Are there any third party lens that replicate the Steel Rim well?

[LocalHero1953]

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16 minutes ago, mottykytu said:

Sure I will correct you, I own a M camera and Leica lens

Don't know what make you think I don't own any M camera or Leica lens? your assumption ?

No - you have posted a number of threads here asking for advice on buying lenses and cameras, argued with those who offered advice, and followed up with no info (that I have seen) about which camera and lenses you actually bought. Nor have you helped us offer you advice by telling us what your photographic experience is and what you want to photograph. Perhaps you could meet us half way?

[costa43]

1 hour ago, LocalHero1953 said:

No - you have posted a number of threads here asking for advice on buying lenses and cameras, argued with those who offered advice, and followed up with no info (that I have seen) about which camera and lenses you actually bought. Nor have you helped us offer you advice by telling us what your photographic experience is and what you want to photograph. Perhaps you could meet us half way?

I have to agree too. I can talk about Leica gear all day, so happy to talk to whoever wants to listen to me because my wife and friends certainly do not but you have started threads on lots of common comparisons recently without making it clear what you’re into. 

[RexGig0]

I test-shot a friend’s Cosina Voigtlander Nokton II MC, during a meet-up at a coffee shop, in February 2023. In June 2023 I took my Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM to a Leica dealer store, where I test-shot it, a Sixties-vintage Version II Summilux-M 35mm, and their demonstrator Summilux 35 FLE Version I. I ordered a Re-Edition Steel Rim Summilux-M 35mm Classic at the end of June 2023. So, I never directly compared the Re-Edition Steel Rim with the  Nokton II MC, but, even though I own the Re-Edition Steel Rim, and like it, I continue to have a positive opinion of my friend’s Nokton II MC, and believe that I would thoroughly enjoy owning a Nokton II MC, had I not been able to buy the Re-Edition Steel Rim. (Yes, the Re-Edition was expensive. Buying it was not easy, and it may remain the only Leica M lens I have bought new, rather than pre-owned.)

I will not get drawn into the debate of how similar, or how different, except to say that the Nokton II MC seems to have some minor amount of barrel distortion, that is not bothersome, to me, but might show itself, in shots taken with vertical lines near the edges. Both lenses compact in size, and have “character” of “vintage” lenses, more so than “modern” lenses.

I did not sell or trade my Zeiss Distagon 35 ZM, of course. It is somewhat large, but is highly-corrected, optically, and has the superb T* coatings, while rendering pleasing out-of-focus background blur.

[mottykytu]

4 hours ago, RexGig0 said:

I test-shot a friend’s Cosina Voigtlander Nokton II MC, during a meet-up at a coffee shop, in February 2023. In June 2023 I took my Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM to a Leica dealer store, where I test-shot it, a Sixties-vintage Version II Summilux-M 35mm, and their demonstrator Summilux 35 FLE Version I. I ordered a Re-Edition Steel Rim Summilux-M 35mm Classic at the end of June 2023. So, I never directly compared the Re-Edition Steel Rim with the  Nokton II MC, but, even though I own the Re-Edition Steel Rim, and like it, I continue to have a positive opinion of my friend’s Nokton II MC, and believe that I would thoroughly enjoy owning a Nokton II MC, had I not been able to buy the Re-Edition Steel Rim. (Yes, the Re-Edition was expensive. Buying it was not easy, and it may remain the only Leica M lens I have bought new, rather than pre-owned.)

I will not get drawn into the debate of how similar, or how different, except to say that the Nokton II MC seems to have some minor amount of barrel distortion, that is not bothersome, to me, but might show itself, in shots taken with vertical lines near the edges. Both lenses compact in size, and have “character” of “vintage” lenses, more so than “modern” lenses.

I did not sell or trade my Zeiss Distagon 35 ZM, of course. It is somewhat large, but is highly-corrected, optically, and has the superb T* coatings, while rendering pleasing out-of-focus background blur.

