Zhao Zhenguo, Author at i35mm

Voigtlander Bessa R2a

Shrewd and capable indeed

The reason why Voigtlander is still alive is that it is smart not to directly compete for Leica users, but to make up for the low-end market that Leica does not want. Voigtlander is Leica’s entry-level product, because Leica itself does not produce entry-level products. Although many people say that second-hand Leica is the entry-level product for Leica, not everyone likes to buy second-hand lenses. But that’s where Voigtlander comes in! It’s the perfect solution for anyone looking for a great camera at an affordable price. After all, second-hand stuff may have unknown problems, but Voigtlander is targeting this market and they’re doing a great job of it!

The Voigtlander M-mount lens is similar to the Leica in terms of specs, but it costs about one-tenth as much. Plus, the Voigtländer Bessa has a bunch of limited editions in special colors that are pretty cool. A lot of people buy Voigtlander fuselages because of the colorful fuselages. My favorite is the gray painted version because the Bessa’s leather trim is black, and it goes well with gray.

The German Voigtlander Bessa II was a big hit back in the day, but it’s since faded into obscurity. These days, the Voigtlander brand is owned by Cosina in Japan, where all new products are made. Needless to say, Voigtlander products still have a lot going for them.

What sets the Voigtländer Bessa R2a apart from the Leica M?

The Leica viewfinder frame is controlled by a complex and precise mechanical system, which allows it to automatically select the frame according to the lens in use. In contrast, the Voigtlander frame is selected manually and does not have automatic adjustment functions, which allows the manufacturer to save costs.
The shutter speed is a crucial parameter in photography. The maximum shutter speed of the Voigtlander is twice that of the Leica, at 1/2000.
It is evident that the metal shutter utilized by Voigtlander is naturally louder than that of the Leica.
With regard to the issue of the focus baseline being shorter than that of the Leica and the resulting lack of accuracy, it is important to note that this is not a problem that is apparent in actual use.

The Voigtlander Bessa cameras, manufactured in Japan, are compatible with Leica L39 lenses and M lenses. The specific models of these fuselages are as follows:
Bessa-L, Bessa-T, Bessa-R, Bessa-R2, Bessa-R2S, Bessa-R2C, BessaR2A, Bessa-R3A, Bessa-R2M, Bessa-R3M, Bessa-R4M, Bessa-R4A, Rollei 35RF.

The nomenclature employed in the designation of the model allows us to discern its principal characteristics. The camera with the letter “A” is an electronic shutter camera with an A-speed aperture priority setting. The camera with the letter “M” is a fully manual mechanical shutter camera. Furthermore, it can be inferred that, in the absence of the letter “A,” the camera is fully manual and operates with a mechanical shutter. In addition, the following features are noteworthy:
Bessa-L, no viewfinder, L39 port,
Bessa-T, no viewfinder, M mount,
Bessa-R, with viewfinder, L39 port, wire frame 35, 90, 50, 75
Bessa-R2, with viewfinder, M-mount, wireframe 35, 90, 50, 75
Rollei 35 RF, R2 Rollei version M port, wireframe 40, 50, 80
Bessa-R2S, Nikon s rangefinder version S-mount, wireframe 35, 50, 85
Bessa-R2C, Contax rangefinder version C-mount, wireframe 35, 50, 85
Bessa-R2A, with viewfinder, M-mount, wireframe 35, 90, 50, 75
Bessa-R3A, with viewfinder, M-mount, wireframe 45, 50, 75, 90
Bessa-R2M, with viewfinder, M-mount, wireframe 35, 90, 50, 75
Bessa-R3M, with viewfinder, M-mount, wireframe 45, 50, 75, 90
Bessa-R4A, with viewfinder, M-mount, wireframe 21, 25, 28, 35, 50
Bessa-R4M, with viewfinder, M-mount, wireframe 21, 25, 28, 35, 50
Summarize

If you’re looking for a great deal on a high-quality lens and body, look no further than Voigtlander! Both the lens and the body are fantastic, and at such an affordable price, it’s a no-brainer.

