[New test photos released] Leica Summicron 35/2 Eight Element copy made in China

Emile de Leon said:
Deardorff,
Thing is..I luv this lens..
Like getting a brand new Leica 8 element.
But jeeze..sure it cost me $630..but I paid more in time and emotional ups and downs..that I would have liked to.
Just hope it never needs repairs.
I wouldn't want to go thru that again..
Click to expand...

Emile, I like mine very much too, & it pretty much lives on my M4. If it ever needs repairs, i'll definitely be looking to one of the skilled independents here in N America.
 
Ed Schwartzreic said:
Just a brief note to say that I just heard from Kevin. He is OK. He had been side-tracked by a second COVID lockdown when visiting with his family.
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I think this is what happend, Covid came and disrupted everything. I expected this project to carry for more than 2 years - but I received my lens much sooner. I am quite reserved when it comes to project completion ETA.

Emile De Leon said: "Just hope it never needs repairs.
I wouldn't want to go thru that again."...

If your lens gets dust or haze or fungus - you can take it to your closest lens repairer. DAG in the USA I would believe - or any independet repairer that knows Leica or Voigtlander.

I do my own repairs - only because I have essential basic tools, and also because I have a friend who used to work for Leica, Hasselblad and Zeiss in his younger years to help me with guidance. Leica lenses where made to be serviced - and it all comes down to the mount manufacturing. Superb. I believe it would be the same for this Summicron Replica.
 
I am certain that COVID disrupted the orderly production of the lenses and also Kevin's ability to intersect with us. He was detained by months-long lockdowns twice. It was difficult for the workers making the lenses to get back to their jobs, and so on.

Nonetheless, there WERE issues of quality control which may have transcended the epidemic. And Kevin also had other obligations. We will have to see what happens on their next projects.
 
Interesting! You would think a 50mm would make more sense as collapsible given the low profile of the 35mm anyway. Could it be a completely new lens perhaps?
 
scautez said:
Interesting! You would think a 50mm would make more sense as collapsible given the low profile of the 35mm anyway. Could it be a completely new lens perhaps?
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Absolutely agree with you. a collapsible 50 makes more sense.
 
rscheffler said:
I find it interesting the guy in Toronto is selling the LLL 35 replica for CAD 1700... I think after shipping and exchange I paid less than half that through Kevin. 1700 I'd consider for an original. Maybe. 🙂
Click to expand...

RS If you take a glance on Ebay, you'll find the 8 element replica offered by a number of sellers in Hong Kong/Taiwan/Shanghai all around $1300 USD .....to as much as $2k for a titanium version. So yes, the RFF offer through Kevin were a deal.
 
As Ed suggested, perhaps we need a new thread, unless the Elcan story turns out to be like the movie "Groundhog Day." Perhaps the moderators could split the conversation off for the Elcan?
 
4100
f.hayek said:
Looks like you can now buy the 8-element replica by the dozen. Even titanium.

Direct from the Photorumors website online shop.
Click to expand...

oh; black paint is $100 higher than the Chrome one.
but to be hornest, $1400 for a BP replica is a no-buy for me
luckily we had Kevin here as middle man for us in RFF.
 
raid said:
I would never pay such a sum for a replica lens.
Click to expand...

That's a tidy profit margin for LLL. Doubtful their cost exceed US$200-250 a unit; probably closer to half that as they've scaled up production. Can't begrudge them, though. It was quite the project sourcing glass that would approximate the original and then reverse-engineering the other bits and pieces.
 
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