The Mandler 35mm f2

[Slumgullion]

My two cents — like it or leave it.

I think you have worthwhile insight and I'll concede that a couple of your points ring true for me, but your own apparent biases make you come across as trolling (somewhat often). Here's the deal, everyone has their own internalized biases and often there are good reasons for those. I wouldn't presume to know your reasons. It's not a like it or leave it scenario. It's more action-reaction. If you write/say things that people don't like, be prepared to have them tell you they don't like it.

 

[Duofold RF]

I think you have worthwhile insight and I'll concede that a couple of your points ring true for me, but your own apparent biases make you come across as trolling (somewhat often). Here's the deal, everyone has their own internalized biases and often there are good reasons for those. I wouldn't presume to know your reasons. It's not a like it or leave it scenario. It's more action-reaction. If you write/say things that people don't like, be prepared to have them tell you they don't like it.

Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Best wishes.

 

[gavinlg]

As someone who has always suspected the 35mm pre-ashp v4 cron would be the perfect 35 for my tastes but can't justify the absurd prices I'm pretty interested in this lens. From what I've seen online it looks like they may have slightly improved the optics on the original summicron

 

[Archiver]

As someone who has always suspected the 35mm pre-ashp v4 cron would be the perfect 35 for my tastes but can't justify the absurd prices I'm pretty interested in this lens. From what I've seen online it looks like they may have slightly improved the optics on the original summicron

If @Freakscene 's list of potential improvements is met, I might be in that boat, too. On the other hand, I have the Nokton 35/1.4 MC which is more or less an updated version of the pre-asph Summilux, which takes care of a lot of my vintage character tastes.

 

[mgscheue]

In my many years of doing business with partners across East and Southeast Asia, I’ve noticed that buyers from a few specific regions sometimes create accounts, remain completely inactive, and then suddenly leave negative feedback (often without ever having purchased or communicated). Unfortunately, user “mgscheue” appears to fit that exact pattern.

Uh, what?

 

[Coldkennels]

A thought:



Obviously far from the only design lifted wholesale from Leitz by the Japanese - both Nikon and Canon couldn't have got started without "borrowing" heavily from German companies.

So why are these lenses so widely revered now, but the Chinese people starting up a business using the exact same methodology are dragged through the mud?

 

[aw614]

He called me a little pink for saying that in the last page 🙄

 

[yossi]

Even Leitz, the name revered by the snobs, started off “ borrowing” the lens design from other greats. Elmar is a variant of Zeiss Tessar, and 50mm Summilux is a repackaged British TTH Xenon (ok Leitz did pay TTH to use Xenon in their Summarit and improved it in their first Summilux).

My point is, when a company starts producing lenses, they have to start from somewhere, not trying to beat Dr. Paul Rudolph and invent a new lens formula. This was what the Japanese did. Most of the JP P&S camera and their TLR used a Tessar lens design. Cosina, a not that well known OEM lens company, purchased the right to use Voightlander, start naming their lens Ultron, Nokton, etc..and now they are known to be a good Leica-compatible lens manufacturer.

The Chinese companies are doing something somewhat similar. Just that some of them are more opportunistic (reads greedy) in capitalizing on classic Leica lenses (replica of 8E Summicron, 35 mm AA Summilux, steel rim, King of bokeh, etc). Remember they are trying to make money out of their lens business, not out to win a medal for the CCP. It is pathetic that another Chinese has to belittle his tribesmen presumably because he had made some quick bucks from stock market and could afford to buy a few expensive original Leica lenses. Sad!

 

[Coldkennels]

Before anyone jumps in and tries claiming Nikon changed some small details and that totally justifies the "borrowing" of Leitz designs, here's some more comparisons from the same blog post (LEICA SCREW MOUNT NIKON AND OTHER NIKON LEICA COPIES):






Looks a hell of a lot like what Light Lens Lab has been doing for the last few years:



Next time someone criticises a Chinese "knock-off", I might just ask them if they own a single Nikon product, as it all stems from the same "reimagining" that LLL et al. are engaging in today, and I don't see why one should get a pass, but not the other.

 

[plexi]

Some vacation snaps using the Mandler

 

[TenEleven]

A thought:

View attachment 4881652

Obviously far from the only design lifted wholesale from Leitz by the Japanese - both Nikon and Canon couldn't have got started without "borrowing" heavily from German companies.

So why are these lenses so widely revered now, but the Chinese people starting up a business using the exact same methodology are dragged through the mud?

To elaborate on your (correct) point, both Nikon and Leitz "stole" this (Tessar) design from Zeiss or rather it's inventor Paul Rudolph.
Stole in scare quotes because the patent simply expired.

(There's also this convoluted story around the "Fat Xenon" which Leitz apparently had made for the Leica, which unlike the later production Xenon lenses is actually just a straight up f1.5 Sonnar. Which by the way then would have still been under protection from Patents from Zeiss. Uhm... Yeah!)

It's almost as if even German companies have been doing this to each other since ... oh ... forever?!
But the perfidious Chinese!!!1

 

[Archiver]

Some vacation snaps using the Mandler View attachment 4881775View attachment 4881776View attachment 4881777View attachment 4881778View attachment 4881779

I do like these, very classic rendering, not too sharp but enough detail. What camera/film did you use?

 

[plexi]

I do like these, very classic rendering, not too sharp but enough detail. What camera/film did you use?

Used an M2. Kodak Gold for all except of the one with the scales, which is Portra 400.

 

[Rollin]

Since the thread has already went beyond 35mm, I will say I would like to see less Chinese fast -lux lenses, clone or not, and more rangefinder lenses that work well on digital that fill niches like the Solinon 18mm f/5.6 ASPH (link to review in my signature).
That said, I'm working on a review of the Artizlab Classic 35mm f/1.4 now LOL 🤦‍♂️

 

[Slumgullion]

Since the thread has already went beyond 35mm, I will say I would like to see less Chinese fast -lux lenses, clone or not, and more rangefinder lenses that work well on digital that fill niches like the Solinon 18mm f/5.6 ASPH (link to review in my signature).
That said, I'm working on a review of the Artizlab Classic 35mm f/1.4 now LOL 🤦‍♂️

View attachment 4881842

Looking forward to your review. I've tried two copies of the Artizlab. Neither brought up the correct framelines exactly (I could make out the ghost of the 50 lines). The aperture tab is too close to the focus tab (it needs to be offset like the Voigtlander 35/1.4) and it only feels 'good enough' in hand (kinda rough focus). That being said, resolution across the frame is quite high (for a fast spherical design). Both copies were perfectly centered. And, it is a way better (more economical) way to get that goofy (occasionally charming), super glowy look people seem to love from the V1 /V2/reissue luxes. Your photo above is in the charming camp.