List of relatively new M-mount options?

[Benjamin Marks]

Seems to me like we are living through an explosion of M-mount lens choices, far more than I will ever be able to try out for myself.

Do we have a list, or a sticky, of all the new brands that seem to be popping up like mushrooms these days? Used to be that C/V had the best line of M-mount (and L-mount) lenses, complimentary to Leica's own, and Zeiss had comparable lenses to Leica at similar speeds and lower cost. But Leica's stratospheric prices have left a lot of room for competitors. TTArtisan is in there, as is 7Artisans, Venus, Kipon, Myer-Optik. . . the mind reels. I am sure there are others I have never even heard of. Any theories on this sprouting of mushrooms?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Common, it is not just about new mushrooms. FSU lenses been adoptable with one glass of old fashion vodka, to figure it out.

 

[jarski]

Any theories on this sprouting of mushrooms?

Been wondering the same. New manufacturing techniques permit smaller operators than before?

 

[rfaspen]

Mushrooms aside, I asked something similar a while back. No response, but I started a little list for myself, just because it's interesting to have this diversity of M lenses..... I suppose kind of like the LTM days long ago?

 

[peterm1]

A couple of years back I started the thread below in response to a flood of new mainly fast lenses (for Leica M and mirrorless) coming out of China and for the most part, at very reasonable prices.

Maybe could use that as a starting point as the thread has been moribund for some time and there has been a lot of action in the past couple of years. And it covers something of the same ground.

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163036

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Any theories on this sprouting of mushrooms?

My theory - M mount is being used as a ‘universal’ mount by third party (non-camera) manufacturers targeting the mirrorless adaption market. The flange distance works, they’re designed for manual focus, there’s no complicated and unnecessary aperture-closure mechanism or electrical interface...

I’d hazard a guess and say most of the new lenses will never be mounted on a native M body, and the manufacturers know this.

 

[retinax]

My theory - M mount is being used as a ‘universal’ mount by third party (non-camera) manufacturers targeting the mirrorless adaption market. The flange distance works, they’re designed for manual focus, there’s no complicated and unnecessary aperture-closure mechanism or electrical interface...

I’d hazard a guess and say most of the new lenses will never be mounted on a native M body, and the manufacturers know this.

Exactly my thoughts.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Any thoughts (or better, direct experience) on image quality from these newcomers?

 

[David Murphy]

Yes this is all true and it's wonderful. I do wish some firm would produce a modestly priced reasonably quality M mount film body again, although I'm certainly glad Leica is making the M-A.

 

[Bob Michaels]

1) recent developments in computerized automation enable much smaller production runs to be economical than ever before. One production machine can be used to make a variety of different mechanical components at precision tolerances in small quantities on a limited run basis. This has opened the door to new small lens production companies.

2) there are no major technical breakthroughs in optical technology. It is a mature technology. No company has a significant technological advantage.

3) M mount is popular because adaptability was part of it's original design parameters. The flange length was designed so it could be easily adapted to LTM cameras. So now it can be easily adapted to other mounting systems. It is unique in this regard.

 

[zuiko85]

A ‘universal’ mount should be LTM. And a universal RF body should be M mount.
LTM will fit all Leica thread mount and M mount bodies with adapters.
M mount bodies will accept both LTM and M mount.
And of course LTM will fit almost all mirrorless with adapters.