Leica MP6

This camera was the Prototype Leica MP made exclusive for the Japan Market and only 250 units made out of the factory, making it extremely rare and collectible.

The MP-6 was basically the same as a regular MP, but it comes with the classic vulcanite leather found on the older Leica cameras, a Leica Camera AG Germany engraving on the top plate and on some of the later models an M6 iso selector. These simple cosmetic differences may not sounds like much, but they really make a difference and are instantly noticeable. They set the camera apart from the regular MP.

Leica MP Anthracite

This Limited Edition Leica MP was designed exclusively for the Japanese market and limited to 600 units with only 400 actually made out of Leica factory.

Its lacquering is entirely hand-applied with Anthracite, and is resistant to abrasion. Anthracite came from Greek word, literally means "a type of coal", from Anthrax. It is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high lustre. It has the highest carbon count and contains the fewest impurities of all coals, despite its lower calorific content. It is one of my favourite Leica MP Editions.

Leica MP Olive

Leica MP Olive Set which was released to commemorating the opening of the Leica Kyoto store.

Leica MP olive set combines a Leica MP analog film camera with a 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M in silver finish and a cognac color strap. The body and the top and blase plate are made with a olive-colored finish. All operating parts are finished in silver chrome. The set is limited to 100 sets worldwide. It is one of the rarest Leica film cameras.

Leica MP Classic

​Leica MP Classic Limited Edition

Leica has produced a limited run of 500 units as the Leica MP Classic Set with Leica 50mm Summicron Anniversary Black Paint Edition Lens. The difference is mainly cosmetic with a Cassic Leica look, Black frame counter and a different ISO dial. 

Leica MP3

​LEICA MP-3 LHSA

Leica MP-3 was produced for LHSA back in 2005. The Leica MP3 retains that Classic M3 look whilst incorporating the convenience of a Leica MP body, this combination is what is making it highly desirable. Leica produced 1000 sets of the MP3 including 500 in chrome and 500 in black paint. All of the sets came in a very nice presentation box, with the camera, Leicavit winder and a Special edition 50mm Summilux APSH Lens.

The Leica MP3s are a close reproduction of the original Leica MP from the 1950s and 1960s. Only the front battery cover and the back adjusting dial for film speed indicate that the MP3 body is based upon the M6. The MP3 has the raised viewfinder window frame, extended eye bolts for attaching the strap and an external frame counter.

Leica M6 Green Paint

Leica M6 TTL Green Paint

Only 300 pieces were made comparing to the 2,000 pieces of the M6 TTL Black Paint Millennium.

Special features included:

* Green paint finish, Top and base plate are brass

* Leica Script top plate engraving

* M3 style rewind and advance lever

* Besides the usual serial number, there is also set number marked on the hot shoe "xxx-300"

Leica Camera Collectors Guide

This Collector’s Guide is a reflection of personal preferences. It contains rare and collectible limited edition Leica Cameras. The guide will be continuously updated with Leica collectibles.  

Leica Cameras

Leica KE-7A

Leica M3 Olive

Leica M6J 

Leica M6 LHSA

Leica M6 Millennium

Leica M6 Green Paint

Leica MP3

Leica MP6

Leica MP Olive

Leica MP Classic

Leica MP Titanium  

Leica MP Anthracite

Leica MP Hammertone  

Leica M3 Olive Bundeseigentum

​Leica M3 Olive Bundeseigentum Camera

The Bundeseigentum cameras produced by Leica are actually some of the rarest and most sought after of all. They were made during the period from 1957 through to 1968 and only made in very small batches for the military. This is one of the early batch with the obvoius sign of what we call "Buddha Ear" strap lugs.

According to records there were around 214 pieces made, although that is only the shipping record and it is inaccurate as there may have been a couple more that were not put on file. According to the current Leica list there are only 144 of these cameras left now.