The only (BIG) down size of the Re-Edition Steel Rim to the Nokton is that the Re-issues remain the 1m Minimum focus distance of the Original Steel Rim, why Leica have to do that to a "Remake" lens I don't know. 0.7m seem to be a standard of any M lens today

BTW, I believe you will enjoy your Re-Issues alot, it is a great lens with alot of character at f1.4, and when stop down it is as good as any pre-asph Summicron I believe !

[mottykytu]

5 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

No - you have posted a number of threads here asking for advice on buying lenses and cameras, argued with those who offered advice, and followed up with no info (that I have seen) about which camera and lenses you actually bought. Nor have you helped us offer you advice by telling us what your photographic experience is and what you want to photograph. Perhaps you could meet us half way?

I don't think your answer will be different base on my current gears,

So if I'm poor and don't own any M camera or LEica Lens you will change the attitude and the answer toward me ? Or if my photos is bad, I don't have right to discuss or ask about camera and lens ? Or If I own an M11-P safari and APO summicron I will have all the right to ask and discuss about Leica?

See? If my gears affect your answer and the way you answer it, the problem is from you, not me ! 

Why showing my work and gear to you is so important for your answer and discussion ?

Edited May 25 by mottykytu

[LocalHero1953]

Yes, my answers and those of others may well be different based on your camera equipment: because we don't know if you have plenty of experience of Leica cameras and lenses or none, so we could advise you accordingly. And depending on whether you want to take photos of landscapes, children street or portraits, then our advice may be different. 

It has nothing to do with money - I have no idea where you get that idea from. Nor does it have anything to do with the quality of your photos. You don't have to post anything; but this is a photographic forum, so of course we want to see what members here are photographing.

This is a friendly forum - certainly compared to some others. Be friendly with us, not prickly, and you'll soon find that out.

Edited May 25 by LocalHero1953

[costa43]

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28 minutes ago, mottykytu said:

I don't think your answer will be different base on my current gears,

So if I'm poor and don't own any M camera or LEica Lens you will change the attitude and the answer toward me ? Or if my photos is bad, I don't have right to discuss or ask about camera and lens ? Or If I own an M11-P safari and APO summicron I will have all the right to ask and discuss about Leica?

See? If my gears affect your answer and the way you answer it, the problem is from you, not me ! 

Why showing my work and gear to you is so important for your answer and discussion ?

I think Paul is genuinely just trying to help and give you advice based on your needs/wants rather than just his own position. If you do not tell anybody what your interests and goals are then all you will get is a multitude of people talking about what they like and prefer, if that is your objective then fine but the best for one person is definitely not the best for everyone.

[mottykytu]

15 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Yes, my answers and those of others may well be different based on your camera equipment: because we don't know if you have plenty of experience of Leica cameras and lenses or none, so we could advise you accordingly. And depending on whether you want to take photos of landscapes, children street or portraits, then our advice may be different. 

It has nothing to do with money - I have no idea where you get that idea from. Nor does it have anything to do with the quality of your photos. You don't have to post anything; but this is a photographic forum, so of course we want to see what members here are photographing.

This is a friendly forum - certainly compared to some others. Be friendly with us, not prickly, and you'll soon find that out.

Yes, I hope you are friendly enough before  making assumption that I don't own any M camera or any Leica Lens like the post above.

I remember you also ask (for many times) me to post my work here , I think it is weird !

[mottykytu]

5 minutes ago, costa43 said:

I think Paul is genuinely just trying to help and give you advice based on your needs/wants rather than just his own position. If you do not tell anybody what your interests and goals are then all you will get is a multitude of people talking about what they like and prefer, if that is your objective then fine but the best for one person is definitely not the best for everyone.

Yeah, I also think he try to help me. But pushing me to post my Gears and Works here is just weird. 

I don't think my work and gears will affect the answer to this topic if "Are there any third party lens that replicate the steel rim well ?", do they ?

 

 

Edited May 25 by mottykytu

[LocalHero1953]

13 minutes ago, mottykytu said:

Yes, I hope you are friendly enough before  making assumption that I don't own any M camera or any Leica Lens like the post above.

I remember you also ask (for many times) me to post my work here , I think it is weird !

