Summaron 35/2.8 vs LLL 35mm 8 element

I would say LLL succeed in this small niche market. The business model is like kickstarter, in social media or forums get partial fund, which I believe enough to cover the cost. As to replica , LLL does not have the blue print from Leica , what they did is reversed engineering by analyzing material, documents , try and fail……the issues are the copied lenses are rare, not many people have the real one to compare other than the shape look like. The QC is an issue, wobble, play et al have been complained. After all this is mentality yah, I have the expensive, collector’s look like
 
Deardorff38 said:
The 35/2.8 Summaron is 6 elements and the LTM version focused to 1m.....
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correct, the dedicated M39 version focused to 1m.

Many people aren’t aware that what they assume to be an M mount lens is actually a dual mount with removable bayonet. Not all have dual mount. Look for the set screw!
 
splitimageview said:
correct, the dedicated M39 version focused to 1m.

Many people aren’t aware that what they assume to be an M mount lens is actually a dual mount with removable bayonet. Not all have dual mount. Look for the set screw!
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This is true only when the serial number is below 2xxxxxx. Otherwise, no set screw to be found 🙂
 
yossi said:
This is true only when the serial number is below 2xxxxxx. Otherwise, no set screw to be found 🙂
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They're also fairly pricey.... currently $1600-2000 USD on Ebay....for the LTM version
 
Having had both, I prefer the rendering of the Summaron 2.8. I felt the Summaron 2.8 could pratically see in the dark judging from the way it would pull detail from shadow areas. I was hoping the LLL Summicron copy could compete, but it is a little more contrasty and not as sharp.

Ironically, I still have the LLL lens (mostly because it was such a good deal and it has the customized front ring) and not the Summaron (sold because 2.8 seemed too slow for everyday use). I since bough a cheap Nokton for a fast 35 and wish I had kept the Summaron... oh well!
 
I agree with you, coogee. I also have the original Summicron and the LLL version, and I took photos with these two lenses side by side. I posted them here. Nobody could identify "blatant differences". RFF mebers got a good deal then, even though the serial numbers included "unfortunate numbers" such as a 4 or more than one 4.
 
froyd said:
Having had both, I prefer the rendering of the Summaron 2.8. I felt the Summaron 2.8 could pratically see in the dark judging from the way it would pull detail from shadow areas. I was hoping the LLL Summicron copy could compete, but it is a little more contrasty and not as sharp.

Ironically, I still have the LLL lens (mostly because it was such a good deal and it has the customized front ring) and not the Summaron (sold because 2.8 seemed too slow for everyday use). I since bough a cheap Nokton for a fast 35 and wish I had kept the Summaron... oh well!
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Many years ago I sold my Summaron 35/2.8 because I got the 8 element Summicron instead in a package deal with someone local here. I was new to Leica. I did not know how good the 35/2.8 Summaron is. I liked the idea of having Summicron 35mm-50mm-90mm lenses. I still have them and use them.
 
I'm not a collector & I sold my Summaron LTM for more than 2x the price of the LLL & I was lusting after a black paint 35mm. I have been pleased with the LLL and i find its character very pleasing, not as contrasty and modern as the Voigtlander lenses.....& i haven't had any issues with lack of detail in shadow areas.
Raid you said "I did not know how good the 35/2.8 Summaron is"...... IMO all the Leica lenses i've used have been remarkable. The collapsible Elmar 50mm 3.5 is a terrific lens. The most astonishing lens to me has been the tiny '34 Elmar 3.5cm f3.5 wide angle I bought for $75. The results were stunning....(& I've owned a Noctilux and a 75 Summilux....)
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Duofold RF said:
LLL does not have the blue print from Leica , what they did is reversed engineering by analyzing material, documents , try and fail……
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Leica applied a patent for the Summicron 8-element version, US3006249, including chemical compound percentage of glass. That's why LLL can almost 100% copy it. But other LLL replica lenses such as Elcan, are quite different to original.
 
Tears said:
Leica applied a patent for the Summicron 8-element version, US3006249, including chemical compound percentage of glass. That's why LLL can almost 100% copy it. But other LLL replica lenses such as Elcan, are quite different to original.
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Let put it this way
cook a dish according master chef’s recipe may close to the master’s dish but maybe difference, design and make a lens is arts, even in this computer aid software era.
 
Duofold RF said:
Let put it this way
cook a dish according master chef’s recipe may close to the master’s dish but maybe difference, design and make a lens is arts, even in this computer aid software era.
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Ya, the magic chants that the lens designer said was not part of that patent 😉
 
The TTartisans and 7 artisans can access many lens design patents, the computer design softwares are readily available as well as glasses, Can they make the same quality lens as Leica?
 
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