Leica KE-7A

​Leica KE-7A with 50mm F2 Elcan Lens

The Leica KE-7A was manufactured in Canada for US Army in the 1970s and this M4 special model can withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees with dust sealed. Only 505 units were produced and 460 were acquired by the US military, identifiable as Army issue due to engravings and the rest were sold to the civilian market.

To make the military KE-7A, the company took their standard M4 beefed it up with weather sealing and a burlier shutter that could function in subzero temperatures, finished it in black chrome and removed the red dot from the front.

The Leica KE-7A was most often paired with the high performance resolving 50mm f/2 Elcan Lens. The 50mm Elcan f/2 lens uses infrared-absorbing glass made with lanthanum, a radioactive element that helps achieve an exceptionally high refractive index for heat control in making the optics. Also the 50mm Elcan lens was designed and manufactured to withstand a blast using special gaskets, which helped absorb the shock of an explosion.

Leica M6J

Leica M6J with Elmar 50mm f/2.8

The M6J is a rare special edition Leica M released in 1994 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Leica M series. The "J" stands for "Jubilee" and was manufactured to celebrate the 40 years passing since the M3 was first released. The M6J was a homage to the M3, the first model of the M series. The special edition was produced with total number of only 1640 units with 40 cameras for each year of the 40 years of M production.

They are a hybrid of the M3 and the M6 and new M6J was built into the camera body of the M3. It has the heft and solid feel of the M3 as mainly due to the fact that the M6J was actually built with a lot of the original M3 components. The M6J's viewfinder magnification was increased to 0.85x – bringing it very close to the 0.91x magnification of the popular viewfinder of the M3. Its illuminated framelines were borrowed from the M4, with the viewfinder being adapted to the focal lengths of 35, 50, 90 and 135 mm.

Angenieux P2 100mm F2.5 Lens

The extremely rare Angenieux P2 100mm F2.5, the little brother to the ultra rare Angenieux S3 100mm F2 and even less frequently available on the market. If you don’t have the big budget of $50,000+ for the Angenieux S3, then the Angenieux P2 is a great alternative at one third of the price.

Gallery 

Konica Hexanon 60mm F1.2 Lens (Compared with Konica 50mm F1.2)

Konica Hexanon 60mm F1.2 LTM 

The Konica Hexanon 60mm F1.2 has always been one of my dream lenses. It is a very rare lens with a limited production number of only 800 units worldwide. The unique focal length of 60mm with a large aperture of f/1.2 making this lens very special, which is the only 60mm f/1.2 lens ever made for any rangefinder cameras.

The Konica Hexanon 60mm F1.2 lens is offered in the original version with L-Mount back in 1955 or the revised modern version with LTM Mount in 1999. Both versions can be easily adapted to Leica M or other mounts using the right adapter.

Build Quality

The build quality of the Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2 lens is excellent and on par with some of Leica lenses. The build quality is very similar to its little brother, the Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 lens but it is finished in matte black paint barrel with a chrome front rim.

The Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2 lens is relatively smaller size and light weight compared to other similar ultra fast lenses. The lens weights almost the same as the Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 at just over 400 grams for such large aperture lens. The focus ring feels buttery smooth when turning and the aperture ring clicks solidly in place with half stop increments.

Image Quality

The Image Quality of Konica Hexanon 60mm f/1.2 is nothing short of amazing. The lens produces medium to high contrast, excellent colour saturation with very smooth and pleasant bokeh. When shooting wide open, it is extremely sharp with great three dimensional image pop.

This Lens has Dual Characters

1) Under Normal or Not Ideal Lighting Conditions: It renders just like the Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 Lens with similar signature especially in low light or cloudy environment.

2) Under Great or Ideal Lighting Conditions: It renders like Oil Painting with vivid colours and extremely pleasant background under sunny or well-lit environment.

