Pentax-L 43mm lens on Leica CL (digital)

[Godfrey]

I'd been debating whether to buy the Leica APO-Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH because I like to shoot so much with a fast normal lens, and then I remembered that one of my all time favorite lenses on APS-C was the SMC-Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited, and that they made this lens in a special LTM mount for a couple of years. I hunted and found one at a reasonable price. It arrived yesterday... I took it on my bicycle ride, fitted to the Leica CL.

It's every bit as lovely a lens on this camera as it was on my APS-C Pentax cameras in the FA series SLR version...

Leica CL + Pentax-L 43mm Limited
ISO 100 @ f/5.6 @ 1/100​

(A full rez image: https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1970/45750566191_b23e802c8c_o.jpg)

This is just a magnificent lens, a perfect long-normal for me on this format. Light, small, fast ... a perfect match to the CL, too. And I can use it on my M-D as well..! 🙂

I've coded it as a Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 for EXIF and lens profile, that seems to work well. Since the RF focusing mount is limited to about .7m minimum focus, I used a step up ring to test it with Leica ELPRO VIIa and VIIb close up lenses. That gives me down to about 10 inches focus distance with superb quality results.

Really happy.

G

 

[charjohncarter]

That combo really works, beautiful shot. I remember your presentations on the Pentax site years ago. Maybe some of the images were from a 43mm limited. It just goes to show you can take a picture of just about anything, and if you do it right it will look great.

 

[Calzone]

Godfrey,

Congrates on the 43/1.9. I love the quick focus on mine and the build quality. I can see why having a 64.5mm FOV is useful on a CL.

Cal

 

[Tim Zhou]

I bought this lens few years ago out of curiosity. The lens is nicely built and smaller than it looks. Sadly, I couldn't afford a Leica, so only use it on a Sony camera.

_DSC0276-Edit by T Zhou, on Flickr

 

[Strangefinder]

Sadly

your picture does not look like. great shot.
i never heard of this lens before. 😱

 

[Godfrey]

I like the cat shot.. looks like it's posing to be a figurehead! 🙂

Of all the Pentax gear I used, this lens almost pushed me to keep one Pentax body around just so I could keep shooting with it. I tried the SLR version on other cameras with a mount adapter but the AF mount never really felt right on them.. too loose and too short a throw for precision with a manual focus workflow, it was designed for AF and worked best that way. I bought a K-01 body at one point and another 43 Ltd just to have it again, but the body just wasn't my cup of tea.

The L model lens has exactly the same optics and has a superbly light and precise focusing feel and a short built in hood. Perfect.. can use it on all my Leica RF and digital bodies. The bokeh this lens produces is just beautiful, and it is just the right balance of sharp and contrasty without being overly much.

I've fitted a 35-135 LTM->M adapter because I prefer that set of frame lines in the M for this focal length over the usual choice of 50-75 adapter. The long normal FoV on APS-C is my preferred "shoot anything at all" generalist setup, so I'm really in hog heaven with the CL now. It'll take work to remember I have other lenses too... 😀

 

[Tim Zhou]

Thanks Godfrey, agree on how nice to focus it. I have never handled the pancake version, but would imagine the manual focusing may not be so easy.

I read somewhere it is similar to 40mm f2 by Leica/Minolta, hopefully, I get hold of one and wait for digital CL price to come down 🙂

 

[Calzone]

The focus on the Pentax-L surely is fast (short throw) and has a precise feel.

Cal

 

[raid]

A great lens indeed.

 

[Godfrey]

The beautiful rendering of this lens is just so apparent in photos like this ... a selfie of me and another bicyclist I met today who happens to share the same name ...

Two Godfreys - San Jose 2018
Leica CL + Pentax-L 43mm f/1.9 Ltd
ISO 250 @ f/4 @ 1/60​

Very little editing other than rotate and crop a little ...!

G

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Ah, the 43mm Ltd LTM and GR 28mm LTM - the two oddball Leica Mount lenses I hope to play with one day...

 

[Godfrey]

Ah, the 43mm Ltd LTM and GR 28mm LTM - the two oddball Leica Mount lenses I hope to play with one day...

I saw one of the Ricoh lenses available, but over $1000. Too much.

