Light Lens Lab - 35mm f1.4 Aspherical now in production

[WoodallP]

That's cool. For the record I really like my LLL 8ele collapsible, but something a stop faster would be appreciated. It's a fantastic lens and I think they improved the optics of the collapsible version over the original rigid copy and the original. There seems to be less coma and glow. It still retains the character of the original though.

One note about the 35/2 collapsible is that due to the size they had to use a sloped RF cam. So, there might be slight discrepancies in RF coupling depending on the body used. In my experience it works well with 4 out of my 5 bodies. The 5th does not work as well - it's usable but the RF is visibly off, just a something to note if such things annoy you.

Out of interest, what are the bodies? Is there any pattern? Does that one camera have different positioning for the index mark when the same lens (any lens) is screwed on. I would like an 8E (indeed the 40mm Voightlander too) but sloped cams scare me a bit.

 

[TenEleven]

Well it's only the collapsible version that has the sloped cam. The LTM one modeled after the original has a proper secondary helicoid.
Since they made it a collapsible Elmar type design something had to give. Nikon got around this by making their tiny LTM 35mm lenses not collapsible.

The lens always screws in the same amount for all bodies as far as I can see. I assume that where the rangefinder pick-up roller is exactly was never specified closely for LTM.

The bodies that worked are - (my Friends) IIIc, my II (since sold), a Canon L1, VI-L and P.

The one that didn't was the Canon 7. I found the Canon 7 picky with some other lenses too. I have tried 3 Canon 7 bodies from various people and it seems to be more or less consistent. So I assume Canon did something to the LTM specification there - perhaps to make allowances for their 50/.95 - who knows!

 

[WoodallP]

Well it's only the collapsible version that has the sloped cam. The LTM one modeled after the original has a proper secondary helicoid.
Since they made it a collapsible Elmar type design something had to give. Nikon got around this by making their tiny LTM 35mm lenses not collapsible.

The lens always screws in the same amount for all bodies as far as I can see. I assume that where the rangefinder pick-up roller is exactly was never specified closely for LTM.

The bodies that worked are - (my Friends) IIIc, my II (since sold), a Canon L1, VI-L and P.

The one that didn't was the Canon 7. I found the Canon 7 picky with some other lenses too. I have tried 3 Canon 7 bodies from various people and it seems to be more or less consistent. So I assume Canon did something to the LTM specification there - perhaps to make allowances for their 50/.95 - who knows!

Good point, RF position is as important as mounting. As the owner of (too many) Barnacks and a VI-L I feel a bit more confident now.

 

[TenEleven]

Also size wise - I assume this is going to follow the original 90ies ASPH design with some improvements optically as indicated.
In that case it would be large for an LTM lens, yes. But not absurdly so

 

[Freakscene]

Also size wise - I assume this is going to follow the original 90ies ASPH design with some improvements optically as indicated.
In that case it would be large for an LTM lens, yes. But not absurdly so

The Aspherical is optucally very different to the ASPH. That’s the point. Size wise, they are about the same.

 

[Tears]

Maybe, but without a floating element it will be worse than the FLE.

There is already a Chinese copy of Leica 35/1.4 ASPH, with FLE and even have 0.45m close focus function!
The Thypoch Simera 35/1.4.

 

[Freakscene]

There is already a Chinese copy of Leica 35/1.4 ASPH, with FLE and even have 0.45m close focus function!
The Thypoch Simera 35/1.4.

Yes, and yet it is also much less good than the Leica FLE. I understand that the Aspherical is a rare collector’s item so reproducing it is attractive. I just don’t think that there is much practical reason to do so. None of the copy lenses that I have tried (lots) have been really properly collimated, and a design with two aspherical elements really needs accurate collimation. This lens is mostly for having not for using.