Specifications

Lens Mount: L39 | LTM

Production Year: 1955 | 1999

LTM Mount

Construction: 7 Elements / 6 Groups

Diaphragm: 10 Aperture Blades

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1.2 - F16

Closet Focusing Distance: 0.8m

Filter Size: 58mm

Weight: 410g

The Full Set Includes:

• Konica Hexanon 60mm F/1.2 LTM
• Chrome Auxiliary Viewfinder (KONICA 60)
• Chrome Konica UV Filter
• Black Vented Lens Hood (KONICA HEXANON 1.2/60 JAPAN)
• Black Front Cap and Rear Cap (HEXANON)

Gallery 

Angenieux M1 50mm F0.95 Lens

Angenieux is a French cinematic optics manufacturer founded in 1936. It has made lenses for still and movie cameras, and for military applications.

The ultra fast Angenieux 50mm F0.95 movie camera lens has increasing popularity in the past decade through the adaptability of cine lenses onto new digital camera systems including conversion to use on Leica M.

Comparable Lenses

Canon 50mm F0.95 (1961)

Schneider Xenon 50mm F0.95 (1970)

Leica Noctilux 50mm F1 (1975)

Leica Noctilux 50mm F0.95 (2008)

Rendering

The Angenieux 50mm F0.95 was originally designed as a Cine lens and it does not fully cover the 35mm full frame. It offers signature Angenieux colour and bokeh, which is vividly romantic with a strong movie mood. It is sharp wide open as all other pre-aspherical ultra fast lenses without visible glow or prone to flares. The lens produces medium contrast with high cinematic rendering.

Modification

The Angenieux 50mm F0.95 can be adapted to be used on modern digital camera systems such as Micro Four Third and Sony NEX. It can also be physically converted to Leica M Mount through the additions of an aperture ring, diaphragm blades to control apertures, focusing barrel and a new heilcoid to allow full functionality on Leica Rangefinders.

Leica M Modifications can be done by the following skilled technicians:

-Miyazaki San (Japan)

-Traditional Master (Hong Kong)

-Hawks Factory (Taiwan)

Gallery 

Kinoptik Apochromat 75mm F2 Lens

Kinoptik is a French cinematic optics manufacturer founded by Georges Grosset and Gerozes Perthuis in 1932. The Kinoptik Apochromat lens series has excellent apochromatic optical design and also benefits from the symmetrical Double Guass lens construction, which results extreme high resolution with rich colour saturation and unique bokeh.

Versions:

1. FOYER
2. FOCALE
3. APO

Specifications

Production Year: 1944 onwards

Construction: 6 Elements / 4 Groups

Diaphragm: 16 Blades

Design Features: 

• Double Gauss

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F2 - F16

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

Weight: 490g

Gallery

Leica Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 ASPH Lens Review (Compared with 50mm F0.95 Noctilux)

Leica is known to make some of the best lenses in the world with Noctilux been their flagship lens. The Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH Lens is a significant milestone for Leica Camera AG, as it is Leica’s first attempt to produce the Noctilux for another focal length apart from the world renowned Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux ASPH Lens. The Noctilux has always been the King of all Leica lenses and it symbolises an object of desire that will remains a dream for most photographers.

First Impressions

The Leica Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 ASPH Lens is the most expensive on-going production lens by Leica with a staggering price of $12,795. I am lucky to be the first customer delivered with this amazing lens in Australia.

The Leica Noctilux-M 75mm F1.25 ASPH Lens is not as large or heavy as I would expect. It shares the same lens design as the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux ASPH M Lens, it is basically the taller and bigger version of the 50mm Noctilux.

The 75mm Noctilux has similar black anodised finish but is larger in diameter and longer in length in comparison. It is only when you put the lenses together side by side that you can see the size and weight differences. The build quality is impeccable just like the 50mm Noctilux, which represents one of the most well made lens by Leica. The built in hood design is different, it has the twisting hood on the 50mm Summicron APO rather than the sliding hood on the 50mm Noctilux, which allows it to lock in position better.

