Good job folks! I think this was pretty thorough - but like you said, it’s just kind of the beginning. I think, honestly, the lenses are what Leica should focus on and its legacy over the camera bodies (which even in the digital age have not changed THAT much).
Great video gentlemen. Kevin, I'm curious to know the advantages to using the Leica OZTNO Shutter Release that some of your M bodies are fashioned with. Thank you.
@@BilBrown yo Bil! Absolutely agree. We will dig into all the stuff you and I have discussed over the years. As you know we could spend 2 hours on each of these lenses. Maybe we should
I feel so privileged to have both a goggled 8 element, a goggled 216 steel rim, and a double aspherical recently cla'd at Wetzlar. Kevin is spot on, the double AA is really something quite extraordinary.
Yes it is. Take your time and buy nice copies of things. Don’t get over excited and impulse buy when you find something. Do your research and make sure it’s something you will be happy with!
Great video Gajan. Kevin’s passion for these lenses comes through clearly. I don’t have a 50mm yet. I do have the CF Lux 35mm. This video helped me decide on getting the modern 50mm Summicron v5, and adding a Rigid when I am able to find a clean one. That way I’ll have different looks between the photos from the 35mm versus the 50mm. Thank you for doing this video. Great!
Best video ever, and he knows his stuff (plus has deep pockets to get all those black paint editions ahaha). Summicron 8e and Steel rim by far my favorite 35mm, and Rigid Summicron and Summilux 50 definitely my favorite 50mm. Great stuff, thanks for sharing.
A friend borrowed me his 50 mm modern Summicron. I used it on a Fuji Xpro2. The first thing that struck me was the paint like colors. That was the I want to have moment. Then he also borrowed me his big fat Leica lens book. So to speak the history of Leica lenses … to me it feels like it is impossible to make a choice… it’s overwhelming….. I am into something 35 mm and 50 mm but it’s mind boggling….😮😂😮
One point to keep in mind about the early M Summicrons like the collapsible and rigid is the 1.0m close focus limit vs. 0.7m in the current crop. Would be especially relevant for film shooters.
I use a vintage 90mm Leitz Elmar f/4 from the 30s when I photograph older females. It has good clarity but with a soft glow on the skin. They are typically found for less than $200.
Great video, stumbled across it and watched till the end. I shoot for myself and have adapted my M lenses to my Fuji and Nikon's. I have the M8 but was thinking of a used M10 or type 262. I am hesitating because the Nikon Zf has such good focus confirmation it may be a better choice for me. Do you think the "character" (I think you do) comes more from the lens or the body? I have the 35mm summicron v2 i think (compact) , 50mm Summicron, the 135mm elmerit (with googles) very contrasty.
After owning all of these lenses and more, what I found out is that: the older Leica glasses are really more for collection purposes. You are much better off buying the new apo offerings even if you want bloom and character, just put on a black mist filter. Elder lenses remakes sort of make sense because of their relatively cheap price range compared to OG ones. Anyways, it's always good to have options.
Filters work across the entire frame and don’t give you character. They layer an effect. But it really comes down to what’s best for your story. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
I'm glad that Elmarits, Summarons, and Summarits are largely underrated for those with limited cash but able to enjoy the characters or optical imperfection these lenses have to offer.
Wow! That was amazing. Thank you both so much. You've opened my eyes to another world of lenses. My one problem is that I think I have the best Leica lenses now, 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm, all modern. Do I spend $1K for an older lens just as an experiment? That's going to be hard.
My father was a colletor, among his (i think 600 vintage cameras) ther are 6 Leica's + a few extra lenses, can they just as a few analog Nikon lensen i got be used on a A6000 (E-mount) and what mount should i be looking for.
Hey Kev don’t scratch the surface ….that’s will be expensive ! Great very informative video I learnt a lot and am just about to move from a Sony A7rV to A Q3 so doing my research !!
@@kevinfickling6384 very cool, just dipping my toes in Leica lenses, my first one being the 50mm f1.2 reissue. Loving it so far. Maybe my next one will be a 50 rigid. Would love to see a video on the 35mm AA, I saw some info on the other video posted on your channel or Gajun’s.
For my fellow plebs, a cheap retro mount can unlock a lot of the fun and you get to keep your kidneys. M42 is an easy one to start with ✌️ (requires visoflex or LCD access if you don't zone focus).
