Erik van Straten
Veteran
JMF
Established
Erik van Straten
Veteran
I have two of them, one with the goggles No. 20606XX and the other plain No. 17772XX, I do not know the years of production. It is funny that I can screw the optics from their mounts so that I can use the early one in the goggles and the later one in the plain mount. No problems with focusing.
I think that they are optically not for 100% the same. The later one seems to be a tad sharper at full aperture. But they are both the most beautiful 35's for the M Leicas.
I also have the plastic lens cap (found separately) and a whole collection of OLLUX shades, there are many versions of those.
I've not seen the new one in the flesh. It would be nice if this new one was tested against the old ones.
Erik.
I think that they are optically not for 100% the same. The later one seems to be a tad sharper at full aperture. But they are both the most beautiful 35's for the M Leicas.
I also have the plastic lens cap (found separately) and a whole collection of OLLUX shades, there are many versions of those.
I've not seen the new one in the flesh. It would be nice if this new one was tested against the old ones.
Erik.
Last edited:
JMF
Established
I have two of them, one with the goggles No. 20606XX and the other plain No. 17772XX, I do not know the years of production. It is funny that I can screw the optics from their mounts so that I can use the early one in the goggles and the later one in the plain mount. No problems with focusing.
I think that they are optically not for 100% the same. The later one seems to be a tad sharper at full aperture. But they are both the most beautiful 35's for the M Leicas.
I also have the plastic lens cap (found separately) and a whole collection of OLLUX shades, there are many versions of those.
I've not seen the new one in the flesh. It would be nice if this new one was tested against the old ones.
Erik.
Hello Erik,
I've had a couple of Steel Rim lenses in the past and regardless of age and haze etc, their sharpness do vary with some of the batches .
This might be due to the glass they used which may have changed over the 6 years of production and/or their manufacture. Some lenses might have been better centered as well.
Late batches 206 and 216 are known to be sharper. Maybe they used lanthanum like in some other lenses ...
Right now I have an ex goggled lens from the batch 173 which Chris Andreyo / Skyllaney has "rebuilt" and am very happy with it .
I rapidly played with a Steel Rim reissue lens and did not find the "charm" the original lens offers.
The 2005 W-Nikkor f1.8 Nikkor reissue matches the original lens much better imho.
Best, Jean-Marc.
Last edited:
brusby
Well-known
JMF
Established
35 Summilux Steel Rim 1960 - Acros 100 - Leica MP

@Metara, Gamboa, Rio de Janeiro by JM__, on Flickr

@Metara, Gamboa, Rio de Janeiro by JM__, on Flickr
Erik van Straten
Veteran
JMF
Established
brusby
Well-known
Very nice Erik. Love the diminishing size of the trees with distance.Jean-Marc, I have the W-Nikkor 35mm f1.8 for the Nikon S2 too!
gelatin silver print (w-nikkor 35mm f1.8) nikon s2
Amsterdam, 2000
Erik.
View attachment 4823328
Steinberg2010
Well-known
How are you mounting your 35/1.8 on the M10-P? According to this page Amedeo Lens Adapter Leica M Nikon Rangefinder the Amadeo adapter is not compatible...
~S
brusby
Well-known
Erik van Straten
Veteran
This is with the black Summilux 35mm with the infinity lock, a cheapened version of the steel rims, serial No. 2221XXX. Sharp in the center, but towards the sides the plane of sharpness bows away to the back. Nevertheless these lenses are worth a fortune, above all if the infinity clip is made of brass. This one has it made from steel or aluminium.
gelatin silver print (summilux 35mm f1.4 No. 2221XXX) leica m2
Iris B. Amsterdam, 2008
Erik.

gelatin silver print (summilux 35mm f1.4 No. 2221XXX) leica m2
Iris B. Amsterdam, 2008
Erik.

lukx
Well-known
There are some lens wizards who offer conversions. Skyllaney in Scotland go the 'brutal' route of implanting the optics into a single helicoid mount with an indexed cam. Others such as this Korean gentleman offer modifications where they re-house the rear optics into a slimmer fixture so that it clears the rf-cam in the Leica. I prefer this route because it is less invasive and reversible.How are you mounting your 35/1.8 on the M10-P? According to this page Amedeo Lens Adapter Leica M Nikon Rangefinder the Amadeo adapter is not compatible...
~S

W-Nikkor 3.5cm F1.8 Compatible S-mount for Nikon S & Leica M (Reversible).
ëì½ì ì ì¤ì ì¸ ëªê¸° W-Nikkor 3.5cm F1.8를 ìë§ë°ì¤ ì´ëí°ë¥¼ ê²½ì í´ Leica M ë°ëìì ì¬ì©í기 ìí ì¬ì ì´ ëëì´ ë§ë¬´ë¦¬ ëììµëë¤. ëªì¤ìë¶ ë¹ë ìµê³ ì ë구경 35mm ë ì¦ë¡ ìë¦¬ë§¤ê¹ í´ìë W-Nikkor 3.5cm F1.8ì ìµì ìì¬ìë ëí ê¸ë¼ì¤ì ì±ì©ì¼ë¡ ìë¦ë¤ì´ ë³´ì¼ì ì êµ¬ê° ìì ì ì¸ ì±ë¥, ë§¤ì° ë°ì´ë ì차보ì ë¥ë...
Modified lenses can then be used with the Amedeo Adapter or similar products (e.g. Coiro Optics in Korea produces high quality adapters similar to Amedeo, but with 0.7m min focus distance.)
JMF
Established
The 35/f1.8 W-Nikkor rear protruding element will not fit an original Amedeo adapter .
Yet these lenses have been successfully modified !

