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I just got the LLL Elcan 50mm f2 and went out with it today, so thought of sharing my thoughts here given there isn’t a lot of info about this lens online. This is the second remake done by Light Lens Lab, after the 35mm 8 elements and it is slowly rolling out to more people outside of China / Hong Kong. Here are my quick thoughts, not technical at all; this review is simply a summary of my thoughts (a Leica user who has used pretty much all 35mm and 50mm available for the L-mount and M-mount). Build Quality: Simply amazing. On par with any Leica lens I’ve tried. I also own the LLL 8-elements and both lenses are amazingly well built. The lens is pretty much the same size as the 8 elements, so it’s very small for a 50mm lens, around half the size of a regular 50mm summicron. That being said, the lens is all brass so it weights around 230g (similar to the 50 cron weight wise). I got the chrome version, but it’s also available in black paint and other finishes such as titanium, olive, etc. Ease of use: The lens design remains true to the original Elcan, which means that the focus knob is the largest on any Leica lens I’ve tried (so that it can be easily focused when wearing gloves), and there is a small knob to move the aperture, like the summicron 35mm 6 elements. The only downside with the Elcan (original and remake) is that for some unknown reason the aperture turns in the opposite way as all other Leica lens, so it does take some time to get used to it. Focus throw is very similar to any old Leica lens, which is a bit longer than modern Leica lens (I actually prefer a longer focus throw). Optics: I never used the original Elcan so it’s hard to compare, but the shop I got it from had the original and told me that after testing them side by side they were 98% identical. That being said, I’ve shot the lens wide open & at around f4~f5.6 today, so I will share some shots with you today so that you can make your own conclusions. My initial impression is that it has a very nice, old style bokeh, and it is very sharp in the center even wide open (similar to the rigid Summicron 50mm, Summicron 50mm v3 or similar lens from that period). To my surprise, the Elcan also has a nice 3D pop, which I feel it is more pronounced than the Rigid / V3. I did not notice any chromatic aberration in all of my shots (about 100 shots) but I also did not pixel peep. Flare resistance is much higher than the 8 elements; I stress tested it and tried hard to make it flare, but was not able to get any washed out shots even when shooting directly against the sun, I’d rank it similar to the V4/V5 Summicron 50mm in terms of flare resistance. Overall, this is yet another amazing remake from Light Lens Lab. I wish Leica will continue to make more remakes, including the 8 elements or the Elcan, but for now the LLL is the next best thing and on par with anything coming out from Leica. I highly recommend LLL to anyone who doesn’t want to pay collector prices for the original lens. This is pretty much it, here are some photos of the lens mounted on the Leica M9-P so that you can see how it looks, and I’ll post a few pictures shot with the lens below. Hope you find it useful. If anyone owns this lens I’d love to hear your thoughts as well. Thank you!

Had a chance to go hands on with an M10 Monochrom in New York for a couple of hours with the Summicron-M 28 ASPH, APO-Summicron-M 50 and Summilux-M 90. Thought you might find this interesting:

I've finished my Leica Q2 review and written a fairly long how-to and article here: https://www.overgaard.dk/Leica-Q2-digital-rangefinder-Page-2.html Also, the Video Review is up here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHUzlTdYLvI

I've done a review of my favorite lens. You can read more here: Zeiss Planar ZM 2.0/f Review. Has anyone else had this lens and switched to Summicron? What was your reason to do so?

I wrote my first page about the new Leica M Monochrome Typ246 and have included a link to download of a few DNG files from the camera. There is also a comparison-chart of Leica M models. Leica M Monochrom Type 246 by Thorsten Overgaard I find that a lot of the questions about going from MM to MM246 is answered in my previous article on the M240 (Live View, EVF, batteries, focus peak, etc) but will eventually address some of the things in coming articles. So far, enjoy this one!

I've finished my rather extensive first article on the Leica Q Typ 116 after some weeks of use since I bought one. "To be, or not to be, that is the Q" Enjoy! "I don’t know if this Leica Q is what it takes for Leica to realize that what would really make their customers happy would be if Leica could make a Leica. As simple as that."

