who is going to line up for the new Thambar?

[presspass]

If they were trying to reach photographers, they might consider releasing these heritage lenses in thread mount and including an adapter coded for use with digital cameras. Just think, two markets with just one lens.

 

[leicapixie]

I wrote "replicate" meaning similar but not exact same.
Imagon indeed different. The Pentax and Nikkors again different.
I never used Vaseline.
I did Fashion and used Softar on Hassie, amazing soft on skin, sharp on textures!, used to print thru "tracing paper:, diffusion screens and use of stocking(not pantyhose) some at exposure some after.
I think its a FUN lens the Thambar with that "filter".

 

[ian_watts]

I wonder if the emphasis and prominence of east Asian photographers in the example photos are an indication of where Leica expects to sell the most lenses?

Possibly, but not necessarily for the reason you might be insinuating (new money, collecting mentality, etc.). The hazier, dreamier aesthetic plays more of a role in fine art photography in Japan, China and Korea than it tends to do in the West and Leica are sensibly tapping into that.

 

[giganova]

Why all this negativity? If you don't like it, don't buy it. :bang:

If Leica sells 150 of these lenses, they make an extra $1M. That's an extra million that will go into developing products we might buy (M11?).

 

[Huss]

If Leica sells 150 of these lenses, they make an extra $1M. That's an extra million that will go into developing products we might buy (M11?).

And in the spirit of the Thambar, they should re-release the M5! Now that everyone has realized that it was the best camera Leica ever made..

 

[Emile de Leon]

M5... lol...

 

[peterm1]

I am not in the least bit critical of Leica for doing this. After all it is only doing what many of us here have been saying - Leica should re release this lens or that camera body. (Its just that the Thambar is not the particular re-released "thing" that some people on this forum want to be re-released).

And at a deeper level Leica is also doing something very worthy. It is being entrepreneurial - it is investing its time and money in a risky venture to earn a return. Isn't that what we demand of private enterprise. It's good for consumers too. Even if this release were to fail it would end up being good for those who bought a new Thambar - their version would be even more sought after and valuable down the track as collectors clamour to get one knowing there would never be more available.

I see nothing but good from this as its a win win for consumers even if its a win lose from Leica's perspective (which I do not think will happen).

 

[x-ray]

I think it's cool they're re releasing old classic lenses. I'd like to see them bring back the original f3.5 5cm Elmar. I think they'd sell a truck load. I think a remake of the v2 Rigid 50 Summicron and DR version would be hugely successful and probably the V1 collapsible would sell well. These old classics are in demand and copies with clean glass are getting harder to find. The v1 35mm Summicron would probably would sell well too.

 

[peterm1]

I think it's cool they're re releasing old classic lenses. I'd like to see them bring back the original f3.5 5cm Elmar. I think they'd sell a truck load. I think a remake of the v2 Rigid 50 Summicron and DR version would be hugely successful and probably the V1 collapsible would sell well. These old classics are in demand and copies with clean glass are getting harder to find. The v1 35mm Summicron would probably would sell well too.

I have noticed that another firm is re-releasing an upgraded modern version of the Jupiter 3 itself a Russian copy of a Zeiss lens. They call it the Jupiter 3+.

http://www.popphoto.com/russian-retro-lomography-jupiter-3_plus_lens_review

This seems to be an increasing trend and I for one am happy to see it.

 

[Daryl J.]

It is on my To-buy list. Some day.

I love my Rodenstock Imagon and 4x5
I love my near-mint 1.5/5cm Summarit M at F1.5 and F2
I love my heavily scuffed 2/5cm Summar that has lost its black coating all over in the barrel and wobbles so bad there seem to be light leaks from it.

So a Thambar with that wonky ringy bokeh of highlights is right up my alley.

But. (This is the key...) But it's not in the budget.

 

[michaelwj]

There is more to abberations than just a center filter.

Regarding the Thambar, I need another tele lens like a hole in my head,

Roland.

That looks super cool Roland, love the OOF spider lights!

 

[valdas]

There is more to abberations than just a center filter.