I have asked, certainly twice - perhaps even three times in different threads (I don't recall), if you could give us a link to your work and an indication of your experience and equipment - not to criticise, but to understand what your wants and needs are. Each time you chose not to answer.

Your choice, of course, but I'm out of here for the moment.

Edited May 25 by LocalHero1953

[evikne]

You've gotten a lot of good answers here, and I don't think there are many more options left that haven't already been mentioned. You'll have to choose from these what you think is close enough and within your budget.

[LocalHero1953]

5 minutes ago, mottykytu said:

Yeah, I also think he try to help me. But pushing me to post my Gears and Works here is just weird. 

I don't think my work and gears will affect the answer to this topic if "Are there any third party lens that replicate the steel rim well ?", do they ?

 

 

No they won't. But when you start arguing with those who offer replies, it is difficult to know how valid your points are without some understanding of where you're coming from.

But, as I wrote, it's your choice.

Edited May 25 by LocalHero1953

[costa43]

1 minute ago, mottykytu said:

Yeah, I also think he try to help me. But pushing me to post my Gears and Works here is just weird. 

I don't think my work and gears will effect the answer to this topic if "Are there any third party lens that replicate the steel rim well ?", do they ?

 

 

I think understanding what current gear you own has merit when recommending new gear, posting photos isn’t necessary but understanding the type of photography you enjoy would be helpful. 

[FrozenInTime]

As an everyday lens, the 35/1.4 Nokton-II is an easy lens to live with, so would be a good place to start before seeking obscure or expensive Leica options.

That said, to bring up a third option: specifically for wide open glow the MS Apoqualia 35/1.4 is still my goto.  It is low in distortion; sharpens to look modern when stopped down. Background bokeh is smooth and foreground rough ( so here it differs from the Nokton and the examples I’ve seen from the Summilux ). 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

( With a pre-FLE ASPH, the Nokton and Apoqualia, I’ve not been able to justify any Summilux pre-ASPH.)

 

[steve edmunds]

i do not believe any of the reissues by Leica or anyone one else are credible in reality ,they may be similar or fun but they in no way replicate the original lenses, its just a cash grab gimmick to me.

take the steel rim reissue as an example its just an expensive fake vaguely similar to the original.

[hansvons]

4 hours ago, mottykytu said:

Yeah, I also think he try to help me. But pushing me to post my Gears and Works here is just weird. 

I don't think my work and gears will affect the answer to this topic if "Are there any third party lens that replicate the steel rim well ?", do they ?

It does matter to know what one is looking for content-wise if she/he’s seeking advice on a particular lens. If I were asking your question, I’d provide the audience with information for what kind of images and cameras I’d use the Steel Rim or other similar lenses.

The Nokton V2 f/1.4 SC renders similarly flat images of medium close-up portraits and shows a similar curvature but doesn’t render as kitschy glows at full aperture and remains gentle to skin up to f/4. When shooting architecture at f/5.6 and above, the Nokton is plenty sharp at the centre but unfortunately shows a visible barrel distortion that can be corrected in post, though. The Steel Rim shows hardly any barrel distortion at all distances. And it seems to better sharpen up in the corners when stopped down to f/8. 
 
On digital, particularly non-M cameras, the Nokton shows strong vignetting that influences the colour rendering visibly, and renders cooler than the Steel Rim. On film, however that is quite different and the Nokton is arguably the better lens for portraits, as its glow isn’t as intrusive (still plenty!) and the higher sharpness is highly welcome because film can’t be too sharp (at least not in 35mm).

I decided to go with the Nokton as my Ms are film Leicas. However, my most-used M lens is a 35mm Summicron V5 because I like character and sharpness. For digital, I prefer the APO 35mm SL on an SL2-S. It combines perfection with soul. So, it does matter for what genre and camera you want to use a lens when asking for advice. There’s nothing weird about it. 

Edited May 25 by hansvons

[sometimesmaybe]

21 hours ago, mottykytu said:

So you think just because the same optical design on paper will bring exactly the same result in your final IQ ?

Lol, Is it the first time you see that ?

Even exactly the same version through out the years have different final IQ due to different coating... 