You may refer to this RFF thread:
rangefinderforum.com
Skyllaney's conversion - of both original and reissue lenses - allows to focus in the Leica direction , RF coupling from 0,7m onwards and a live view non coupled focussing distance down to 0,35m.
and facebook page
www.facebook.com

Best, Jean-Marc.
Yet these lenses have been successfully modified !

You may refer to this RFF thread:
W-Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8 - vintage vs. 2005 reissue
Thanks Will. Nikon S cameras tend to do that, so I suspect one might just miraculously appear in your dry cabinet one day ;) The 50mm lens that Nikon included in the Nikon S3 Limited Edition kit is a reissue, just not the sonnar optical version first released in the early 1950s (and engraved in...

Skyllaney's conversion - of both original and reissue lenses - allows to focus in the Leica direction , RF coupling from 0,7m onwards and a live view non coupled focussing distance down to 0,35m.
and facebook page

Skyllaney
Skyllaney. 849 likes · 1 talking about this. Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics specialises in service, repair, conversion and manufacture of manual focus lenses in the United Kingdom.

Best, Jean-Marc.
Last edited:
JMF
Established
Hello Erik,
I've had a couple of Steel Rim lenses in the past and regardless of age and haze etc, their sharpness do vary with some of the batches .
This might be due to the glass they used which may have changed over the 6 years of production and/or their manufacture. Some lenses might have been better centered as well.
Late batches 206 and 216 are known to be sharper. Maybe they used lanthanum like in some other lenses ...
Right now I have an ex goggled lens from the batch 173 which Chris Andreyo / Skyllaney has "rebuilt" and am very happy with it .
I rapidly played with a Steel Rim reissue lens and did not find the "charm" the original lens offers.
The 2005 W-Nikkor f1.8 Nikkor reissue matches the original lens much better imho.
Best, Jean-Marc.
35 Summilux v1 1960:

Shot with a M10-P

Paris by JM__, on Flickr
Last edited:
JMF
Established
Steinberg2010
Well-known
I knew of the skyllaney mod, but not the other - it looks like it wouldn't work on the 2005 re-issue though.There are some lens wizards who offer conversions. Skyllaney in Scotland go the 'brutal' route of implanting the optics into a single helicoid mount with an indexed cam. Others such as this Korean gentleman offer modifications where they re-house the rear optics into a slimmer fixture so that it clears the rf-cam in the Leica. I prefer this route because it is less invasive and reversible.
![]()
W-Nikkor 3.5cm F1.8 Compatible S-mount for Nikon S & Leica M (Reversible).
ëì½ì ì ì¤ì ì¸ ëªê¸° W-Nikkor 3.5cm F1.8를 ìë§ë°ì¤ ì´ëí°ë¥¼ ê²½ì í´ Leica M ë°ëìì ì¬ì©í기 ìí ì¬ì ì´ ëëì´ ë§ë¬´ë¦¬ ëììµëë¤. ëªì¤ìë¶ ë¹ë ìµê³ ì ë구경 35mm ë ì¦ë¡ ìë¦¬ë§¤ê¹ í´ìë W-Nikkor 3.5cm F1.8ì ìµì ìì¬ìë ëí ê¸ë¼ì¤ì ì±ì©ì¼ë¡ ìë¦ë¤ì´ ë³´ì¼ì ì êµ¬ê° ìì ì ì¸ ì±ë¥, ë§¤ì° ë°ì´ë ì차보ì ë¥ë...sangin1122.tistory.com
Modified lenses can then be used with the Amedeo Adapter or similar products (e.g. Coiro Optics in Korea produces high quality adapters similar to Amedeo, but with 0.7m min focus distance.)
The 35/f1.8 W-Nikkor rear protruding element will not fit an original Amedeo adapter .
Yet these lenses have been successfully modified !
View attachment 4823351
You may refer to this RFF thread:
W-Nikkor 3.5cm f/1.8 - vintage vs. 2005 reissue
Thanks Will. Nikon S cameras tend to do that, so I suspect one might just miraculously appear in your dry cabinet one day ;) The 50mm lens that Nikon included in the Nikon S3 Limited Edition kit is a reissue, just not the sonnar optical version first released in the early 1950s (and engraved in...rangefinderforum.com
Skyllaney's conversion - of both original and reissue lenses - allows to focus in the Leica direction , RF coupling from 0,7m onwards and a live view non coupled focussing distance down to 0,35m.
and facebook page
![]()
Skyllaney
Skyllaney. 849 likes · 1 talking about this. Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics specialises in service, repair, conversion and manufacture of manual focus lenses in the United Kingdom.www.facebook.com
View attachment 4823348
Best, Jean-Marc.
I like the idea of the modified version but then it would no longer fit on my SP and that would be a sad thing to do I think!
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Erik van Straten
Veteran
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