I just released my next page in the Leica M 246 article series "Old School is the New School" I've been using the Monochrom for quite a bit in Munich, Berlin, Rome and Paris. This is the first in a series of articles on the M246 Enjoy!

for anyone who wants to know how i liked the new Zeiss lens on my M9 i wrote a small article at gerhardsphoto.com hope you like it. elderin

Hey guys. Just wrote a review of this lens after owning it for 10 months, with some pictures. Check it out if you'd like Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH review | Observations

Hey guys I wrote a short article about the Leica Elmarit-M 28mm ASPH. You can read it here: Review: Leica Elmarit-M 28mm f2.8 ASPH. - Jip van Kuijk Please leave your thoughts here or in the comment section on my website.

As this forum is still one I visit often, thought some of you might enjoy this; Yesterday’s News: The Leica X1 Review by Adam Grayson | STEVE HUFF PHOTOS AG

I took the Sl out for an initial spin to take some of the central London night lights. I've been shooting a Sony A7r II and an M240 with M lenses and was hoping that the SL experience would be better than either. My feelings are somewhat mixed. I tend to shoot such scenes in one of two ways: * using a table top tripod, placed on a suitable support -- London is not short of street furniture -- at ISO 100, f2.8-5.6 * hand held, auto ISO, near wide open (the fast Leica M lenses tend to suffer from bad purple fringing wide open, but improve significantly even one stop down) Starting with the shooting experience: I like to use both focus peaking and the level. This is hard to do on the SL without multiple button clicks because focus peaking is a separate viewing mode, rather than being something that you can switch on and off in any of the different viewing modes (information modes). This is a fundamental problem, because I need to fiddle with the bottom right button to switch between the level and focus peaking (without that much indication of which mode I am in). I then have to fiddle with the bottom left button and the joy stick to get me to the place I want to focus on, at the right magnification. The absence if a tilting screen makes this even more wearing. Leica are not known for changing the user interface aspects of their products in firmware revisions, but I certainly hope that they address this fundamental usability problem in future releases. As it is, the supposedly technocratic Sony, a camera not known for the ergonomics of its user interface, will be providing a more natural, intuitive one than the Leica. On the plus side, both the screen and the EVF are excellent. Even in the dark, where the Sony and M240 struggle to help you with focusing ( because of the accompanying noise) the SL excels. I was gratified to find that infinity focus was infinity focus with the M-T (not M-L, as it is referred to in the manual) adapter. (With the Sony, I tend to find myself focusing at a marked 5m or so to get infinity focus.) The exposure metering is excellent. Night pictures look like slides of yesteryear. Exposure is, if anything, a bit under, for highlight protection. I have yet to do much processing, but suspect that +1/2 or +1 would be a better compromise, as the shadow performance of the SL is not class leading. By comparison both the M240 and the Sony need about -2 night to preserve any highlight detail. The colour balance of the EVF was not completely accurate, in comparison to what I was seeing, but the results were pleasing enough. I like having GPS (as I do with the M240's multifunction grip, but don't have with the Sony). It's not hard to add GPS data with Photo Mechanic after the event, but having it removes the chore. Similarly, getting the lens spec directly into the picture metadata removes the further chore of getting the right profile correction applied by Lightroom. I have not compared lenses or resulting images with the M240 or A7r II in any systematic way, but the results are pleasing for the weight, which is what counts to me. The Batis lenses for the Sony are bulkier and heavier, but the body is lighter, so it's much of a muchness. The produce great results (clean pictures from wide open) and have AF. The absence of image / sensor stabilisation is a pity. I can get great results at 1/f shutter speeds on the Sony; the SL allows the setting of 1/2f shutter speeds in its auto ISO settings, but would probably benefit from a 1/4f setting. It would also be good to be able to set a minimum ISO to avoid drifting into ISO 50, if you don't want to. Although the camera has a touch screen (unlike the Sony or M240), it appears to be largely wasted (unless you are using the AF lens, perhaps; which I don't, because it is too heavy, bulky and expensive). Anyway, the upshot is that it's not (yet) a more pleasurable camera to use than the M240, or even the Sony, for M lenses, but the pictures look good to me. After all the rabbiting, here's a sample pic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/14315820@N03/23519536246/

