The Mandler 35mm f2

[Archiver]

No idea. I ordered the LTM Silver from the last batch on March 3rd, but I received a prototype. I guess they are out of stock of the new ones, and the system is taking orders with incorrect inventory counts, so they are shipping prototypes to keep customers happy?View attachment 4889858

That's surprising. Well, congratulations on your even more rare lens! Given that they appear to be made in batches of 250, I'm guessing that less than 1000 have been made, maybe even only 500 so far.

Years ago, I emailed SLR Magic about a couple of lenses, and they said that they were sold out and discontinued, BUT if I really needed them, they could make enquiries and see what they could do. I never took them up on that offer, but I wonder what they had in mind? On the desk right now is one of the lenses I wanted, bought secondhand in Melbourne years after I wanted it originally, so I only need one more...

 

[Deklari]

A few more shots from the Barnack IIIc (kentmere 400 film, D76)

 

[Deklari]

This is interesting. I tried setting the closest focus to below 0.7 m on the lens scale. The rangefinder on the Leica IIIc can’t focus below 1 m. I placed the camera about 0.7 m from the Leica M3, but it focused on the book instead. It seems like it can focus down to about 0.6 m.

 

[TenEleven]

I seem to have missed their restock or LTM never came back into stock. Ah well

 

[Freakscene]

This is interesting. I tried setting the closest focus to below 0.7 m on the lens scale. The rangefinder on the Leica IIIc can’t focus below 1 m. I placed the camera about 0.7 m from the Leica M3, but it focused on the book instead. It seems like it can focus down to about 0.6 m.

View attachment 4889931

Beautiful microscope. I love the Ortholux.

 

[Archiver]

I seem to have missed their restock or LTM never came back into stock. Ah well

Email them, they can tell you whether LTM is part of the restock.

Wow, the website says only one M mount version is left in stock, and the LTM version is currently sold out. 😅 It also says that the third batch of restock was launched on the 19th! So they have almost sold out all of the third restock, that is nuts.

 

[boojum]

Email them, they can tell you whether LTM is part of the restock.

Wow, the website says only one M mount version is left in stock, and the LTM version is currently sold out. 😅 It also says that the third batch of restock was launched on the 19th! So they have almost sold out all of the third restock, that is nuts.

It is a good lens at a good price. And Mandler is redeeming themselves after the not-too-good first release last year.

 

[Archiver]

It is a good lens at a good price. And Mandler is redeeming themselves after the not-too-good first release last year.

Aaaand they are all sold out again, both the aluminium and brass versions. Guess I'll have to wait for a future restock. Surely Mandler can see there is a fair market for this lens. Maybe they will remake another lens, too.

 

[steveyork]

Always overpriced on the used market, and massively so in recent years, with questionable build quality, but no one ever complained about the optics on the 4th Summicron. And perfect size for an M mount 35/2. I remember when the first 35/2 Asph. came out, the initial negative reaction that it was so big.

 

[hugov]

For those who already have the lens (mine just arrived)... can anyone recommend a cap that fits over (or I guess inside) the supplied square hood?

I'm a little amazed they didn't supply a hood cap, nor do they seem to offer one for sale separately. I presume a Leica 14043 cap should fit, and there seem to be a lot of 3D printed copies of that, but perhaps there are better options. It seems a lot of people really hate the 14043 cap for falling off easily, perhaps that is why they left it out.