Leica IIIG

Old Camera

The passage of time has made people forget about film photography, but I still enjoy using old cameras. They remind me to enjoy the present, which is the best day. I take photos on the streets with my Leica IIIG, a retro mechanical camera. When I hold it up, people recognize it for what it is and aren’t offended. Maybe this old camera will remind people that time flies and things change, and that they should enjoy what they have right now.

old-fashioned

These days, mobile phone photography is pretty impressive. Even the compact Leica M camera seems a bit outdated. But I still prefer using my Leica IIIG for its retro style. Even though photography isn’t as cutting-edge as it used to be, I still love it and appreciate the classic Leica. My Leica IIIG camera is in perfect condition, and I can only imagine how much its previous owner cherished it.

street photography

Street photography is all about having the right camera for the job. The equipment you use makes a big difference to the photos you take. People react differently to different cameras, which is an important part of street photography. The retro iiig style often gets a knowing smile from passers-by and is rarely rejected.

Leica IIIG

The Leica M3 came out in 1955, followed by the IIIG in 1956. The IIIG was in production until 1960. As Leica M-mount lenses were developed, Leica screw mounts gradually fell out of favor and were phased out of the market. The Leica L39 mount camera is a classic Leica.

The IIIG is the last Leica L39 mount camera. It has a lot in common with the M3. This camera has a lot of fans, and some people even use it with Leica M mount lenses. Some people even think that Leica should make a digital camera based on the iiig.

What’s the difference between iiig and m3?

The iiig has two observation windows: one for framing and the other for focusing. The Leica M3 puts the viewfinder and focus in one window.

The iiig has two shutter speed dials, one for high speed and one for slow shutter. The Leica M3 has a single dial for the shutter speed and slow speed settings.

But the IIIG is just as good as the M3. For many people, the IIIG also has some features that are pretty hard to beat:

The extra-large magnification focusing window makes it easy to focus with a 90mm lens.

It’s super lightweight and doesn’t feel heavy when you’re wearing it around your neck or in your pocket. This is what Leica is all about.

You can’t adjust the diopter on the M camera, but you can on the iiig, which is really useful when focusing on the macula.

90mm lens

I like to use it with the Elmar 90mm f/4 lens. The Leica M model isn’t as good as the iiig for focusing at 90mm.

50mm lens

I like to use the Leica iiig with the Leica Summaron 50 f/2 lens. They have a nice balance and fit in well with the overall design. This kind of camera makes you feel like you’re holding something special when you hold it in your hand.

Voigtlander Nokton Classic 35mm F1.4 II VM

Leica isn’t the only brand offering M-mount lenses. Some other companies have also launched lenses for the Leica M. In the days of film, some Japanese lens manufacturers would make their best lenses into Leica mounts. For instance, there’s the Konica Hexanon 28mm 2.8, the Konica Hexanon 50mm 2, the Konica Hexanon 28mm 2.8, the Konica Hexanon 50mm 2.4 limited edition, the Konica Hexanon 35mm 2 limited edition, the Konica Hexanon 60mm 1.2 limited edition, the Konica Hexanon 50mm 1.2 limited edition, the Konica Card Hexanon dual 21-35 3.4-4 dual focus head limited edition. Also, we have the Minolta M-RIKKOR 40mm 2, the Minolta M-RIKKOR 28 2.8, and the Minolta M-RIKKOR 90 2.8. There are also the Ricoh GR 28mm 2.8 L39 limited edition and the Ricoh GR 21mm 2.8 L39 limited edition. There are also Rollei Sonnar 40mm 2.8 L39 Limited Edition, Rollei Planar 80mm 2.8 L39 Limited Edition, Minolta G-Rokkor 28mm 3.5 Limited Edition, Pentax Pentax 43mm 1.9 L39 Limited Edition, and so on. Today, I want to talk about Voigtlander’s 35mm 1.4 lens.