Apologies if this has already been posted... but I have not seen this particular review before and I follow this thread assiduously, or at least, believe I do! http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/134816-leica-q-review-the-best-fixed-lens-full-frame-compact-ever-made

Hello, A review of the Leica Q after 4 days of tests on the streets of Milano. http://www.walkingphotographer.net/blog/leica-q-street-photography-review bye Eolo http://www.walkingphotographer.net/

https://camerajabber.com/reviews/leica-m11 (fairly limited review) https://www.reddotforum.com/content/2022/01/leica-m11-review-the-ultimate-digital-m/

Here is another review of the M11, this time from Shutterbug magazine and Jon Sienkiewicz, who seems to think highly of this camera. Included are some great images, including a few of a beautiful orange McLaren Senna LM. Review of the Leica M11: The Ultimate M https://www.shutterbug.com/content/review-leica-m11-ultimate-m That's high praise. I can't say that I think he's wrong...

A bit late in its arrival, but here is another review of the M11. This reviewer explains some of the technical details in a more straightforward/less tech head manner, which IMO is where the value of this review is found. Leica M11 hands on: Primus inter pares By Claus Sassenberg https://www.macfilos.com/2022/01/21/leica-m11-hands-on-primus-inter-pares/

In a recent post, I shared my experience of going on a Leica Journey, starting with the Leica Q and then moving to the Leica M10. On January 14th, the next step in my journey came to fruition with the delivery of an M11. Actually, I ordered three M11s for delivery on launch day! One for myself, one for my partner and one for a colleague. In this post, I’ll share my thoughts after using the camera for over a month. The full review with images and more content can be found here. It's a long post, so I'll do my best to summarize the key points below. Introduction It must be a huge challenge for the designers at Leica to come up with a new M model. There’s always the tussle between the purists that want to keep to a film-like experience, while the modernists are looking for Leica to move to a hybrid rangefinder/EVF solution, with more exposure aids and conveniences to be relevant in a modern world dominated by mobile phones and social media. I can imagine the conversations at Leica HQ where every small change is debated to ensure that the M stays true to its roots, while still changing enough to attract a new generation of customers. After using the M11 for a few weeks, I strongly believe that the M11 will go down in history as a bridge to the future of the M system, similar to how the M8 was a bridge into the digital world. Why Upgrade? No camera (or electronic device for that matter) is perfect. When using the M10 over the past 4.5 years, there were a few areas that I wished could be improved: Highlight recovery Battery life and charging Weight Resolution Metering Connectivity Size & Weight For the M11, this section should be titled Silver Brass vs. Black Aluminum. The M10 was available in only one type of metal arrangement, brass top with magnesium body. The M11 however is available with two options: Silver with brass top and magnesium body, weighing 640g with battery Black with aluminum top and magnesium body, weighing 530g with battery I had originally ordered a silver M11 because silver looks absolutely incredible on Leica cameras, however, in this case, I ended up with black. I didn’t choose black, but black chose me. I ordered three M11s for launch day, with two silvers and one black. My colleague and I wanted silver and my partner wanted black. However, Kai Wong leaked a YouTube video a few days before the launch where he disparaged the new black finish; this resulted in many Hong Kong buyers switching their orders from black to silver. Since I was already being greedy in wanting three M11s on launch day, the shop notified me that I’d have to wait a few weeks to get two silvers. Not being the patient type, I decided to go for one of the plentiful black M11s. When I was packaging the M10 for sale, I really thought I made a mistake in accepting the black M11, having internal debates on whether I should have just waited to get the colour I really wanted. However, with use, I’ve come to love the black, not so much for the colour, but because of the weight savings. Usability Live View Metering The M11 takes a huge step forward in usability with multi-field metering being the standard setting. The multi-field metering means that the sensor takes into consideration the full scene and tries to apply exposure settings that will result in a properly exposed