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

[sreed2006]

Received 434/500 today. It's engraved name is "Traveler." I hope this COVID-19 lockdown ends soon so I can make good on that name.

Here's some phone camera pictures of the lens, alongside an early Summaron 35/3.5 for comparison (the M mount Summaron that does not need goggles, and had to be modified to bring up 35mm frame lines on the M2).

Light Lens Lab black paint on M2, Summaron on M3
IMG_4512
by sreed2006, on Flickr

Light Lens Lab 35/2 showing "V1LC Made in China".
IMG_4514
by sreed2006, on Flickr

Out of focus picture showing that the red dot clears the M3's lens release guard.
IMG_4516
by sreed2006, on Flickr

The caps that came with the Light Lens Lab 35/2. Or, "Light Lens La". 🙂
IMG_4520
by sreed2006, on Flickr

 

[kiemchacsu]

I am currently dealing with the customs, just paid the taxes, should have the lens released tomorrow. I know my weekend plans, therefore 🙂

Me too. Finalized the bill with customs today. Probably I will get the lens tomorrow or so.

 

[sreed2006]

Light Lens Lab 8-element 35/2 Summicron replica, at f/11 or f/16. Leica M2. All photographs taken today on Arista Premium 400 (Kodak TX-400) that reached its expiration date in 2014, developed in Tetenal Blu for 20 minutes at 20 C.

Obligatory cat picture (Cindy):

2020-09-07-0004 by sreed2006, on Flickr

Skate park at Evelyn Avenue and Roland Street in Memphis, TN:

2020-09-07-0026 by sreed2006, on Flickr


2020-09-07-0011 by sreed2006, on Flickr


2020-09-07-0021 by sreed2006, on Flickr


2020-09-07-0017 by sreed2006, on Flickr

 

[f.hayek]

Received 434/500 today. It's engraved name is "Traveler." I hope this COVID-19 lockdown ends soon so I can make good on that name.

Here's some phone camera pictures of the lens, alongside an early Summaron 35/3.5 for comparison (the M mount Summaron that does not need goggles, and had to be modified to bring up 35mm frame lines on the M2).

Light Lens Lab black paint on M2, Summaron on M3
IMG_4512
by sreed2006, on Flickr

Light Lens Lab 35/2 showing "V1LC Made in China".
IMG_4514
by sreed2006, on Flickr

Out of focus picture showing that the red dot clears the M3's lens release guard.
IMG_4516
by sreed2006, on Flickr

The caps that came with the Light Lens Lab 35/2. Or, "Light Lens La". 🙂
IMG_4520
by sreed2006, on Flickr

Did the real one have issues on some M2s?

 

[sreed2006]

Did the real one have issues on some M2s?

The M mount Summaron 35/3.5 that I have was made in 1954 (Serial #11786xx). It was created for the M3; the M2 was not introduced until 1957. Unmodified, when mounted to an M camera, the lens brings up the 50mm frame lines.

The modification is to file off just enough of the edge that pushes the lever in the camera that changes frame lines so that, when the lens is mounted, the 35mm frame lines show up on the M cameras that have the 35mm frame lines. After modification, the lens still brings up the 50mm frame lines on the M3, so no functionality is lost.

Only a little bit of metal has to be filed off to make the modification. SimonSawSunlight had a discussion about it here on RFF 9 years ago. (That's when I got the courage to modify the lens.) https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106553&highlight=summaron

 

[ashwinrao1]

Got mine. < # 127 (with engraving 500127).... I have shot a few test images. I am very happy. First pics of the lens itself.

 

[ashwinrao1]

Got mine. # 127 (with engraving 500127).... Now pics of my lens (black paint)

 

[kiemchacsu]

Got mine. < # 127 (with engraving 500127).... I have shot a few test images. I am very happy. First pics of the lens itself.

Very impressive sample photos.

The lens renders black and white beautifully.

P.S How much did you have to pay for the Customs clearance?

 

[lemalk]

Not vaporware; it’s a real lens. Got mine today and took it out for a shoot with my 6-month old daughter. It has a very pleasing rendition. Got a chrome lens - amber coating; nice heft to it. Stellar work from what I have seen so far. Thank you, Kevin

 

[Alberti]

Received 434/500 today. It's engraved name is "Traveler."

Here's some phone camera pictures of the lens, alongside an early Summaron 35/3.5 for comparison (the M mount Summaron that does not need goggles, and had to be modified to bring up 35mm frame lines on the M2).

Light Lens Lab 35/2 showing "V1LC Made in China".

"Traveling Light" would have been nice too, from the "Lens Lab" 🙂

 

[mteresko]

Got mine today. Looks very nice indeed!

 

[lemalk]

Would you mind sharing what your inscription numbers mea ?

Got mine today. Looks very nice indeed!

 

[froyd]

Got mine. < # 127 (with engraving 500127).... I have shot a few test images. I am very happy. First pics of the lens itself.

Great set of first shots! Great illustration of the softer contrast profile of the lens, especially in the mottled light of the first image.

 

[nzeeman]

Would you mind sharing what your inscription numbers mea ?

probably something important happened on 12/03/2020

 

[wpb]

probably something important happened on 12/03/2020

"happened"?

 

[valdas]

"happened"?

Who knows - time travel, back to the future...

 

[froyd]

"happened"?

In the US the convention is MM/DD/YYYY but many other places use DD/MM/YYYY, so "happened" could be the correct tense for nzeeman. But the code 20201203 suggests YYYYMMDD to me, so a future date

 

[mteresko]

Would you mind sharing what your inscription numbers mea ?

I hopefully will have 10 years of sobriety on 12/3/20...

 

[nzeeman]

yes whole world use day and then month... year can go in front or behind those... but that is not important here-its all nice lenses 🙂 (apart from that guy that think they all dont exist 🙂 )

 

[cboy]

Got mine. < # 127 (with engraving 500127).... I have shot a few test images. I am very happy. First pics of the lens itself.

Beautiful captures!!!