Lens Design

The Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH Lens incorporates the latest optical design elements to maximise image performance. The complicated optical composition involves two aspherical elements to ensure maximum sharpness and low dispersion. The use of low dispersion glass along with anomalous partial dispersion helps with the reduction of chromatic aberration (CA), which has been a common issue with the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux Lens. The floating lens element system also assists with maintaining consistent high image quality throughout the entire focus range. Lastly, the optical design consists of 11 diaphragm blades allows smooth and pleasant bokeh to be produced.

Build Quality  

The Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH Lens is an enlarged version of the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux ASPH Lens with similar build quality. Both lenses are probably the best lenses ever made by Leica, with The 75mm Noctilux been the larger and heavier lens. The lens is longer in length and wider in diameter, which weights in at just over one kilogram that is exceptionally heavy for a rangefinder lens.

The Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH Lens is finished in black anodized with integrated hood that can be retracted or extended by twisting the hood. There is inner thread for a non rotating 67mm screw mount filter that can be applied.

Image Quality 

The Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH Lens has Modern Rendering similar to the The Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH Lens but with slightly less Contrast and Colour Saturation. Both lenses are Clinical Sharp but the the Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH has the edge in Sharpness when shooting wide open. The Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH produces shallower depth of field with exceptionally smooth and creamy bokeh, resulting stunning performance for portraits. 

There are less Optical issues with the Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH lens due to the Newer lens design. Chromatic aberration or Purple fringing is non existent and Vignetting is non visible when shot wide open, which is a significant optical improvement over the previous generations of Noctilux.

Rendering

After extensive use of this lens, it can be notice that the rendering is dependent on a combination of factors including the subject, the background and lighting conditions.

Dual Character: The Leica 75mm Noctilux can produce natural, smooth and pleasant renderings similar to fast 75mm lenses such as 75mm Summilux or 75mm Summicron APO. The lens can also produce three dimensional high contrast and colour saturated renderings similar to 50mm Noctilux ASPH or even 50mm Summicron APO. The only way to achieve the photographers “desired look” is by keep shooting under different variations or conditions whether it is for portraiture or street photography.

Practical Use 

The Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH Lens is an ultra fast telephoto lens with ability to produce shallow depth of field and unique rendering to isolate the subject even in low light conditions. The short telephoto focal length is perfect for portraiture and allows to take street photography without disturbing the subject.

Focusing with this lens is relatively easy with modern camera technology aids such as live view with focus peaking and high resolution electronic viewfinder. Traditional method of focusing through the rangefinder is also precise with a highly calibrated lens copy. The focus ring is exceptionally smooth with short focus throw and the aperture ring clicks in place half or full stops.

The Leica Noctilux-M 75 mm f/1.25 ASPH Lens is too heavy to be handheld for prolonged use, as it is extremely front heavy when mounted on Leica M Rangefinders. For the first time, there is a tripod mount on the lens body and it comes with a tripod adapter for mounting the lens directly onto tripods for maximum stability.

Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M

VS

Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux-M

Physical

The physical differences is obvious with the Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH been the larger and heavier lens of the two. The Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH measured at H91mm x W74mm, which is taller and slightly wider than the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH measured at H75mm x W73mm. The 75mm Noctilux is about 300 grams heavier at 1055g compared to 700g weight of the 50mm Noctilux. The build finish for both lenses is black anodized but the retractable hood design is different, as the 75mm Noctilux has twisting out hood compared to the 50mm Noctilux with sliding out hood design. 

Imaging

The Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH has a maximum aperture of F1.25 whereas the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH has a maximum aperture of F0.95. However, due to the longer focal length of the Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH and shorter minimum focusing distance at 0.85m resulting both lenses with similar shallow depth of field. Bokeh produced by both lenses are exceptionally smooth and pleasant with the 75mm Noctilux offers even smoother bokeh due to the design with 11 diaphragm blades, as the number of diaphragm blades is not specified for the 50mm Noctilux.

The Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux-M ASPH Lens released in 2018 has the benefit of the latest optical technology compared to the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH designed almost a decade ago back in 2008. The Lens design is very similar for both Noctilux incorporating complicated optical composition with two aspherical elements to ensure maximum sharpness and optimal performance. As a result, the sharpness is equivalent but the chromatic aberration is significantly reduced on the 75mm Noctilux. Chromatic aberration or purple fringing was a common issue for the 50mm Noctilux and this has been solved with the newer lens design consisting of low dispersion glass and anomalous partial dispersion.

Justification 

Since I have been a long time user of the Leica 50mm F1.4 Summilux ASPH Lens that shared many similarities with it’s bigger brother, the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux ASPH Lens. Whereas the Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux ASPH Lens is an entirely different focal length with improved lens design.

During practical use, the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux Lens provides marginal improvement in optical performance over the amazing Leica 50mm F1.4 Summilux Lens but at a significant increase in size and weight. In contrast, the Leica 75mm F1.25 Noctilux Lens not only provides a different focal length to the Leica 50mm F0.95 Noctilux Lens but with improved sharpness and bokeh quality especially when shooting wide open. 

Sample Testing

(Bokeh vs Sharpness) 

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Summary 

Extremely fast maximum aperture of F1.25 with incredible control over shallow depth of field and benefit using in extreme low light conditions.

The short telephoto focal length of 75mm is suitable for people images and portraiture with the manipulation of extreme depth of field when shooting wide open.  

The lens design features allow extreme sharpness with minimum chromatic aberration or purple fringing. Rare design incorporating two large aspherical elements for improved sharpness and reduce distortion. The diaphragm with 11 blades allows smooth and pleasant bokeh to be produced.

Practical design with twisting extendable lens hood to reduce lens flares. A tripod mount is inclusive within the lens to compensate for the heavy weight and stability when shooting from a tripod.

Specifications  

Lens Mount:  Leica M

Production Year:  2018

Construction:  9 Elements / 6 Groups

Diaphragm:  11 Blades

Design Features: 

• Two Aspherical Elements
• Anomalous Partial / Low Dispersion Glass
• Floating Elements System

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:   F1.25 - F16

Closet Focusing Distance:  0.85m

Filter Size:  67mm

Dimensions (Length x Width):

91mm x 74mm

Weight:  1055g

Gallery 

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

B&W PHOTOGRAPHY

NATURE

PORTRAIT

Leica M10 Camera Review

The Leica M10 is an evolutionary camera for long time Leica users. It is getting back to basics shooting with similar style to Leica film cameras with integration of modern technology.

Comparison  

The Leica M9 was the landmark for Leica’s transition into digital photography and it was so intuitive to use like all Leica film cameras. However, with the introduction of the Leica M Typ240 as a revolutionary approach to fully embrace photography technology, it felt like Leica has lost its soul and essence during the process. The Leica M Typ240 with those extra technological features was an interference to pure shooting and the camera became inconvenient to carry, as it feels bulky and heavy compared to all previous Leica M. The Leica M10 improves on the practicality and physical aspects of the Leica M Typ240 significantly.

Build Quality and Ergonomics

The Leica M10 is build with similar dimensions to Leica M film cameras. Both the size and weight of the Leica M10 is astonishing close to the Leica MP and this is difficult to achieve for a modern digital rangefinder. The build quality is extremely solid and well made like all other Leica M cameras but it feels more compact and lighter than previous Leica digital rangefinders.

The ergonomics of the Leica M10 is excellent, it feels intuitive in the hands and makes the photographer wants to hold it. The relocation of the iso dial onto top of the camera similar to the film rewind knob is a nostalgic touch for traditional Leica users. The reduction of dials and buttons to only essentials combined with the removal of movie function brings back the essence of pure shooting.

Image Quality and Practicality

The Leica M10 uses the latest 24MP CMOS sensor developed especially for Leica. The transitioning from full frame CCD sensor in the Leica M9 to the CMOS sensor in the Leica M Typ240 has been controversial and it wasn’t until arrival of the Leica M10 that rectify it. The sensor in the Leica M10 retained similar rendering of the CCD sensor and provided high iso capability of the CMOS sensor. The new sensor produces great colours and contrast that has the ability to shoot up to 10,000 iso without any visible noise.