image. Typically, cameras try to expose so that the average of the image equals ~18% grey, and the M11 now operates much in the same way as any modern digital camera. While the screen is not active with this new metering mode, the sensor is always exposed and on. When you take an exposure, the shutter now has to close, expose and then re-open. The whole process feels laggy with an uninspiring shutter sound; however under controlled testing, the shutter lag is actually very minor compared to the M10. I’m hoping that Leica can introduce an Electronic Front Shutter Curtain mode so that it reduces the lag and improves the shutter sound. If you have an M11, go into the Fotos app and please submit a request for this feature. 64 Base ISO Another big improvement is the base ISO coming down from 200 to 64. This makes it much more convenient to shoot lenses wide open in bright conditions without having to use an ND filter. If the shutter speed does not come down to a sufficient level wide open, the next improvement in usability may help, with the introduction of the electronic shutter. Electronic Shutter If 64 ISO is not sufficient to bring the shutter speeds down, the electronic shutter will help. The new electronic shutter can be used from as slow as 60 seconds to as fast as 1/16000 of a second. The new hybrid mode engages the mechanical shutter between 60 minutes and 1/4000 of a second and electronic from 1/4000 to 1/16000 of a second. Battery Life With the M11 always being in live view mode (albeit with the LCD screen off), I was worried about battery life, but it has thus far not been an issue. I have yet to exhaust the battery in an outing. However, and I think this is due to some firmware bugs, I’ve experienced inconsistent and excessive battery drain at times. I can go out with 100% and come back home with 85% battery remaining, and then do the same thing the next day and come home with only 45% battery remaining. At first, I thought this was due to the battery taking some time to calibrate, however even with a few weeks of use, I don’t feel fully confident in the battery or the reading. Regardless, 45% battery remaining is still very good after a day’s shooting. Battery and SD Card Access This usability section has become really long, but it’s clear that Leica made improvements in a number of areas to improve the usability of the camera. Another big step forward is the elimination of the traditional bottom plate, a cool relic from the film era. As in the introduction, I can only imagine the debates at Leica HQ around the decision to stick with the purists or move to something more modern. The M11 brings this great improvement to everyone with the elimination of the bottom plate and aligning with Leica’s other models in having a clever battery that also forms part of the bottom of the camera. A nice (and rather intense) release mechanism ensures that the battery ejects only enough so that you must push it back in slightly to release it fully from the camera. It’s something that only Leica would do and it’s implemented to perfection. If I wasn’t concerned about wear and tear, I’d latch and unlatch the battery all day just for the satisfaction of feeling its wonderful mechanical precision. Internal SD Card Leica has done something that makes me scratch my head as to why other camera companies have not done this. Leica now includes 64GB of memory in the camera as standard. It can be used to mirror images, save RAW or JPEG formats onto each card, or as an extension of your inserted card. The idea is right, but the implementation is a bit cumbersome. As of firmware 1.2.0, the only way to import the images from the internal card on MacOS is to use the clumsy “Image Capture” app. There are rumours that Leica will implement a better protocol to allow MacOS Finder to see the camera so that they can be imported more efficiently. Overall Performance The M11 has an improved Maestro III processor, which provides the camera with a tangible improvement in how quickly the camera responds to inputs. This is especially noticeable in reviewing images, moving around the image, making changes in menus or any other normal interaction with the camera. You’d never know that this camera has more than twice the number of pixels as the M10. The only interaction that feels laggy is the shutter, but that’s due to reasons noted above. Build Quality If you’ve owned or held an M10, the M11 will feel very familiar. In regards to build quality, nobody can touch Leica at the volumes that they sell. Whether you choose the lighter black or the hefty silver, you’ll be rewarded with the best build quality of any camera on the market. The M11 really does feel like it’s