MyFunLeader Contax G 35mm F/2 to Leica M Conversion

I bought a G1 with the lenses 28-45-90 only. I did not feel the need to also get the 35 lens then. It is most likely a very nice lens.
 
I did a bit of digging and "Mr. Ding" is their master craftsman, maybe having been part of MGR Production. They are also behind the Bresson Viewfinder magnifier, which I happen to have on my M-P and love:

PISMwdL.jpg
 
True! I actually contacted JapanExposures asking about conversions and Dirk replied saying they have stopped doing conversions for now. From the pictures on their website, their conversions looked really beautiful:

http://www.japanexposures.com/lens/

Sorry I wasn't more clear: I used the G lenses on my A7R3 with this cheap ULATA adapter:

zmTlzGV.jpg

Hi! Question on the ULATA adapter. When mounted, does the F-Stop ring align correctly? When mounted normally on the G2, the mounting action causes the alignment (shift) to occur.
 
Hi! Question on the ULATA adapter. When mounted, does the F-Stop ring align correctly? When mounted normally on the G2, the mounting action causes the alignment (shift) to occur.

Yes! I know what you mean about the G lens mounting mechanism being a little strange in the sense that the top marking with the center line stays put while the whole lens rotates around it (not sure if i'm explaining it right), but yes, once mounted, the lens realigns the aperture markings and everything works as expected. All of them work perfectly fine. I know it looks a bit strange but I do like that big lip popping out since it allows me to manually focus.

I also have the G Techart adapter with autofocus, works wonders as well.
 
A batch of "unused" optical blocks of the Contax G 35/2 surfaced in China last year. A Leica user group contracted a lens conversion studio to fashion a batch of matching brass barrels and sold the finished lens via Wechat for around $1000. Whether these optical blocks, some 200 of them, had actually "sat in a German warehouse for 30 years" is beyond me, but the lens barrel looks exactly the same as the FUNLEADER ones:

71hDtg.jpg


Note the beauty ring. I gather that they are selling the barrels alone under a trademark now, so no more Carl Zeiss. No idea about the FUNLEADER name - doesn't make sense in Mandarin IMO either.

The same studio had made similar reversible conversion kit for the Summarit 40/2.4 of the Leica Minilux and Sonnar 35/2.8 of the Contax T3 before. All marked "Mr. Ding". Looks like they're making one for the G 45/2 now: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3187019184740676&id=1339800116129268
 
The G system and Contax SLR kit were Kyocera products so I doubt they were anywhere near Germany for the past 30 years. Kyocera serviced the components, not Zeiss Germany and stopped doing so about 6 or 7 years ago, so a good guess is that they sat mouldering in a Kyoto warehouse all that time.

"Mr Ding" is a badass name. No one messes with Mr Ding.
 
The G system and Contax SLR kit were Kyocera products so I doubt they were anywhere near Germany for the past 30 years. Kyocera serviced the components, not Zeiss Germany and stopped doing so about 6 or 7 years ago, so a good guess is that they sat mouldering in a Kyoto warehouse all that time.

"Mr Ding" is a badass name.

I have little doubt that a batch of G 45/2 optical blocks that's been sealed away in another warehouse for decades will surface soon.

Anyway the finished lenses are intended for a teeny-tiny crop of Chinese hobbyists. They haven't been complaining much, so win-win I guess. The rest of world will get the barrels.
 
Thanks for all that cool info there, the helicoids look indeed very similar. Interesting enough there's no "funleader" engraved anywhere, just "MR. DING" on the mount, which I personally find really cool. Totally there with you James!

Mr. Ding, if you read this, we think you're badass 🙂

And the front beauty ring still says Contax:

JeKY02t.jpg


Check out how similar G35 and G45 are:

uWKdRoR.jpg
 
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I have little doubt that a batch of G 45/2 optical blocks that's been sealed away in another warehouse for decades will surface soon.

Anyway the finished lenses are intended for a teeny-tiny crop of Chinese hobbyists. They haven't been complaining much, so win-win I guess. The rest of world will get the barrels.

What do you mean? They are selling the converted lenses as well, I got a black paint one. Sorry if I misunderstood :/
 
What do you mean? They are selling the converted lenses as well, I got a black paint one. Sorry if I misunderstood :/

I read on Blacklens, the conversion studio's Facebook page that the G 45/2 barrels are being made in collaboration with LAC, the user group that contracted the G 35/2 barrels and sold the finished lenses through Wechat. So I assume there will soon be some finished LAC G 45/2 for sale in China too, albeit with the same "original optic blocks sealed in a warehouse" story. It will be a giant coincidence if they'd be able to manage that for a second time.

The water is rather muddy so I care not to make judgements. But it seems that converted lenses sold by Blacklens do not come with that story.

Bottom line is I do like the barrels, especially in the retail FUNLEADER iteration. They are much better made than Miyazaki ones, handle better too and the conversion is reversible. Some good staff for everyone.
 
I read on Blacklens, the conversion studio's Facebook page that the G 45/2 barrels are being made in collaboration with LAC, the user group that contracted the G 35/2 barrels and sold the finished lenses through Wechat. So I assume there will soon be some finished LAC G 45/2 for sale in China too, albeit with the same "original optic blocks sealed in a warehouse" story. It will be a giant coincidence if they'd be able to manage that for a second time.

The water is rather muddy so I care not to make judgements. But it seems that converted lenses sold by Blacklens do not come with that story.

Bottom line is I do like the barrels, especially in the retail FUNLEADER iteration. They are much better made than Miyazaki ones, handle better too and the conversion is reversible. Some good staff for everyone.

Thanks so much for sharing this info with us. And I totally agree with you that these are muddled waters, I certainly do not want to upset anyone or give wrong credit. I personally find amazing lens revivals like the FUNLEADER one to be so cool and maybe they'll be high priced gems in the future.

Please do share with us here if you happen to find out more of this mysterious Contax G conversion market 🙂
 
Sorry it might have been on here but how does one buy this conversion? I NEED TO HAVE THIS. who’s mr ding and where do I send the money?

Edit: never mind! Saw the link and ordered. $509 shipped to CA. Happy birthday and merry Xmas to myself.

I hope they make one for the 45 and 28 as well.
 
Right on Agiknee! Happy birthday, what a damn cool self-gift you've given yourself 🙂

Which one did you end up getting?

And good news, the G45 is on it's way! And same here, I would LOVE a G28 conversion, that thing is razor sharp wide open, even at the shortest focusing distances.
 
Right on Agiknee! Happy birthday, what a damn cool self-gift you've given yourself 🙂

Which one did you end up getting?

And good news, the G45 is on it's way! And same here, I would LOVE a G28 conversion, that thing is razor sharp wide open, even at the shortest focusing distances.

I ended up getting the 35 in black. Gonna do the conversion myself as I already have the lens. The g35 was my go to for 10years and shot a majority if my hitters with it. I’ve since gone to the Leica system as my g body was slowly fading.

I can’t wait for the 45 conversion. I happen to have two copies if that lens and two copies if the 28 as well.

The G series lenses are seriously something else.
 
I ended up getting the 35 in black. Gonna do the conversion myself as I already have the lens. The g35 was my go to for 10years and shot a majority if my hitters with it. I’ve since gone to the Leica system as my g body was slowly fading.

I can’t wait for the 45 conversion. I happen to have two copies if that lens and two copies if the 28 as well.

The G series lenses are seriously something else.

Makes me so happy to hear this. I would love it if you'd be willing to share a few of your favourite G35 shots here, I want to debunk that internet myth that G35 is not as good as G45, they are both stunning.

I wish I had a Cron to compare it to ...
 
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