Everything you need to adjust in order to take a proper photograph is at the reach of fingertips. Once the settings are preset within the menu, there is no need to touch them again as all essential adjustments (aperture, focus and iso) can be selected externally and independently. This makes the Leica M10 the most functional and practical digital rangefinder until now.

Key Highlights

• 24MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
• Leica Maestro II Image Processor
• Optical 0.73x-Magnification Viewfinder
• 3.0" 1.04m-Dot LCD with Gorilla Glass
• ISO 100-50000, Up to 5 fps Shooting
• Built-In Wi-Fi
• Slimmer Body Profile
• Stills-Only Operation
• Built-In ISO Dial & Frame Line Selector
• Weather-Resistant Brass Construction

Specifications

Physical

Dimensions (W x H x D):  

139.0 x 80.0 x 38.5 mm

Weight:  660 g with battery

Imaging
Lens Mount:  Leica M

Camera Format:  Full-Frame  

Max Resolution:  5976 x 3992

Sensor Type / Size:  

24 Megapixel CMOS, 24 x 36 mm

File Formats:  DNG, JPEG

Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 | Fujinon 50mm F1.2 LTM Lens

The Fujinon 5cm f1.2 lens is an urban myth in the world of ultra fast lenses. It is seldomly seen and there is little information written on this highly collectible and ultra rare beauty.

This lens is commonly known as the Fujinon 50mm F1.2 LTM lens that is capable of competing against the Legendary Japanese ultra fast lenses such as the Canon 50mm F0.95, Zunow 50mm F1.1 or Nikkor 50mm F1.1 LTM lens.

Production Versions

• LTM Mount in Black & Chrome Version (Less than 800 units)
• Nikon S Mount (Less than 50 units)

Most of the Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 lens was offered in Leica Screw Mount in either Chrome or Black finishes. Fujinon also produced a few in Nikon S Mount for Nikon Rangefinders, which is reviewed here but they are never seen on the market and hidden away in cabinets by true collectors.

Build Quality 

The Fujinon 50mm F1.2 LTM is a compact lens for its fast aperture and the weight of the lens is relatively light. It is solid all metal construction but subpar compared to modern Leica lenses build quality. It balances well on Leica M Rangefinders due to its compact and solid lens body.

Image Quality

The Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 offers spectacular image performance for a vintage ultra fast lens. When shooting at maximum aperture  of F1.2, the bokeh is exceptionally smooth and the rendering is very pleasant. The colour rendition of the Fujinon is towards the natural side with typical Fujifilm signature and the contrast produced is excellent as well.

There is no present chromatic aberration but the lens exhibits slight vignetting when shooting wide open due to been a vintage lens design. However, the sharpness increases significantly and vignetting goes completely away when reaching aperture of f4 or greater. Overall, the Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 provides stellar optical performance and produces eye-pleasing images. 

Practical Use

The Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 lens reviewed here is in Nikon S Mount originally designed to be used on Nikon Rangefinders. However, through a custom made Nikon S to M Mount adapter by Amedeo, the lens will work flawlessly on Leica M Rangefinders. The Amedeo adapter is made with full brass and six bit coded with capability for rangefinder coupling.

The focus ring is very smooth when turning during practical use. The aperture ring does not have clicks when selecting the aperture like modern Leica lenses and turning feels towards the loose end. 

Specifications

Lens Mount: LTM | Nikon S

Production Year: 1954

Construction: 8 Elements / 4 Groups

Diaphragm: 12 Blades

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1.2 - F16

Filter Size: 58mm

Weight: Nikon S / 305g | LTM / 403g

Conclusion

The Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 lens is another legendary lens made in Japan by Fuji back in the 1950 to 1960s during the competition to produce world’s fastest lens along with Zunow, Canon and Nikon. It is even more rarer and seldom seen, which makes the lens most desirable among the world of ultra fast lenses.