I steered away from the 50 Lux V2 because of its intense barrel distortion in my pre-digital life. These days I wish I had one. The V.1 Lux is dead plumb, just use it at F2.8 to 4 for painterly optical film prints.
From Singapore here! Thank you so much for this. 28mm is my current focal length, anymore about vintage lenses in 28mm? What about the 35mm V3? M6 user here :)
🇺🇸 yeah man more content like this! Like I’ve said the rigid is such a special lens, I use it for product photography at 5.6-8 and am blown away at its performance. And then it has so much character wide open. The lens he didn’t have there that I’m curious about is the v1 21mm f/4, they collabed with Schneider (?) that supposedly is distortion free and amazing. I had no idea about the 73 Hektor. It hits all the odd marks - 73mm, 1.9, the name Hektor 😂 pretty sick
Fascinating! I use the 50mm Collapsible Summicron f2 ! My printer thought it the best lens he'd seen! Flare a major problem. Most are scratched to matt! Worry these days, new front elements could be installed! Non Leitz! Opinions.. I hated my 35mm Summilux f1.4!
Great video but based on the prices of new and vintage lenses for the m system, these are purely aspirational. I’ll have to stick with Voigtlander, Zeiss, or Thypoch…
Nah. While there’s some real cork-sniffing here, there’s also some stuff in the same price range as Voigt, Zeiss, Thypoch. Rigid 50 ‘cron, 50 Lux I or II. Or try a summitar for even less and very near collapsible ‘cron drawing. What about Elmars? Tons of vintage at low prices. I bought a nice summitar 50 and Elmar 90 (needed a Tele) for $300 recently. They’re out there, Leica made a ton of lenses over the years.
This is not “getting started with vintage leica lenses” You managed to squeeze lot of the expensive glass in one video. Except from collapsable summicron (and maybe a plain user rigid), all cost a small fortune. Of course you could have topped it with a 1.2 Noctilux or perhaps a rigid prototype in black paint, just to have round 6 digit numbers, just saying. 35mm summaron, a 90 elmar, or a 5cm summitar could be a fun and budget friendly start , or anything not collectors item. Let the collectors keep their 8 elements and double asps. Yes our mileage may vary, but i still.
Thank you for the awesome videos! Love seeing vintage/collectible cameras/lenses being used in the field :) @kevinfickling6384 what are your thoughts re: the rendering and handling of the 73mm Hektor vs the 75mm Summilux?
Thank you for watching! Those lenses are very very different. The 75 lux is not considered a modern lens rendering wise but it is compared to the Hektor. The hektor was made in the 30's and the summilux in the 70's. One big difference is the 75 lux is coated with the hektor being fully uncoated glass. Both beautiful lenses but very different rendering wise.
Make sure to check out Kevin's video where he talks about his top four lenses ua-cam.com/video/17dmyrlsBzs/v-deo.html
Crazy but we just scratched the surface here....Cant wait to do more of this!
Let’s get to work brother ✊🏾
Leitz lenses glass vey soft! Scratched the suface!
Good job folks! I think this was pretty thorough - but like you said, it’s just kind of the beginning. I think, honestly, the lenses are what Leica should focus on and its legacy over the camera bodies (which even in the digital age have not changed THAT much).
Great video gentlemen. Kevin, I'm curious to know the advantages to using the Leica OZTNO Shutter Release that some of your M bodies are fashioned with. Thank you.
@@BilBrown yo Bil! Absolutely agree. We will dig into all the stuff you and I have discussed over the years. As you know we could spend 2 hours on each of these lenses. Maybe we should
I feel so privileged to have both a goggled 8 element, a goggled 216 steel rim, and a double aspherical recently cla'd at Wetzlar. Kevin is spot on, the double AA is really something quite extraordinary.
This video is one that you really start to appreciate once you’ve been in Leica for some time. Thanks so much for putting this together
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Best content on youtube Gajan and Kevin. Keep em coming 🇺🇸
Truly appreciate the support 🙏🏾
Thank you!
The rabbit hole is deep. I’m only starting to look at the vintage lenses from Leica. Great information.
Yes it is. Take your time and buy nice copies of things. Don’t get over excited and impulse buy when you find something. Do your research and make sure it’s something you will be happy with!
Great video! You can hear the passion when Kevin talks about these lenses.
He’s legit. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Wild to me that content this good is free. We are spoiled. Thanks for this.
