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

[xmas_one]

I would love to get a 50/1.4 Summilux replica. I have a 35/1.4 and a 75/1.4 but I never bought a 50/1.4 Lux.

Canon already made one in LTM, it’s quite good.

Got some good news this morning, my lens has been picked up by DHL and is on its way.

Be patient guys!

Big thanks to Kevin and Mr. Z!

 

[astrobuoy]

P.S: Who cares wether they are Leitz copies - just make your own line-up of Leica "like" lenses with all the classic rendering and focal lengths in the same quality as the Replica. I'm in... Or how about the classic Contax Carl Zeiss Planar in 39mm LTM Mount! Okay, I'm dreaming again.

teddy, if you mean the classic C/Y 50/1.4 Planar, there's another lens maker offering conversions of these to Leica M (not LTM though), with rangefinder cam! Check it out: https://skyllaney.com/2020/04/02/leica-conversions/

I don't have any association with them, except that they've got my Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 right now and it's in the queue for conversion.

 

[raid]

teddy, if you mean the classic C/Y 50/1.4 Planar, there's another lens maker offering conversions of these to Leica M (not LTM though), with rangefinder cam! Check it out: https://skyllaney.com/2020/04/02/leica-conversions/

I don't have any association with them, except that they've got my Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 right now and it's in the queue for conversion.

This conversion is quite costly. I have an original Voigtlaender Nokton that Amedeo modified into S mount. I then use an S-M adapter. I already have a Canon 50/1.4 and a Millenium Nikkor 50/1.4 (S mount).I also have a Pentax-M 50/1.4 in M mount.

This is why I never bought a Summilux 50/1.4.

 

[splitimageview]

teddy, if you mean the classic C/Y 50/1.4 Planar, there's another lens maker offering conversions of these to Leica M (not LTM though), with rangefinder cam! Check it out: https://skyllaney.com/2020/04/02/leica-conversions/

I don't have any association with them, except that they've got my Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 right now and it's in the queue for conversion.

This is the same conversion process that @ferider did with the 50/1.4 SMC-M, outlined elsewhere on rff

 

[Archlich]

I assume someone's been working on a Hologon replica? Is it Mr. Zhou or someone else?

 

[Ed Schwartzreic]

The Millennium Nikkor 50/1.4 plus an S —> LTM mount was my go-to fast 50 for years. I ran a comparison between it and the then-new 50/1.4 Summilux, and they were pretty much equal, although the Leica lens had small edge. It has only been since I got the Leica 50/2 Apo-Aspheric that I started using that lens for my basic 50.

 

[raid]

I assume someone's been working on a Hologon replica? Is it Mr. Zhou or someone else?

I have not heard of such a replica.

 

[teddy]

The Millennium Nikkor 50/1.4 plus an S —> LTM mount was my go-to fast 50 for years. I ran a comparison between it and the then-new 50/1.4 Summilux, and they were pretty much equal, although the Leica lens had small edge. It has only been since I got the Leica 50/2 Apo-Aspheric that I started using that lens for my basic 50.

The thing is, how good is the Canon 50/1.4 or the Nikkor with back lit situations? This is where the real LUX excels.

 

[teddy]

teddy, if you mean the classic C/Y 50/1.4 Planar...

I don't know where my head was, but I mean the Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 5cm f2. 400 pounds, that's very expensive, might as well buy an old Sonnar.

 

[teddy]

I received in the end an email from Kevin in which he gave me an update on my ordered lens, with information on how much to send him as payment via PayPal. Now, I am waiting for Kevin to (eventually) have the lens sent to me via DHL.

Great news. Looking forward to seeing your photos with it when you get it.

 

[jonmanjiro]

The Millennium Nikkor 50/1.4 plus an S —> LTM mount was my go-to fast 50 for years. I ran a comparison between it and the then-new 50/1.4 Summilux, and they were pretty much equal, although the Leica lens had small edge.

Ed, I've just made the connection with your comparison with the Summilux and sample pics taken with the Millennium Nikkor! If I recall correctly, you posted some lovely wedding photos in black & white! That must have been 2007? Those were the first pics from the Millennium Nikkor I ever saw online, and were an inspiration for me to eventually find my own Millennium Nikkor and adapter (which Amedeo ended up making for me using a Nikon SP 2005 lens mount, way back in the days before he started machining his own adapters from scratch). Gosh, has it been 12-13 years already!?

The thing is, how good is the Canon 50/1.4 or the Nikkor with back lit situations? This is where the real LUX excels.