Zeiss Hologon 15mm F8 for Leica M

The Zeiss Hologon 15mm F8 is a legendary wide angle lens. It is ultra rare as only 225 sets ever produced for Leica M Cameras. The Zeiss Hologon was released in the 1960s and the original 15mm F8 lens was made as a fixed ultra wide angle lens for the Hologon camera. Leica converted the remaining Hologon lenses to M-Mount in 1972, which was the widest angle lens available for Leica M Rangefinders.

Build Quality

The Zeiss Hologon 15mm F8 for Leica M is an incredibly small and thin lens. The size of the Hologon lens is almost identical to a regular metal cap for Leica M Cameras. The lens is made of full metal and has hefty weight when held in hands. It is still solidly built and well constructed but you wouldn’t notice its weight when mounted on the camera.

Image Quality

The Zeiss Hologon 15mm F8 was the widest angle lens at the time and obtained legendary status in the world of wide angles due to its amazing optical performance. The Hologon lens offers 110° diagonal angle of view and capable of handling strong glare. The lens delivers extremely high resolution across the field along with great contrast and colour rendition.

There is barely any visible distortion and the edge distortion is minimal. This is almost impossible to achieve for ultra wide angle lenses thatmade possible by a tight tolerance lens construction, which consists of a triplet lens design formula combining with an incredible minimal back focusing distance to ensure perfect optical performance.

Practical Use

The Zeiss 15mm Hologon feels almost non-existent when mounted on Leica M Rangefinders. It is incredibly tiny and thin but you wouldn’t have issues turning the focus ring. There are two metal bars on the top and bottom of the lens, the top section is marked by a white central dot with white metric scale and the bottom section is marked by a red central dot with red distance scale measured in feet. The focus turns in both directions and the turning motion is exceptionally smooth.

The Hologon lens set comes with a Graduated Centre Filter and an Optical Viewfinder. The optical viewfinder provides the exact 15mm frame line required to compose accurately. The graduated centre filter is effective to reduce the vignetting and chromatic aberration of this ultra wide angle lens.

Specifications

Lens Mount: Leica M

Production Years: 1960s - 70s

Construction: 3 Elements / 3 Groups

Fixed Aperture:  F8

Closet Focusing Distance: 0.2m (Non RF Coupled)

Filter: Graduated Centre Filter

Versions:

1. Zeiss Hologon 15mm F8 Original Fixed Lens for Hologon Camera

2. Zeiss Hologon 15mm F8 for Leica M

3. Zeiss Hologon 16mm F8 for Contax G

Comparison

The differences between the original 15mm f8 hologon and the hologon for Leica M remains cosmetic rather than optical. Both versions maintained the same optics but there are slight differences in the appearance. The Hologon for Leica M version uses red coloured scales and the distance scale is provided at the opposite end. The Hologon for Leica M also comes with accessories of separate optical viewfinder and graduated centre filter made by Leica as standard.

The 16mm F8 Hologon was reintroduced in the 1990s for Contax G series cameras. The focal length has been increased marginally from 15mm to 16mm and the aperture remained the same at fixed f8. The Lens was produced in both black and silver finishes, supplied with modern bubble optical viewfinder and a rectangular graduated centre filter as standard accessories. The optical construction for 16mm F8 hologon has been modified with 5 elements in 3 groups compared to the original lens design consisting of 3 elements. The lens coating on the 16mm f8 hologon has also been improved with modern T* coating by Zeiss.

Conclusion

The Zeiss 15mm F8 Hologon for Leica M is a legendary lens in the world of wide angle lenses. Due to its rarity and astonishing optical performance, it remains as the most desirable and high collectible ultra wide angle lens among Leica users today. Keep in mind during practical use, this lens benefits the most when using on Film Leicas or shooting monochrome on Digital Leica Cameras.

Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 M Lens

Konica released a limited edition set consisting of a Konica Hexar Rangefinder Camera with the Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 M lens back in 2001 to celebrate the new millennium with a total limited number of 2001 sets produced. It is a rare occasion to see the lens separated from the set hence few information dedicated to the Konica 50mm F1.2 lens.

Build Quality

The Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 M Lens has excellent build quality. It is made from all solid metal construction with a bronze brass finish. It feels nice in the hands for a lens made in Japan but not as well as some lenses made by Leica Germany. The lens feels more compact and lighter than similar ultra fast lenses for Leica M.

Image Quality

The Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 M is an amazing ultra fast lens, it’s bokeh is very smooth for out of focus areas and extremely creamy when shooting wide open at its maximum aperture of f1.2. The lens sharpens up at f2.8 and beyond, which reaches maximum sharpness at f8.

The rendering has the best of Japanese lenses that produce natural and eye-pleasing images. The colour rendition and contrast are excellent, which is not too heavy with tendency to the natural side. The Konica 50mm F1.2 has the best qualities of modern lenses.

Practical Use

Konica 50mm F1.2 lens balances exceptionally well on Leica M Rangefinders. The aperture ring clicks in place nicely and the focusing ring is very smooth, even turns faster than most Leica lenses during practical use.

There is no viewfinder blockage with the lens alone. However, there is certain intrusive blockage with the large lens hood installed and quite intimidating to subjects during actual shooting.

Specifications

Lens Mount: Leica M

Production Year: 2001

Construction: 7 Elements / 6 Groups

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1.2 - F16

Closet Focusing Distance: 0.9m

Filter Size: 62mm

Weight: 390g

Conclusion

The Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.2 is a modern ultra fast prime for rangefinders that provides exceptional image rendering qualities as an alternative to similar Leica lenses.

Fujinon 5cm f/2 | Fujinon 50mm F2 LTM Lens

The Fujinon 5cm f/2 is a rare lens released in Japan, nowadays commonly known as Fujifilm or Fuji 50mm F2 lens offered in original Leica L39 screw mount with rangefinder coupling capability. This lens was supplied as a standard lens of Leotax from 1957 to 1985.

Build Quality

The Fujinon 50mm F2 LTM is a relatively large lens for its maximum aperture of f2 and it is equivalent to some f1.4 vintage lenses in terms of size. There are two production types with later models offered with a focusing lever. The lens had a black paint barrel design along with a chrome ring on top.

Image Quality

The Fujinon 5cm f/2 lens is a stellar performer, it offers high image resolution and great optical performance. There is a tendency to flare wide open at f2 but when steps down to f4 and beyond, the sharpness increases significantly and image rendering is equally pleasant.

It is uncommon for a lens produced in 1950s to flare at f2. However, when narrow down f2.8 the flare suddenly disappears and the resolution is very high. The out of focus area rendering is both natural and eye-pleasing. In addition, the contrast and colour rendition is towards the lower side with signature Fuji colours.

Fujinon 5cm F2 vs Fujinon 5cm F2.8

The Fujinon 5cm F2.8 is much smaller and lighter than the bigger brother Fujinon 5cm F2 LTM lens. It is still well constructed yet feels incredibly small in the hands, as it’s relatively compact compared to the Fujinon 5cm F2 lens.

The Fujinon 5cm F2.8 LTM lens is a step down in terms of maximum aperture but still renders very similar to the Fujinon 5cm F2 lens. When shot wide open, it’s out of focus area isn’t as creamy but very pleasing to the eyes. At aperture beyond F4, both lens produces classic image with signature Fuji colours.

Specifications

Lens Mount: Leica Thread Mount | LTM

Production Years: 1950s

Production Numbers: 5000+ units

Construction: 6 Elements / 5 Groups

Diaphragm: 10 Blades

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F2 - F22

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

Filter Size: 43mm

Conclusion

The Fujinon 5cm F2 LTM is a rare lens that produces high resolution images with classic rendering in a fast maximum aperture at F2. It is a vintage lens design from the 1950s that offers the complete package as a classic daily lens with stellar optical performance.