The Voigtlander M-mount 28mm f2 lens I have used has distortion, and this 35 1.4 lens also has distortion, especially when compared with the original Leica 35mm lens. This kind of distortion will not always be noticed by you. It can only make you feel a little unnatural under certain circumstances. If you use Leica lenses for a long time, you will have a mental expectation of the photos you take. If the expectation of Leica lenses is 90 points, then if you switch to Voigtlander, I will adjust it to 60 points. Hey, this is the feeling, you can’t The standards for Leica require Voigtlander.

It’s not a Leica. The details in the dark areas aren’t as sharp, the grayscale isn’t as natural as the Leica, the highlights are easily uncontrollable, and the performance on a digital camera isn’t as good as on film. But the price of the Voigtlander vm35 1.4 is very attractive, and what’s even more attractive is its appearance. It looks exactly like the Leica summilux 35 1.4 first edition.

I’ve found that the multi-coated version of the Voigtländer vm35 1.4 mc doesn’t quite match the color quality of the Leica summilux 35mm and Zeiss zm 35mm 1.4. The color is a bit unnatural. The single-layer coated version of the Voigtländer vm35 1.4 sc is great for shooting black and white, and it’s really good for shooting black and white film.

I wouldn’t recommend that Leica M users start with the Voigtlander vm35 1.4 as their first lens. It doesn’t match up to any Leica 35mm lens, and you can’t appreciate the wide-angle advantage of Leica rangefinder cameras. On the other hand, if you already have a bunch of Leica 35mm lenses but like the way the Voigtlander VM 35mm f/1.4 Nokton Classic looks, then I think you can go for it.

Leica Summicron-C 40mm f2 / minolta m-rokkor 40 f2

This 40mm lens from Leica is one that gets overlooked a lot. I actually enjoy using it for photography. And its imaging is also in line with Leica’s color style.

This lens was designed by Leica for use with Leica CL film cameras and is designed to be portable. There are three versions in total, and the optics are basically the same. The 40mm viewfinder range is between 35mm and 50mm, which might seem a bit weird for some people.

The workmanship of this lens is average, whether it’s the Minolta version or the Leica version. It’s not as good as the Leica Summicron 35mm lens. The good news is that the price is pretty reasonable. People say this lens isn’t great in bright light. It’s not ideal to face the light directly in front of the lens.

The Minolta 40/2 Rokkor is basically the same as the Leica Summicron-C. You can use this lens just like you would use a Leica. In fact, it’s just as sharp in the center as the Leica Summicron 35, and the color is similar too. However, the sharpness of the image does decrease quite a bit at the corners of the maximum aperture. I’m not too concerned about the slight blurring at the corners. The blurring creates a special hazy atmosphere. However, it’s best to avoid leaves and branches when choosing a background, as the blur will look messy and unflattering.

The Leica CL is a unique addition to Leica history. Designed by Leica and produced in Osaka, Japan. It comes with two lenses: a 40mm and a 90mm, both of which are true to the Leica style. Unfortunately, the CL was only produced for three years before it was discontinued.

Normally, the Leica CL is also seen as part of the Leica M camera family. To keep the weight down, this 40/2 lens has a simplified thread pitch design, so the focusing accuracy isn’t as good as a normal M lens. But for a Leica lens with an f2 aperture, it’s definitely worth it.

LEICA SUMMAR 50mm f/2

This lens was designed by Berek, the first designer of Leica, back in 1933. At the time, it was mainly designed to go up against Zeiss’ Sonnar lens. Leica Summar 50/f2 is produced in quite a lot. Because they’re so old, these lenses almost all need some maintenance. The good news is that it’s a great deal.

The glass on Summar’s camera is pretty soft, so it’s prone to scratches, which will reduce contrast. The matte paint inside the lens is also peeling off, which will also reduce contrast, so it’s probably best to use Summary for black and white photos. If you don’t have this mindset, it’s probably best to avoid using Summary.