Thank you for watching 🙏
Great video Gajan. Kevin’s passion for these lenses comes through clearly. I don’t have a 50mm yet. I do have the CF Lux 35mm. This video helped me decide on getting the modern 50mm Summicron v5, and adding a Rigid when I am able to find a clean one. That way I’ll have different looks between the photos from the 35mm versus the 50mm. Thank you for doing this video. Great!
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
This is an incredibly informative format. I came back 3 times to continue watching where I left off. I’d love to see Kevin’s top bargain Leica buys.
That’s a great idea. We should tackle that next ✌🏾
@@GajanBalan look forward to it!
I had no idea there was such fascination with vintage Leica lenses. And the prices are still through the roof after decades!
🇨🇦
There’s several hidden gems that are great and more affordable than modern counterparts.
The vintage lenses and ability to use them on a modern Leica is the thing I love most!
Two stand up dudes talking vintage lens, say less I’m hooked.
Thank you ✊🏾
Yes sir!
Awesome video and collaboration from two top individuals.
Thanks 🙏🏾
Best video ever, and he knows his stuff (plus has deep pockets to get all those black paint editions ahaha). Summicron 8e and Steel rim by far my favorite 35mm, and Rigid Summicron and Summilux 50 definitely my favorite 50mm. Great stuff, thanks for sharing.
Appreciate you watching 🙏🏾
very good ,love the enthusiasm and know how, this is where leica really stand out.
This was fun to watch! Would have been so ice to see sample photos taken w these lenses✨
I included some sample images in the video I posted on my page. We were limited on time and will include more next time for sure!
@@kevinfickling6384 thanks, I'll check out your video too
Are the mentioned lenses listed somewhere? This is so intriguing!
This is an outstanding video. It makes me want to go hunting for some new lenses. Well done. I can hear Kevin's passion for Leica gear.
He’s awesome. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Time to sit in this Houston traffic and listen to some real ones talk 💯
Haha, appreciate you as always brother. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
I especially like the black 50 mm Summilux v.2 that you show last. I have the more common one in silver with the same vintage barrel design.
Kevin the man for these babies!
haha thank you!!
Watching from Texas! That 28 is a grail of mine!
Nice! Thanks for watching ✌🏾
It's a beautiful lens!
Amazing content! This is leica knowledge gold! Love this style of video.
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Great video guys and I love your hat❗️
Thank you for watching!
A friend borrowed me his 50 mm modern Summicron. I used it on a Fuji Xpro2. The first thing that struck me was the paint like colors. That was the I want to have moment. Then he also borrowed me his big fat Leica lens book. So to speak the history of Leica lenses … to me it feels like it is impossible to make a choice… it’s overwhelming….. I am into something 35 mm and 50 mm but it’s mind boggling….😮😂😮
Excellent breakdown of the lineup. I say go vintage or go home.... You guys rock
I like it. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Great job fellas! Kevin's collection is noiiccee!
Thank you brother ✌🏾
Thanks for the video! I have the Leica M3 and M4, the Leica 50mm Summicron V2 Rigjd is amazing sharpness.
Gajan, awesome video. Do you have video/images of the shots you took with some of those lenses?
One point to keep in mind about the early M Summicrons like the collapsible and rigid is the 1.0m close focus limit vs. 0.7m in the current crop. Would be especially relevant for film shooters.
Yep great point. The close focus can be a limitation for sure
Always good to see the gents!
Appreciate you homie ✊🏾
For all the nerds like me who are curious about the exact lenses.
Timestamps
[0:00] Intro
[0:55] Vintage lens buying tips
[5:10] Types of lenses being discussed
[6:45] Leica Summicron 35mm f2 V1 (8 element)
[10:17] Leica Summilux 35mm f1.4 M3 Steel Rim (with goggles)
[12:00] Leica Summilux 35mm f1.4 Steel Rim Reissue
[13:10] Leica Summilux 35mm f1.4 Steel Rim Reissue (black paint)
[13:31] Leica Summilux 35mm f1.4 ASPHERICAL (double aspherical)
[19:24] Leica Summicron 50mm f2 V2 (Rigid)
[24:26] Leica Summicron 50mm f2 V1 (Collapsible)
[26:30] Leica Summicron 50mm f2 V1 (Radioactive)
[32:00] Leica Summilux 50mm f1.4 V2
[37:23] Leica Elmarit 28mm f2.8 V1 (9 element)
[39:59] Leitz Leica Hektor 73mm f1.9 (screw mount)
Doing the lord’s work right here 🙏🏾
@@GajanBalan Thanks brother. This video is just so cool, I absolutely love learning about Leica lore!