built from one block of machined metal. Controls Leica perfected the controls on the M series of cameras starting from the M10. The M11 takes that and evolves it slightly with the movement of a button from the front to the top. Leica seem to have further improved the touch interface in the M11 from previous cameras with the touch interface being responsive and intuitive to use. It’s far better than the ones in my Fujifilm cameras, and for many functions (zooming in and deleting images), has become my go-to interface. I love the new menu system (taken from the SL and Q series) and how easy it is to find items. Leica are the masters of taking something very complex and simplifying it, while still offering a rich set of options to choose from. I absolutely love the touch screen grid layout that first appears. The ability to click on an item and easily adjust it is very intuitive. I wonder why other companies like Fujifilm don’t allow touch in their similar Q Menu. Connectivity Being able to share images on social media or with friends has become a basic requirement in the modern world, however most camera companies have yet to figure out how to make this seamless for the user. Leica is making great attempts at closing that gap, but the Leica Fotos app is still a work-in-progress. There are times where it’s brilliant and transfers images quickly, and then there are times where it seems to freeze or operate very slowly. It’s so inconsistent that I can’t rely upon it at this time. The MFI or Made for iPhone cable gives me some hope, but we’ll have to wait and see once Leica Fotos is out of beta with the M11. Image Quality If you’re coming from an M10, the image quality will knock your socks off. However, if you’re coming from a Fujifilm GFX100S like I am, the image quality will be excellent, but not up to Medium Format levels. At the pixel level, with super sharp lenses like the Voigtlander 50MM APO or any Leica lens stopped down to F5.6, the detail is pretty much the same as the Sony A7R4 when using GM lenses, but a slight step down from the GFX100S using Fujinon lenses. The M11 takes two big steps forward over the M10: High ISO is now totally usable up to 12,800 without any fear of the image detail being swamped by noise or grain. The highlight recovery is now on par with the best cameras on the market. I think a 50-100MP sensor is the sweet spot for photography for the coming decade. While higher resolutions provide the ability to crop or downsample noisy images, the extra resolution starts to introduce sloppy technique and/or intentional odd framing in order to extract multiple compositions from the image. On my Fujifilm GFX50R, I often had issues in getting sharp images and needed to increase the shutter speed from 1/1xFL to 1/2xFL or even 1/3xFL. To my surprise, I haven’t found this to be as much of an issue as I expected. I almost didn’t buy the M11 because it lacks In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS), but I’ve found that 1/2xFL is sufficient for tack sharp images. It also helps tremendously that the Leica M mount has many wide aperture lenses which provide fast shutter speeds in even low-light situations. One area I don’t think Leica chose wisely was there investment of engineering resources into the variable resolution capability. The M11 has a unique feature that allows the user to select 18MP, 36MP or the native 60MP for both the RAW and JPEG files. On the surface, this would appear to have some advantages, but in practice, I haven’t found any difference in image quality, noise or dynamic range. I think Leica introduced this feature to placate the traditionalists that often complain on Leica forums that anything more than 24MP is sacrilegious and a waste. I don’t see myself using this feature much, if at all, and I wish that Leica had instead put this engineering talent towards introducing an Electronic Front Curtain Shutter or improving the buggy firmware. Packaging For anyone that has purchased a Leica M prior to the M11, you would have experienced one of the coolest unboxing experiences out there. The outer shell systematically unravels itself to expose a beautifully built box with a magnetic flap hiding the camera, and well defined cardboard drawers encasing user manuals and cables. It’s an unforgettable experience and makes the first interaction with the camera really special. Unfortunately, likely due to environmental reasons, Leica has moved away from this packaging and now has a very basic box with foam inserts. The camera sits in the foam insert as do the cables. The user manual now sits on top of the foam under the very normal and uninspiring outer box. When I first opened the M11, I