Regarding the Thambar, I need another tele lens like a hole in my head,

Roland.

Speaking of spiders, I had a real spider story - not on the lens, but inside the camera:

https://rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157577&highlight=spider

 

[Archlich]

I have noticed that another firm is re-releasing an upgraded modern version of the Jupiter 3 itself a Russian copy of a Zeiss lens. They call it the Jupiter 3+.

http://www.popphoto.com/russian-retro-lomography-jupiter-3_plus_lens_review

This seems to be an increasing trend and I for one am happy to see it.

There's a another reissue, the 20/5.6 Russar+. Lomography had been at it for almost a decade, starting with the (not quite a reissue, but a remake for the modern 135 format) Petzval 85/2.2.

The remade Daguerreotype Achromat 64/2.9 is particularly interesting as it has 2 elements in 1 group and Waterhouse plate aperture just like the old timers. The same fuzzy result, for $499.

 

[GarageBoy]

I think it's cool they're re releasing old classic lenses. I'd like to see them bring back the original f3.5 5cm Elmar. I think they'd sell a truck load. I think a remake of the v2 Rigid 50 Summicron and DR version would be hugely successful and probably the V1 collapsible would sell well. These old classics are in demand and copies with clean glass are getting harder to find. The v1 35mm Summicron would probably would sell well too.

Yes to all that. But knowing Leica, they're more likely to release a stemar

 

[Larry Cloetta]

Wait..there's actually a line forming?

 

[Jack Conrad]

As luck has it, I had an original Thambar for a short time and played with it a bit.

It's a difficult lens to control in outdoor ambient light situations,
which makes it tough for street, but for properly controlled studio
and outdoor shaped light situations with a bevy of beautiful women it'd be a dream.

I believe the lens was designed by Max Berek to compensate for some of the limitations imposed by the miniature format at a time when most pro photographers were using medium or large format cameras and pictorialism was still in vogue, which may be on the way back...in art and fashion work.

 

[Richard G]

As luck has it, I had an original Thambar for a short time and played with it a bit.

It's a difficult lens to control in outdoor ambient light situations,
which makes it tough for street, but for properly controlled studio
and outdoor shaped light situations with a bevy of beautiful women it'd be a dream.

I believe the lens was designed by Max Berek to compensate for some of the limitations imposed by the miniature format at a time when most pro photographers were using medium or large format cameras and pictorialism was still in vogue, which may be on the way back...in art and fashion work.

Nice comment.

If only they reissued these in screw mount plus an adapter. I'd love to see my black III with the new Thambar. I would seriously think about the Summaron 5.6 if it was reissued in screw mount. Finding a good '50s copy is hard.

 

[derleicaman]

I have an original Thambar in my collection for many years. It is a lens that I have an intense love/hate relationship with. Back when I was shooting professionally in film days, I used it for some wedding pictures. Nothing turned out well, and the bride did not appreciate the effort or the look. Back then, there was no way to pre-visualize the effect you would be getting.

Having just obtained an M10, I thought live view might be the ticket to using this lens. Needless to say, disappointing results again. I was shooting outdoors mid-day, so probably not optimal conditions.

The Thambar is easily the most difficult lens to master I have ever encountered. Those that do are more lucky than good, I think. I'll probably hang on to it since I have owned mine for over 30 years.

I think either a 73/1.9 Hektor or a 125 Hektor would give equal or better results, which I intend to try at some point.

 

[x-ray]

Soft focus lenses don't perform their best when used in flat light. Under low ratio light the images just look muddy and flat. Soft focus lenses do their best with high lighting ratios. 4:1 or greater is the key to that beautiful glow around highlights.

If you look at vintage portraits you'll usually find them to have been shot with hard spotlights not soft light, and the main to fill ratio at 4:1 or greater.

 

[Hogarth Ferguson]

Lots of portrait samples here:


http://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/M-Lenses/Thambar-M-90-f-2.2/Images

The portraits and other photos here really make the lens seem more interesting, as opposed to awful like the samples before.