Thank you!
Awesome video, thank you. I have the 35 8e, the 50DR, and the 90 2.8 Elmarit for my M3 and M9. I’m a happy little photographer :)
Solid collection. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
I use a vintage 90mm Leitz Elmar f/4 from the 30s when I photograph older females. It has good clarity but with a soft glow on the skin. They are typically found for less than $200.
Been always eyeing a rigid 50 for my M3 and getting it black painted by Kanto Camera. Nice video guys.
Do it 🤌🏾
This is gold! Thank you.
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
real great camera Otaku talk, loved it
Kevin has the coolest 50 ever made: I was lucky enough to meet him at CES where he was shooting it!
That’s dope!
@@GajanBalan I’m not sure what the name is, but it’s the solid raw brass one.
@@BrandonTalbot Jim Marshall edition ;)
Great video, stumbled across it and watched till the end. I shoot for myself and have adapted my M lenses to my Fuji and Nikon's. I have the M8 but was thinking of a used M10 or type 262. I am hesitating because the Nikon Zf has such good focus confirmation it may be a better choice for me. Do you think the "character" (I think you do) comes more from the lens or the body? I have the 35mm summicron v2 i think (compact) , 50mm Summicron, the 135mm elmerit (with googles) very contrasty.
Nice, thanks for watching ✌🏾
We need Leica to bring focus confirmation to the SL line!
I like how Kevin switched from the vintage Pepsi GMT in this video to the Bond Seamaster in his one, same shirt and hat but different watch haha
Haha, it’s all about the details.
Just got the Hektor and love it. Such a cool lens to use.
Nice!
After owning all of these lenses and more, what I found out is that: the older Leica glasses are really more for collection purposes. You are much better off buying the new apo offerings even if you want bloom and character, just put on a black mist filter. Elder lenses remakes sort of make sense because of their relatively cheap price range compared to OG ones. Anyways, it's always good to have options.
Filters work across the entire frame and don’t give you character. They layer an effect. But it really comes down to what’s best for your story. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
I'm glad that Elmarits, Summarons, and Summarits are largely underrated for those with limited cash but able to enjoy the characters or optical imperfection these lenses have to offer.
Totally agree!
Great lunchtime watch! 🏴☠
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Not a Leica shooter yet, but the ability to use all of those lenses is intriguing. 😅
Wow! That was amazing. Thank you both so much. You've opened my eyes to another world of lenses. My one problem is that I think I have the best Leica lenses now, 35mm, 50mm, and 75mm, all modern. Do I spend $1K for an older lens just as an experiment? That's going to be hard.
Great video 😃 wish I could try some of those lenses 🥹
Maybe some day if you are lucky ;)
Is really interesting all that info what you are talking about, but I miss to see photos taken with that lenses.
This was fun, gentlemen.
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Very nicely explained 🇸🇯
My father was a colletor, among his (i think 600 vintage cameras) ther are 6 Leica's + a few extra lenses, can they just as a few analog Nikon lensen i got be used on a A6000 (E-mount) and what mount should i be looking for.
You got me at Pepsi GMT and Rigid.
Good combo!
Awesome conversation!
Ending was perfect 😂
It was a fun conversation to have!
Hey Kev don’t scratch the surface ….that’s will be expensive ! Great very informative video I learnt a lot and am just about to move from a Sony A7rV to A Q3 so doing my research !!
Damn didn't realize this was just over 43 minutes. Watching this from LA, CA.
Thanks for watching! You are right up the road from me
@@kevinfickling6384 very cool, just dipping my toes in Leica lenses, my first one being the 50mm f1.2 reissue. Loving it so far. Maybe my next one will be a 50 rigid. Would love to see a video on the 35mm AA, I saw some info on the other video posted on your channel or Gajun’s.
Great content!
Thank you!
For my fellow plebs, a cheap retro mount can unlock a lot of the fun and you get to keep your kidneys. M42 is an easy one to start with ✌️ (requires visoflex or LCD access if you don't zone focus).
Brilliant 👍🇬🇧
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
I steered away from the 50 Lux V2 because of its intense barrel distortion in my pre-digital life. These days I wish I had one.
The V.1 Lux is dead plumb, just use it at F2.8 to 4 for painterly optical film prints.
Watching from Indonesia 🇮🇩
Thank you for this video!
It would be great if you would discuss specifically Walter Mandler designed lenses.