asked the shop for the “real box” instead of the shipping box, to which I was saddened to hear, “this is the real box”. Improvement Opportunities Firmware For people new to Leica that come from other quality brands, there are some things that may surprise you. For both my M10 and now the M11, the firmware straight out of the box has felt unpolished. I assume the new processor and menu system required a rewrite of the firmware. The M10 used to freeze up now and then, especially when using the EVF, but the M11 freezes in many more situations, and often at random. Shutter The shutter feel and sound on the M11 is really rather poor. I can understand why Leica appears to have put no engineering time into the shutter. This goes back to the introduction in that I see the M11 as a bridge into the future. The future M12 will likely have a fully electronic shutter so there would be little benefit to investing R&D into a dying mechanism. Leica Fotos I won’t go into detail on the issues with this app because it’s still in beta for the M11 and that wouldn’t be fair. However, I think Leica can take this app in an interesting direction. With the MFI cable, we have the opportunity for high speed data transfer. With that capability, it would be great if Leica could allow in-camera RAW editing in the way that Fujifilm does. Conclusion The M11 is a big step forward over the M10, and a bridge to the future. It has just enough traditional characteristics to keep long-term conservative enthusiasts onboard, and just enough modern technology to bring new customers into the Leica fold. As great as this camera is, and I’m very happy to have upgraded, I really do see this camera as a stepping stone to where I think Leica really wants (and needs) to go with the M cameras. This is not the end-game M camera for me; what would make it end-game is where I think Leica is taking the M system. I’ll make some bold (and perhaps foolish) predictions of what the future holds for the M system for M12 and beyond: Hybrid Rangefinder / EVF – One of the great little known joys in the photography world is using a Fujifilm X-Pro2 with a manual focus lens and the excellent “Digital Rangefinder Patch” in the OVF. With Leica’s incredible engineering talent, I’m sure they can come up with an even better solution than this already excellent one. There are hints of this coming with the introduction of close focusing lenses like the 35MM APO, that focuses down to 30cm instead of the rangefinder’s limit of 70cm. Electronic Shutter – As much as I love the noise and feeling of a mechanical shutter, it’s obvious that the future is fully electronic. The technology exists today to have a fully electronic shutter at resolutions up to ~50MP. By the time the M12 rolls around in ~4 years, there should be scanning rates sufficient to support higher resolutions. High-speed Connectivity – Leica has taken a step forward with the MFI cable. I think they truly appreciate the need for a modern camera to have the capability to connect and transfer images seamlessly to a mobile device. I think Leica will find a way to make this simple and easy for the end-user by using high speed wireless technologies instead of a proprietary cable. If they can also add in-camera RAW editing, that would be the perfect end-to-end solution for instant sharing. In-Body Image Stabilization – For many people, the lack of IBIS is a dealbreaker for the M11; I was of the same mind before actually using the camera. As noted above, I haven’t found it difficult to get tack sharp images at 1/2xFL, which is easily achievable given the wide variety of F1.4 (and even F1-F1.2) lenses available for this system. However, it’s been my experience that there’s really no downside to IBIS, so I think Leica will eventually implement it once they move to an electronic shutter, which would make room inside the body to add other technologies such as IBIS. To wrap up this review, there’s a lot to love about the new M11. The lighter weight, higher resolution, excellent battery life, elimination of the cumbersome bottom plate and vastly improved highlight recovery make for a compelling upgrade from the M10. However, if you’re coming from an M10-R, I think the decision becomes a lot more difficult. The M10-R has more than enough resolution and also doesn’t have the highlight recovery issue of the M10. If you can get a like-new condition second hand M10-R, it might be the current sweet spot for M cameras; then in four years’ time, you can upgrade to the M12 which I think will re-write the playbook for what an M camera should be. The full review with images and more content can be found here. The above is a summary of the full review.

