you can get your hands on some...

Kodak Gold 100 is also decent,

Or some Fuji 200...


I wonder how Oskar Barnack would feel about the performance of that "awful, coated lens".... 😉

 

[jcrutcher]

Some Kodak Portra NC, if you can get your hands on some...

Kodak Gold 100 is also decent,

Or some Fuji 200...


I wonder how Oskar Barnack would feel about the performance of that "awful, coated lens".... 😉

Sharp photo's with that lens, very nice. Tri-X would be my first choice unless you want to stay with C41. If so i agree on the Portra, Fuji and XP2. Have fun!

 

[SpikeT]

I have Tri-X in it now, will try colour next.

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

I have just acquired an O series replica. I have a Model 1 in my collection of Leicas (all users) as well but, as it has been in the family for over 87 years, I am always terrified I will lose it or drop it. The O series will allow me to put it into honourable retirement, although it is still working perfectly. I assume there must have been two versions of the O series replica, one with a wire frame finder, as shown in the manual and one with a reverse Galilean finder, like my Model 1. I hope the illustration on the dealer's website is correct and this one has the reverse Galilean. I have never liked wire frame finders that much.

 

[oltimer]

I could. I will. Have to finish the current roll of XP2 that resides within. What do you reckon would be a good film to use?

Spike, why change? These pics are coming through on my 24 inch monitor as grain less. This is the 1st time looking at your 400 asa film (XP2) that I can honestly say that. In fact they are better than digital I see sometimes on here.

 

[FrozenInTime]

I hope the illustration on the dealer's website is correct and this one has the reverse Galilean. I have never liked wire frame finders that much.

A key advantage of the second model with the low profile viewfinder is, unlike using a SBOOI on the first version , the case works as designed ... and covers up Oskar 😉

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

I will be using Fomapan 200 in my O Series. I used their 400 a few years ago and was disappointed. A rather old fashioned looking grainy gritty film but I now really like their 200ISO. I am not a huge fan of the chromogenic films like XP2 and BW400CN, I find it a bit over smooth and characterless - too similar to high pixel CMOS digital if you like. Fomapan 200 seems to have the crispness and fine grain of FP4 Plus but is a stop faster. I like high contrast and it certainly is that. It also scans reasonably well on my Plustek 7400, with a bit of trial and error to get inversion correct.

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

I'm not sure the bonnet is long enough for a Rover 16...

David, you forget the Wolseley 6/80 with split screen and the unusual overhead cam engine...

Ought to be talking about Leica replicas but this is much more fun!

Riley Pathfinder anyone? (better known as Ditchfinder with right hand gear change on the floor on a right hand drive car)

My first four wheel car was a 1938 Rover 16 (I had a Morgan Three Wheel Aero SS with Blackburne Tomtit major engine before that). Auntie Rover used at least one pint of oil for every gallon of petrol. It cost me £25 in 1963 and had so little compression, that it would tick over at around 200RPM. You had to remember to turn off the freewheel before you went down a steep hill or you would not have any brakes by the bottom (it did not have much at the top). I sold it six months later for £30 - cheap motoring.

 

[David Hughes]

Ages after the first chat about the car I remembered that in September 1939 to speed up the evacuation of the English on holiday in France etc the last ferries to leave for England refused to take cars and just took passengers. So I guess a lot of English cars ended up being borrowed from Calais etc.

I could say more but it's anecdotal, from my young ladies when I started work in the City and had a lot of linguists around me, German, Dutch, French etc. One or two had parachuted back a little later on...

Regards, David

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

The O series arrived this morning. Opened the box only to be totally disappointed. The camera the dealer has sent me is a type 1 O series replica, with the horrible single lensed wire frame finder, that you have to hold at wobbling arms-length like a cheap point and shoot. The camera shown on the dealer's website was a type 2 with a "proper" reverse Galilean finder, that you can hold up to your eye. It appears to be the only O series currently for sale in the UK. Will I keep it or send it back - dilemma? Probably send it back is the answer.

Wilson