G

 

[peterm1]

The beautiful rendering of this lens is just so apparent in photos like this ... a selfie of me and another bicyclist I met today who happens to share the same name ...

Two Godfreys - San Jose 2018
Leica CL + Pentax-L 43mm f/1.9 Ltd
ISO 250 @ f/4 @ 1/60​

Very little editing other than rotate and crop a little ...!

G

Very nice rendering.

 

[Doug]

Fine lens, good sample pics! I purchased mine from an RFF member in Nov 2003, very fond of it. Some barrel distortion detectable. I have used the optical finder that came with it. It's a bigger/longer lens than the 40mm for CLE Minolta: 47.8mm long at infinity with the screw-mount adapter in place. This is likely due to its having been designed for an SLR mount, more telecentric than a native RF lens. Only 2000 of these were made, 800 in silver finish, 1200 in black.

Pentax 43 L on an M8

And on an M9 for a flu shot

 

[Calzone]

My version is the rarer silver version (800 units made). The Pentax-L VF'er has 43 and 50 mm framelines, as well as a diopter adjustment. If you use the entire frame it can serve as a 35mm external VF'er.

I use this VF'er with my 35/1.8 Nikkor in LTM on LTM cameras.

Cal

 

[Godfrey]

Looks like mine is #155 by the serial number. I went cheap and didn't get the one I saw offered with the viewfinder ... don't need it for the CL, and I'm perfectly happy to use the 35mm frame lines in the M-D. 🙂

Here's a cameraporn gallery: photos of the Pentax-L 43mm Limited on the Leica CL:

Click this to go to the gallery of five photos on Flickr.com​

It really is the perfect size and weight lens for the Leica CL or M-D. The CL fitted with adapter and this lens weighs about 860 grams.

You can tell how contrasty and sharp the lens is immediately with the CL: it triggers focus peaking instantly, even wide open, unlike a lot of other highly regarded fast lenses. Not that you really need it to focus! 🙂

G

 

[raid]

WOW! A beautiful set is seen here. Congrats.

 

[Calzone]

Looks like mine is #155 by the serial number. I went cheap and didn't get the one I saw offered with the viewfinder ... don't need it for the CL, and I'm perfectly happy to use the 35mm frame lines in the M-D. 🙂

Here's a cameraporn gallery: photos of the Pentax-L 43mm Limited on the Leica CL:

Click image to go to the gallery of five photos on Flickr.com​

It really is the perfect size and weight lens for the Leica CL or M-D. The CL fitted with adapter and this lens weighs about 860 grams.

You can tell how contrasty and sharp the lens is immediately with the CL: it triggers focus peaking instantly, even wide open, unlike a lot of other highly regarded fast lenses. Not that you really need it to focus! 🙂

G

Godfrey,

A very pretty rig. My CL has been kidnaped by my fashion blogger gal.

Cal

 

[lxmike]

I'd been debating whether to buy the Leica APO-Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH because I like to shoot so much with a fast normal lens, and then I remembered that one of my all time favorite lenses on APS-C was the SMC-Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited, and that they made this lens in a special LTM mount for a couple of years. I hunted and found one at a reasonable price. It arrived yesterday... I took it on my bicycle ride, fitted to the Leica CL.

It's every bit as lovely a lens on this camera as it was on my APS-C Pentax cameras in the FA series SLR version...

Leica CL + Pentax-L 43mm Limited
ISO 100 @ f/5.6 @ 1/100​

(A full rez image: https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1970/45750566191_b23e802c8c_o.jpg)

This is just a magnificent lens, a perfect long-normal for me on this format. Light, small, fast ... a perfect match to the CL, too. And I can use it on my M-D as well..! 🙂

I've coded it as a Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 for EXIF and lens profile, that seems to work well. Since the RF focusing mount is limited to about .7m minimum focus, I used a step up ring to test it with Leica ELPRO VIIa and VIIb close up lenses. That gives me down to about 10 inches focus distance with superb quality results.

Really happy.

G

what a very very cool fatboy, bike are my other passion

 

[Calzone]

what a very very cool fatboy, bike are my other passion

Mike,

When you make it to NYC let me know.

I'm also a bike nerd. All my bikes are retro pre V-Brake. Back in the day I was a racer. Now I'm old (60) but I'm 5' 9" and 150 pounds.

Cal