Oh, ever heard of Steel Rim and Steel Rim Reissues yet ? You think they are exactly the same lense ??? Lol

unlike many other parts of the interweb, the LUF is a more considered and less confrontational forum. most users are just sharing their individual experiences and interest in leica cameras and lenses. there are often disagreements between forum members, but i think this is usually done without histrionics. you clearly have a lot of valuable insights to share with us but the tone of some of your posts might distract from your substantive message / point. 

[RexGig0]

On 5/25/2025 at 4:03 PM, steve edmunds said:

i do not believe any of the reissues by Leica or anyone one else are credible in reality ,they may be similar or fun but they in no way replicate the original lenses, its just a cash grab gimmick to me.

take the steel rim reissue as an example its just an expensive fake vaguely similar to the original.

I ask, with respect, what has been faked? The Re-Edition Steel Rim Summilux 35 Classic has slightly differing dimensions, so, does not, to me, seem to be a “fake” of the original Steel Rim. The Re-Edition’s slightly larger diameter enables it to fit my hand better than a sixties-vintage Summilux Version II that I test-shot. I actually like the rendering of the Re-Edition Steel Rim Summilux Classic better than I liked a demonstrator FLE Version I, that I tried at a local Leica dealer.

I was, actually, hesitant to order a Re-Edition Steel Rim. I was concerned that I would not like it. I did, however, reckon that I could sell it, and not lose too much money, as they were perpetually out-of-stock, at most dealers, so, decided to take the chance, and am glad that I did. The Re-Edition is its own lens, neither an exact replica of the original, nor a modern aspherical lens.  

Edited May 30 by RexGig0

[steve edmunds]

10 minutes ago, RexGig0 said:

I ask, with respect, what has been faked? The Re-Edition Steel Rim Summilux 35 Classic has slightly differing dimensions, so, does not, to me, seem to be a “fake” of the original Steel Rim. The Re-Edition’s slightly larger diameter enables it to fit my hand better than a sixties-vintage Summilux Version II that I test-shot. I actually like the rendering of the Re-Edition Steel Rim Summilux Classic better than I liked a demonstrator FLE Version I, that I tried at a local Leica dealer.

I was, actually, hesitant to order a Re-Edition Steel Rim. I was concerned that I would not like it. I did, however, reckon that I could sell it, and not lose too much money, as they were perpetually out-or-stock, at most dealers, so, decided to take the chance, and am glad that I did. The Re-Edition is its own lens, neither an exact replica of the original, nor a modern aspherical lens.  

glad you like it and suppose that is all that matters so i wont bore you with the list of differences from the original,

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Look here: Leica M

[RexGig0]

On 5/25/2025 at 12:15 PM, mottykytu said:

The only (BIG) down size of the Re-Edition Steel Rim to the Nokton is that the Re-issues remain the 1m Minimum focus distance of the Original Steel Rim, why Leica have to do that to a "Remake" lens I don't know. 0.7m seem to be a standard of any M lens today

BTW, I believe you will enjoy your Re-Issues alot, it is a great lens with alot of character at f1.4, and when stop down it is as good as any pre-asph Summicron I believe !

Yes, thanks, I do enjoy it.

On the close-focus aspect, well, true, there are better close-focus options. In my case, I have truly serious macro and close-range SLR lenses, and would, normally, simply use them on DSLRs. My wife is particularly interested in insects, other wee beasties, and plants. With an adapter, however, I could use an SLR lens on an M camera, and focus using Live View.

Or, for a pure Leica experience, using only Leica-manufactured optical glass, I could opt to use a Leica 35mm Elmarit-R, and an adapter, enabling focusing at 0.2 meters, using authentic Leica optical glass. My first 35mm and 28mm Leica lens purchases, after I bought my first Leica M, were these modestly-priced Elmarit-R lenses. I acquired Novoflex adapters, but, the Leica purist could spend more, for Leica-branded adapters.

Edited to add: To be clear, macro photography and close-range photography are not, necessarily, the same thing. The magnification factor of macro lenses is that distinguishes them from lenses which simply have a close Minimum Focusing Distance (MFD) specification.

Edited May 30 by RexGig0