From Singapore here! Thank you so much for this. 28mm is my current focal length, anymore about vintage lenses in 28mm? What about the 35mm V3? M6 user here :)
We just scratched the surface here. More coming soon! 28 summaron is pretty cool for street photography.
Never knew Indiana jones did photography. Amazing ❤
😂
You might have forgot to explain that the Summicron 50mm Rigid in black is very rare...!
Yes it is!
@@kevinfickling6384
I use the Summicron Rigid with a Leica MD262. The MD shoots like the film cameras and with the Rigid renders like film also...!
@@superkrell That's a perfect combo!
🇺🇸 yeah man more content like this! Like I’ve said the rigid is such a special lens, I use it for product photography at 5.6-8 and am blown away at its performance. And then it has so much character wide open. The lens he didn’t have there that I’m curious about is the v1 21mm f/4, they collabed with Schneider (?) that supposedly is distortion free and amazing. I had no idea about the 73 Hektor. It hits all the odd marks - 73mm, 1.9, the name Hektor 😂 pretty sick
Thank you brother! And we’ll have to talk about it for the next one. So much more to cover
@@GajanBalan yeah man absolutely
I've heard you do not want to use a radioactive lens with a digital camera. over time it affects the sensor in a bad way.
Fascinating! I use the 50mm Collapsible Summicron f2 ! My printer thought it the best lens he'd seen! Flare a major problem. Most are scratched to matt! Worry these days, new front elements could be installed! Non Leitz! Opinions.. I hated my 35mm Summilux f1.4!
50 collapsible is amazing to this day!
I only look to buy these lenses from the Leica used store in Europe.
Nice
ThankYou !!!!!! :) :) :)
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Very cool 🇫🇷
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Where are the photos? Would have love to see his references.
Be still my beating "BANK ACC".
From 25 miles north of London
Haha, thanks for watching ✌🏾
First. 🏴☠️
If you aren’t first you’re last
Speak your truth 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
One lightly radioactive lens please. Thank you
Ill take all the radioactivity!
Watching from sleeper bus from Delhi-Jaipur🇮🇳😂
Haha, nice! Enjoy the journey ✌🏾
Very informative 🇵🇭
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
🇺🇸
Appreciate you watching ✌🏾
I need to add a 35mm to my 28mm summicron and 50mm summilux
Llamadme lo que queráis pero... Que sea una versión BP o standard me la trae al pairo
The only way to end a video is with a Bruckheimer freeze frame and a slow zoom in…
Done.
Great video but based on the prices of new and vintage lenses for the m system, these are purely aspirational. I’ll have to stick with Voigtlander, Zeiss, or Thypoch…
Nah. While there’s some real cork-sniffing here, there’s also some stuff in the same price range as Voigt, Zeiss, Thypoch. Rigid 50 ‘cron, 50 Lux I or II. Or try a summitar for even less and very near collapsible ‘cron drawing. What about Elmars? Tons of vintage at low prices. I bought a nice summitar 50 and Elmar 90 (needed a Tele) for $300 recently. They’re out there, Leica made a ton of lenses over the years.
I wanted to see photos… 😢
This was a quick video with a few hours of prep. We’ll have more in the future ✌🏾
We are working on more with sample images. I posted a video on my channel with some sample images from a few of the lenses we showed here.
This is not “getting started with vintage leica lenses” You managed to squeeze lot of the expensive glass in one video. Except from collapsable summicron (and maybe a plain user rigid), all cost a small fortune. Of course you could have topped it with a 1.2 Noctilux or perhaps a rigid prototype in black paint, just to have round 6 digit numbers, just saying. 35mm summaron, a 90 elmar, or a 5cm summitar could be a fun and budget friendly start , or anything not collectors item. Let the collectors keep their 8 elements and double asps. Yes our mileage may vary, but i still.
Thank you for the awesome videos! Love seeing vintage/collectible cameras/lenses being used in the field :) @kevinfickling6384 what are your thoughts re: the rendering and handling of the 73mm Hektor vs the 75mm Summilux?
Thank you for watching! Those lenses are very very different. The 75 lux is not considered a modern lens rendering wise but it is compared to the Hektor. The hektor was made in the 30's and the summilux in the 70's. One big difference is the 75 lux is coated with the hektor being fully uncoated glass. Both beautiful lenses but very different rendering wise.
@@kevinfickling6384thank you!
@@shuttertwixno problem! Hope that helped