Herr Barnack Posted December 3, 2015 Share #1 Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) News flash from Japan Camera Hunter - Camera Geekery: The New MS-Optics Apoqualia 35mm 1.4 F MC http://www.japancamerahunter.com/2015/12/camera-geekery-the-new-ms-optics-apoqualia-35mm-1-4-f-mc/#.Vl-GxYsvAqw.facebook Yours for $1054 USD. Edited December 3, 2015 by Carlos Danger 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 3, 2015 Posted December 3, 2015 Hi Herr Barnack, Take a look here Camera Geekery: The New MS-Optics Apoqualia 35mm 1.4 F MC. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Ronazle Posted December 3, 2015 Share #2 Posted December 3, 2015 I'll be interested in how well it handles digital, so far conventional (non-retrofocus) wideangles have been wanting. regards, ron 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 4, 2015 Share #3 Posted December 4, 2015 This looks like an interesting lens because it has deliberately been designed so that it produces pictures with 'character', which is often a by-word for under-corrected aberrations but I suspect not in this case. The link to the Japan Camera Hunter site's webpage is interesting too because it contains a link to another Japanese site that has pictures taken with the 35/1.4 Apoqualia and many other rare and unusual lenses such as the 90/2.2 Thambar, 40/1.5 B.Berthiot, 75/2.3 Petzval, 50/1.9 Hexanon, 25/1.4 Biotar, 28/6 Orion, 73/1.9 Hektor, and 25/1.4 Angenieux to name but a few. Not all are Leica mount lenses and some a C-mount but it's a rich reference source of example pictures for those with a penchant for lenses with character. Thanks for posting this, Carlos. Pete. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted December 4, 2015 Share #4 Posted December 4, 2015 Actually, Leica's and Voigtlander's compact double-gauss 35 f/1.4s do fine on digital (or at least as well as they do on film) - they do require coding to avoid green corners, but so does a current ASPH f/1.4. My non-retrofocus 35 f/2 from 1980 is superb on digital. I don't see why this should necessarily do any worse than those, digital vs. film. A 15 or 21 or 25, perhaps, but not a 35. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted December 4, 2015 Share #5 Posted December 4, 2015 Thanks for sharing! I love classic lenses and 35mm is indeed my most used focal length. With former Miyazaki lenses I was only held back by the design of the focus lever (this has the same) but this looks just soooooooooo interesting. A pity about the M37 filter thread - a nice two piece series filter vented lens hood would be a great add on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted December 4, 2015 Share #6 Posted December 4, 2015 Actually, Leica's and Voigtlander's compact double-gauss 35 f/1.4s do fine on digital (or at least as well as they do on film) - they do require coding to avoid green corners, but so does a current ASPH f/1.4. My non-retrofocus 35 f/2 from 1980 is superb on digital. One wonders what particular character this lens will manifest for a cool 1 grand, as compared to the CV 1,4/35 for 2/3rd the price. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winedemonium Posted December 5, 2015 Share #7 Posted December 5, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) An interesting design. QC can be an issue - my Somnetar went back to Miyazaki-san twice and ultimately I sold the lens. But I love that he is making these lenses and this latest one is a temptation for sure. It will be interesting to see more images from this lens once the Flickr group is up and running. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted December 5, 2015 Share #8 Posted December 5, 2015 One wonders what particular character this lens will manifest for a cool 1 grand, as compared to the CV 1,4/35 for 2/3rd the price. I am very curious to see this myself and am nervously waiting to see first meaningful samples. The first two major differences of the new Miyazaki lens is that it is even smaller than the already quite small pre ASPH Summilux. It appears to be focussing closer as well. I do love the aperture on this one - just look at those blades! It's a real pity Miyazaki San sticks with his proven focus lever design (I am not keen about this lever but would very much prefer a proper focus tab). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted December 5, 2015 Share #9 Posted December 5, 2015 I am very curious to see this myself and am nervously waiting to see first meaningful samples. The first two major differences of the new Miyazaki lens is that it is even smaller than the already quite small pre ASPH Summilux. It appears to be focussing closer as well. I do love the aperture on this one - just look at those blades! It's a real pity Miyazaki San sticks with his proven focus lever design (I am not keen about this lever but would very much prefer a proper focus tab). I think for that size lens it is a proper focus tab. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted December 6, 2015 Share #10 Posted December 6, 2015 The product shots of the lens show the usual Miyazaki focus lever, no focus tab :-( Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted March 21, 2016 Share #11 Posted March 21, 2016 (edited) I got my lens and had a day out with it at the weekend. While I await the 37mm filters, I used a 3 stop ND filter on the hood's E46 thread. Yes the lens is tiny The focus pin/tab works well for me. Distortion seems very well controlled Full open there is a distinct glow on high contrast subjects Quite sharp wide open and close to mid distances. Field curvature is very much present : Large apertures at infinity, the edges are sharp but the center is soft; stopping down brings improvement. Wide open at mid distances, the field curvature moves the plane of sharpness from near to far - e.g. the view along the center of a recessing pier was sharp at 5m edges to infinity center. Edited March 21, 2016 by FrozenInTime 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted March 22, 2016 Share #12 Posted March 22, 2016 some sample pics please? Very neat design- small, fast and highly portable lens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted March 22, 2016 Share #13 Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) Only curves adjustments: f/5.6 with ND8 'Sea Gull Holiday - tour bus' slight crop f/2 with ND8 slight crop f/1.4 no filter no crop f/1.4 no filter no crop f/1.4 ND8 filter crop from above Edited March 22, 2016 by FrozenInTime 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted March 22, 2016 Share #14 Posted March 22, 2016 Thanks so much for sharing! This looks really nice! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted March 23, 2016 Share #15 Posted March 23, 2016 the 'glow' looks quite similar to my pre-asph 35 summilux? there is a detailed review of this lens HERE 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted March 24, 2016 Share #16 Posted March 24, 2016 Thanks for sharing your thoughts and pictures. The glow seems indeed reminiscent of fast lenses of old. I already have some of Miyazaki's lenses and agree that the ergonomics are quirky (the Perars in particular), but their minimal correction and the fact that they slow you down are always an interesting photographic experience. Anyway, I ended up letting GAS take over and ordered one of these 35/1.4 from Bellamy. I will report back when it arrives. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.liam Posted March 24, 2016 Share #17 Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) Thanks for sharing your thoughts and pictures. The glow seems indeed reminiscent of fast lenses of old. I already have some of Miyazaki's lenses and agree that the ergonomics are quirky (the Perars in particular), but their minimal correction and the fact that they slow you down are always an interesting photographic experience. Anyway, I ended up letting GAS take over and ordered one of these 35/1.4 from Bellamy. I will report back when it arrives. This is where I have an issue with these fascinating, hand-made craft lenses. They have an idiosyncratic focus lever mechanism you must fend with, and while tiny, don't appear to offer some unique rendering over older, Mandler-type Leicas. What am I getting from an MS 1,4/35 for US$1,200 that an easier-to-handle CV 1,4/35 for $630 won't provide? Edited March 24, 2016 by james.liam Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nano.anderson Posted March 24, 2016 Share #18 Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) What am I getting from an MS 1,4/35 for US$1,200 that an easier-to-handle CV 1,4/35 for $630 won't provide? For everybody it's different I'm sure, but I love using my Perar 35mm because I feel like I'm using an amazing piece of handmade engineering. Makes photography fun. When I use this lens I smile the way Miyazaki does in the photograph of him in his workshop. I won't think twice about putting up my CV Ultron for sale, I can always get another one right? But my Miyazaki lens? Priceless. On another note, I'm glad the focus lever doesn't bother me. So many people seem very perturbed by it. Edited March 24, 2016 by nano.anderson 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted March 24, 2016 Share #19 Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) This is where I have an issue with these fascinating, hand-made craft lenses. They have an idiosyncratic focus lever mechanism you must fend with, and while tiny, don't appear to offer some unique rendering over older, Mandler-type Leicas. What am I getting from an MS 1,4/35 for US$1,200 that an easier-to-handle CV 1,4/35 for $630 won't provide? You are right about the idiosyncratic features - I'm not at ease with the lens cap , filter size and reverse mounting of the hood which are off from the expected norms. I don't think I would like to live with it as my only lens; but I think it's going to pair well with a slow normal lens like the 50/2.8 Elmar-M. One thing this lens does have is low distortion - not sure the same can be said for the Nokton. @f/1.4 ND8 full frame - no crop or geometry corrections. Edited March 24, 2016 by FrozenInTime 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted March 24, 2016 Share #20 Posted March 24, 2016 What am I getting from an MS 1,4/35 for US$1,200 that an easier-to-handle CV 1,4/35 for $630 won't provide? This: Makes photography fun. Not much else in terms of IQ. Using Miyazaki's lenses (or vintage ones, or a pinhole for that matter) puts a smile on my face too. This is worth 600$ to me. YMMV. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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