When the Leica Summar50 is set to f2, it produces a blurry light at the edge of the highlight ratio, but some people like this feature. They say it’s a hazy, romantic look. This kind of light diffusion and infiltration effect can’t be achieved with software. The Summar disperses intense light throughout the entire image without overexposing any area, giving it a warm, charming tone.

The summar have a surprisingly high center sharpness, but it’s not the kind of sharpness you’d expect in a modern lens. The details are very rich and delicate. This lens is great for capturing elegant and romantic portraits. It creates a soft, atmospheric effect, which means you’re not just capturing an image, but an emotion.

The double Gaussian structure of Summar 50 uses six pieces of glass, while the Tiansai structure of Elmar 50mm 3.5 uses four pieces of glass. Adding more glass will reduce contrast and make it easier to glare. The double Gaussian lens requires more coating than the Tiansai lens. It’s still too early for the Summar lens to be coated, so the contrast is smaller than with the Tiansai lens.

The 1933 non-retractable Rigid version was produced in fewer than 2,000 pieces. Agfa also made a custom version (the aperture ring is notched), a folding version, a nickel version, a chrome version, a black version (the front ring is black), and different versions in meters and feet.

The Summar50 f2 is a pretty unique lens. The in-focus shots have a warm quality, while the out-of-focus shots have a romantic feel. If you don’t mind the quality, try it on the digital Leica M11 and you won’t be disappointed.

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 f/1.2 ASPH

The 50mm lens is great for telling a story and making people stand out from the environment. The Leica Noctilux 50 1.2 is great for separating people from their surroundings, but it’s best for full-body portraits. This lens isn’t ideal for half-length portraits. The lack of clarity makes it difficult to distinguish between the half-length portrait and the environment. It’s not as good as the Summicron 50 f/2 V4 and the Summilux 50 1.4 pre-asph. I think shooting full-body portraits is the best way to use the Noctilux 50 1.2.

I was a bit underwhelmed by the Leica Noctilux 1.2 replica at first. When I set the aperture to 1.2, it wasn’t as good as the Noctilux 50 0.95. But later on, I found that when shooting full-body portraits with the Noctilux 50 1.2 Asph, a vortex of clarity and blur was formed in the center of the picture. It really brings out the sharpness in the focus, and it creates a kind of quiet, mysterious blur in the background when you’re not focusing. This is a style that no other Leica lens has. I set the lens at a distance of 4 meters and the aperture at 1.2. I can even use it to estimate the focus and take blind shots. I can get pretty clear full-body portraits and get that dreamy bokeh, which is pretty cool. “You say life is like a dream, and I say life is like honey.” What’s the difference? Not all of them are hazy. You’re there in the haze, and you and me are enough. Just love what you love. All the flowers are for you. Open, all the scenery is arranged for you.

I’ve been taking photos for a few years now and I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way. It’s important to remember that beginners shouldn’t be looked down upon. It’s easier to see the Buddha nature with a beginner’s mind. That’s why so many people go for the original Leica lenses. Even if Leica makes a copy of this Noctilux, it won’t make collectors any less interested in the original Noctilux because the original idea is priceless.

LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50 f/1.2 ASPH + LEICA M9

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leica summicron-m 35mm f2 v1 8-element

I’d heard about this lens before I even owned a Leica camera. I’d heard from older colleagues how great the first-generation Summicron 35mm lens is. It wasn’t until I got my own Leica camera and put it on this legendary lens that I could confirm what my colleagues had said. It’s really excellent.

I often use this lens with black and white film, and it has consistently delivered excellent results. It has high definition, overly natural grayscale, rich shadow sculpting, and the colors are pretty good, too. This lens is pretty solid, whether you’re using it with a digital camera or a film camera.

LEICA 0 Series Oskar Barnack Limited Edition camera w/Anastigmat 50/3.5 lens

Slow

If you’re looking for a truly unique photography experience, the Leica 0 series camera is the one for you! It’s the perfect blend of classic Leica style and cutting-edge technology. Capture stunning images with the “slow” and “portable” philosophy at the heart of every Leica camera. It may be a bit slow, but I sell this camera quickly.