Hello everyone, I just wanted to let you know I published a review of the TTArtisan 50mm 0.95 lens and I think the findings might be interesting for you. I hope you enjoy the reading! Flavio

This is an old-ish (5 months) review, but IMHO it is worth reading if you are on the fence with regard to purchasing the M10 Monochrom. This camera costs a lot of money, but make no mistake: There is no other camera even remotely like it being made anywhere in the world. Hands-On Review of the Incredible Leica M10 Monochrom https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/hands-on-review/hands-on-review-of-the-incredible-leica-m10-monochrom

Hello everyone, here's my review of the new Carl Zeiss Contax G Planar 35mm f/2 FUNLEADER conversion to Leica M. This is my first review here so I am not used to the technicalities of posting, please forgive me if I readjust things after I post. FUNLEADER Contax G35 to Leica M Conversions I have included the 7artisans 35mm f/1.4 M and the Voigtlander VM 40mm f/1.2, the only lenses in the 35mm zone I own. Disclaimers: 1. none of the lens makers / converters have been involved in these tests and I have personally purchased all 3 lenses, none of them have been provided. 2. the FUNLEADER link above contains an affiliate link with a code that will get you a 5% discount (used to be 15%, I hope they bring that back). If you purchase using the link above FUNLEADER says I will receive 10%. 3. all opinions expressed here are my own and, just like with anything in life (especially photography equipment!), you may have a different one. A few bullet points about the tests: - done on my Leica M-P typ 240 - done on a tripod with a 2 second timer to hopefully dampen most vibrations - no filters or hoods were used and lenses were extremely clean - captured at M-P's base ISO: 200 (with the exception of a few frames captured at 1.2 and 1.4 because 1/4000 was too slow to keep equal exposures so I set the ISO to PULL 100) - exposure was manual and the exposure time was adjusted accordingly with every aperture change (generally 2/3 stop) in order to hopefully maintain an even exposure between the samples - white balance was on AUTO - all focus was EXTREMELY CAREFULLY done using LIVE VIEW at f/2 for each lens, using both the focus peaking and my own eyes to make sure I get the best possible focus - focus was redone with every lens change - the 40mm was repositioned so that the main subject filled roughly the same size in the photos (as much as possible, the infinity tests obviously show the difference in focal length) - most tests were taken all all apertures but since this ended up requiring so much work I only included up to f/8, to be honest I don't think anything past that is relevant - all samples processed in Capture 1 PRO with the default output sharpening for screen (any image processor will apply some sort of sharpening from DNG to JPG) - I am sharing a Google Drive folder with all DNGs, JPGs, comparisons and misc images, all full size. Please check them out and use them for free, a credit would be nice if you end up posting them. PART 1 / 5 A morsel of history: if you're reading this you most likely know what this lens is, otherwise this info can be easily found online. The G35/2 is supposed to be the "lesser performer" of the Contax G suite, the internet is funny like that, some person deemed it once as not being as stellar as the G45/2 (which is whispered to be one of the best lenses in 35mm photography history) and the internet has taken that and transformed it into "not a good lens" kind of rumour. I am here to prove otherwise. Here's a G35 / G45 specs comparison: This 35 together with the Hologon 16mm are the only ones I do not own in G mount. I have shot all the other ones (21/2.8, 28/2.8, 45/2, 90/2.8) on my Contax G2 and adapted on my Sony A7R3 with a cheap Ulata adapter. They are sharp, very sharp wide open. And so light. Build quality: without further ado, I think FUNLEADER and Mr. Ding have done an amazing job here: the conversion is incredible, so tiny and lovely, with a great weight and feel. The focus action is nice and smooth and the little focus tab suits the lens. The black paint version is really beautiful, I have always been a black paint / lacquer fan, hence my M-P. This version will get patina with use (unless you're Lenny Kravitz and give it a good rub to look well used). The "gold" version has lovely sharp black engravings and a black focus tab. The focus tabs are really nice, placed at the perfect position where, when pointed straight downwards, the lenses focus at 4 feet / 1.2 meters. I also purchased a "gold" helicoid as I am planning to do a conversion myself. The "gold" helicoid feels like brass and it's a bit of a fingerprint magnet. The helicoid has "MR. DING" engraved on the mount. Pretty cool. I did a bit of digging and "Mr. Ding" is their master craftsman, maybe having been part of MGR Production. They are also behind the Bresson Viewfinder magnifier, which I happen to have on my M-P and love. I would