Jose, the Millennium Nikkor 50/1.4 is a modern multicoated reissue of the "Olympic Nikkor" 50/1.4 released in about 1962-3. It has a Planar optical formula instead of the Sonnar optical formula of its older sibling, and it performs extremely well even in back lit situations. Performance at f1.4 is excellent with a flat plane of focus that is sharp right into the corners. One amazing lens!

 

[teddy]

Ed, I've just made the connection with your comparison with the Summilux and sample pics taken with the Millennium Nikkor! If I recall correctly, you posted some lovely wedding photos in black & white! That must have been 2007? Those were the first pics from the Millennium Nikkor I ever saw online, and were an inspiration for me to eventually find my own Millennium Nikkor and adapter (which Amedeo ended up making for me using a Nikon SP 2005 lens mount, way back in the days before he started machining his own adapters from scratch). Gosh, has it been 12-13 years already!?

Jose, the Millennium Nikkor 50/1.4 is a modern multicoated reissue of the "Olympic Nikkor" 50/1.4 released in about 1962-3. It has a Planar optical formula instead of the Sonnar optical formula of its older sibling, and it performs extremely well even in back lit situations. Performance at f1.4 is excellent with a flat plane of focus that is sharp right into the corners. One amazing lens!

Thanks Jon, I will need to do some research. Can the Millenium Nikkor handle halos and bloom contrast as well as the Summilux? I'm not talking about the ASPH version.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Thanks Jon, I will need to do some research. Can the Millenium Nikkor handle halos and bloom contrast as well as the Summilux? I'm not talking about the ASPH version.

I've never used a pre ASPH Summilux 50/1.4 Jose, so tbh I'm not sure. Is the pre ASPH Summilux especially good in that regard? I know Ed is talking about the ASPH version, which I have owned and used, as that's the one he mentions in his original thread linked below. The link to the comparison is also there, but has unfortunately been removed. 14 years is a lot in terms of Internet years I suppose.

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25733

 

[Ed Schwartzreic]

I don’t think the linked article on comparison of the Millennium Nikkor and the Summilux is available any more, sad to say. Thanks for the nice words about it, though.

 

[KEVIN-XU 愛 forever]

I have Summilux 50 1.4 Version 1 & Version 2, LHSA BP Asph 50 1.4, and Millenium Nikkor 50 1.4. I also have the good old Nikkor-S.C 50 1.4 LTM and Canon 50 1.4 LTM. If you guys want to see, I can compare these lenses when I have time.

 

[raid]

That would be awesome, Kevin. It has the potential to either make people here spend big bucks or have them choose less costly options based on your lens comparisons.

However, it is more important that you have the time to oversee the replica lens project.

 

[astrobuoy]

400 pounds, that's very expensive, might as well buy an old Sonnar.

an "old Sonnar" would be a fairly different beast from the 50/1.4 CY Planar. They're different lens designs, different characteristics, different coatings, different handling, different vintages... not really comparable, and so of totally different value.

If you're looking for a Contax Zeiss Sonnar in LTM mount... you can get that today. Brian Sweeney (a member of this forum) offers or used to offer conversions of Sonnar lenses to LTM. There are Amedeo adapters to Leica M, mount and I believe he possibly used to make LTM adapters as well, though I'm sure someone could correct me. Though we're getting off topic here.

 

[raid]

I have several excellent Zeiss lenses for the QBM mount Prominent camera. Amedeo tried in vain to create a custom adapter for my Zeiss Planar 50/1.4. He was unable to get an adapter made that worked. I use this lens with a m 4/3 cameras with a 100mm crop. I also have a Zeiss Planar 85/1.4 and Zeiss Distagon 35mm/1.4.

 

[teddy]

I have Summilux 50 1.4 Version 1 & Version 2, LHSA BP Asph 50 1.4, and Millenium Nikkor 50 1.4. I also have the good old Nikkor-S.C 50 1.4 LTM and Canon 50 1.4 LTM. If you guys want to see, I can compare these lenses when I have time.

I don't have any Summilux or 50/1.4 lenses for Leica. The only one I have is a Fuji 35/1.4 for digital, and an Olympus Zuiko 50/1.4 late serial which is a joy to use - and a Takumar 50/1.4. I have seen on others photos however that the original Summilux suppresses halos and bloom on back lit situations superbly like no other lens can. And a classic design, I would buy that one day unless there are alternatives that do the same.

 

[xmas_one]

Got my lens today. Took a few preliminary shots with the M9M, amazing sharpness in the center wide open and classic “character”.

Here’s a picture of my dog at f4 and 320 iso:



Thanks again to Kevin and Mr. Zhou, I really appreciate it!