My story

I found the Leica 50mm/0.95 around my neck to be too heavy, and it caused my neck to hurt for days. So I missed out on the smaller Leica, the 0 series replica is compact, even smaller than today’s smartphones, but it still has a solid case and pure Leica lenses, so I bought one to free my neck.

This is a replica of the Series 0. The original Model 0 sold for $2.16 million at auction, making it the most expensive camera in the world at the time. This special edition Leica camera has a gorgeous black lacquer finish and brass top. I had planned to use this camera for a while and then let the black paint wear off naturally.

Before I started using it for photos, I really liked the design. If you could carry it around with you, this camera could last a lifetime. The reality is that it’s really difficult to use, so you have to cover the lens every time you switch to the next negative.

Of course, it’s not the camera, it’s me! This limited-edition camera is meant to be a collector’s item, not a tool for street photographers like me.

Slow Philosophy

The concept of “slow” is relative and depends on the context. Back when the Leica 0 was first introduced, it was seen as a fast photography tool. Just like computers, you can’t really compare CPU speeds from 20 years ago to today’s standards.

Just a few more things to keep in mind when taking pictures with this camera. For instance, you’ve got to put the lens cap back on before you can switch to the next picture. Also, you’ve got to hold down the shutter while rewinding the film.

Just a heads-up: Once you’ve finished winding, the shutter speed is fixed, so it’s important to set it first.

How to use

To get the most out of this vintage camera, it’s important to develop good operating habits, like:

When you’re ready to stow the camera away in your bag, leave the shutter on release so you can adjust the shutter speed for your next shooting need.
Trim the spare film in advance before using it.
When installing a new roll of film, ensure that the protrusion on the film aligns with the notch on the spindle to ensure proper installation. Instead of using the spindle to locate the notch, you can use the notch to locate the protrusion on the spindle.
Always remember to open the lens cover before taking a photo, and cover it after winding the film. This simple mantra is worth remembering.
It may take some practice and skill to use a 0-type camera effectively, but the stunning results make it all worthwhile.

The Leica 0-series camera used the Anastigmat 50 3.5 lens, which was originally designed by Berek in 1920. Despite what some people said, the lens only had four elements in three groups, which is similar to the Elmar lens. The new version of this lens has four elements in three groups, but it’s got a new design and coated glass. It’s said to offer better contrast and sharpness when used at full aperture, and it’s pretty similar to the Summicron 50 f2.

The lens is really excellent. However, I really think that this camera is not suitable for use, only for collection.

Leica Summaron 28mm f/5.6

M mount Classic lenses

This classic Leica lens has an interesting history. Since the Hektor 28mm 6.3 didn’t have a true aperture ring, it needed to be upgraded. They redesigned it with new glass and a half-stop increase in aperture, plus more refined craftsmanship. When this 28mm lens was first released, it was only available with the L39 mount. When the M3 was released in 1954 with the new M mount, there was no M mount version. It wasn’t until 2017 that an m-mount version of this lens became available.

Yes, it’s a recently listed older lens.

f/5.6

This Leica lens with an f/5.6 aperture has got to be one of the best optical lenses out there. It has great sharpness and contrast, with a Leica feel to it. In fact, most Leica lenses have an optimal aperture of f/5.6. For street photographers, this aperture is more than enough during the day. It’s very compact.

Just to let you know, the lens I have is the original, not the latest production. It still performs great optically, in line with the usual Leica philosophy. Of course, the main thing is how compact it is. For street photographers, image quality isn’t the most important thing. Hahaha. In the old days, lenses were designed to be very small, which was pretty incredible at the time. These days, lenses are getting bigger and bigger, and the light gap is also getting bigger. However, with a small f/5.6 lens, you can really shoot on the street for 12 hours during the day.