love to find out more about Mr. Ding, if anyone has info please do share. The weight of the helicoid is 206g / 7.26oz and the whole lens is 266g / 9.38g The lens did have a plastic ring glued on the front, on top of the original Carl Zeiss from markings, but I removed it easily and left no marks. Sorry Mr. Ding, I prefer the original Carl Zeiss engravings. The original lens hood of the G35 / G45 fits nicely, but I have the champagne version and I personally don't think it works with either the black or the gold version. I might spray paint it with a glossy enamel. Honestly, it looks amazing on the M-P. It is a gem of a little lens and a great performer. Customer service: excellent, very responsive, I had quite a few questions for them and they replied very quickly. Packing: excellent, pragmatic, not fancy. Shipping: wowsers, the lens was in my hand in Vancouver BC Canada in 6 days, dayum! PART 2 / 5: colour, focal length, sharpness close and mid distance Two notes about colour and focal length: - colour - the G35/2 renders the most accurate and neutral colours, next is the VM 40/1.2, while the 7artisans 35/1.4 M renders quite warm - focal length - the G35/2 is a little wider than the 7artisans 35/1.4 M, I wonder what their real focal lengths are. Please do share if you happen to know. Sharpness: the G35/2 is very sharp wide open, it nearly matches the VM 40/1.2 at f2, actually honestly we are splitting hairs between the G35/2 and VM 40/1.2. Keep in mind that the VM starts at 1.2, so from a lens design pov it has a lot of room to be sharp at f2. It's quite a feat how consistent the G35/2 is all the way up to the widest apertures. The G35/2 is sharper than the 7artisans 35/1.4 M at every aperture. I was surprised as well. In all honestly, I really love the 7artisans lens, it has a really nice 3d pop and the built is absolutely amazing. Check out these 100%s of this starling at f2! I used live view, there's no way to nail that in the viewfinder patch, I also took a bunch of shots and these were the best 4, maybe out of 12 or so. 100% full images for context I have done a few test sessions but not included all here (so much to process and compare), so here are a few. Before every comparison chart you will see a half size G35/2 image at f2, for no reason really other than to show you what the whole scene looked like. Session 1 close: Session 1 mid distance: Session 4 close: Session 4 mid distance: Session 5 close: Session 6 close: PART 3 / 5: sharpness at infinity Session 3 infinity (center and corner): Session 7 infinity (center and corner): PART 4 / 5: bokeh and conclusion Session 1 mid distance: Session 2 mid distance: Session 6 close: Vignetting: yea a bit, but nothing out of the ordinary at large apertures. See for yourself. Focus shift: I did not test for it, but from my walks it seems to be fine. CONCLUSION: The Carl Zeiss Contax G Planar 35mm f/2 is a gem. Coming from great heritage, it is now encased in an amazing conversion from FUNLEADER for our Leicas. The G35/2 is an honest lens, you won't find clinical sharpness here, but since you're reading this you're probably not looking for that, but for the resurrection of a highly underrated Carl Zeiss optic. The G35/2 renders the world gently with neutral colour rendition, pleasant bokeh and a sprinkle of pop. The tiny form has a great weight and feel and it simply looks incredible on a Leica. The black paint version is shiny and will brass while the "gold" version has lovely sharp black engravings (bit of a fingerprint magnet though). I honestly look at my camera sitting on my desk now and hear the whispers: "take me out and make photographs". Well done FUNLEADER and Mr. Ding, hat's off to you. Just like the original little piece of history it now protects and focuses, the FUNLEADER conversion will also be remembered as a gem amongst the connoisseurs. FUNLEADER Contax G35 to Leica M Conversions I hope you enjoy the test results, please let me know if you have any thoughts, suggestions and questions. Here is the Google Drive folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-mgIUEIScjebkdNY-GAouTlJE3FTCrDy I am leaving you with a bunch of samples, enjoy. PART 5 / 5 samples All the following samples are just snaps from my walks and I barely spent a minute on some of them in C1 f2 f5.6 f8 f2 f2 f2 f5.6 f5.6 f2 f2 f2 f2 f2 f2 f2 f2 f2 f2 f2 f4 (i think) f2 f2 Cheers!

I just finished my image-heavy review of the Leica M10 after about eight months of ownership. I hope you enjoy my review, which is a follow-up review of late Leica M240 review I did a couple of years ago. But most importantly I hope you enjoy the photographs. Check it out at: https://indergaard.net/2018/10/14/the-very-late-leica-m10-review/

Hi In my opinion Leica R9 / R8 are the most beautiful 35mm film SLR's ever. Why R9/R8 owners haven't made video reviews about the camera? There are many reviews of M series but no R. So i ask, was the R for you disappointment and you would recommend M for me? That's the closest i have seen R body on video.