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Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 Super Wide Heliar ASPH Review: The Pocket-Sized Rebel—Where Ultra-Wide Meets Ultra-Portable

The Lilliputian Visionary

In a world obsessed with gargantuan apertures, the Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 ASPH (Gen 1) whispers heresy. At 150g—lighter than a roll of Tri-X—this L39-mounted David defies Goliath-sized expectations. Born in 2000 as Cosina’s love letter to analog guerrillas, it thrives where modern wides fear to tread: coat pockets, cramped alleys, and the restless hands of street shooters who value stealth over specs.

Leica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-Heliar

Minimalist Precision

Miniature Alchemy
- Dimensions: 52mm x 25mm (2.05″ x 0.98″)—smaller than a matchbox
- Weight: 150g (5.3oz)—featherlight enough to forget it’s there
Mechanical Pragmatism
- Focus: Zone-only (no RF coupling)—f/8 @ 1m = hyperfocal freedom
- Aperture: 10-blade iris slicing light into geometric poetry
Adaptation Magic
- L39 to M: 1mm adapter transforms it into M-mount Batman.
- Viewfinder: Optional 15mm optical finder (discontinued post-Gen 1)

Optical Scripture

Center Sharpness
- Film/APS-C: Cracks Adox CHS 100 like a diamond cutter
- Full-Frame Digital: Edges rebel (M9 shows magenta cast*), center holds firm
  *(Cosina’s original sin pre-Gen 3 coatings)
Color Signature
- Velvia 50 Rendering: Electric blues, ochres glowing like autumn leaves.
- B&W Drama: Micro-contrast replicating Daido Moriyama’s grain obsession
Distortion Dichotomy
- Lab Charts: 0.5% barrel—engineer’s pride
- Real World: Buildings lean like drunken salarymen—this is the way

Generational Wars

Aspect	Gen 1 (2000)	Gen 3 (2022)
Size	Matchbox	Soup can
Coatings	Single-layer nostalgia	ASPH + 7-layer armor
Digital Friendliness	M8/M9: Edge chaos	Full-frame harmony
Soul	Kerouac’s beat poetry	GPT-4 generated sonnet

Street Chronicles

Scene 1: Urban intersection with two elderly men on bikes

f/5.6 @ 1.5m: Their smiles as warm as a summer’s day, bicycles loaded with stories.
LEICA M8 @ 400: Monochrome tones adding a timeless touch, reminiscent of classic street tales.

Scene 2: Pachinko parlor neon rain

Zone Focus: f/4 @ 1.5m—The boy’s smile stands out against the busy storefront backdrop
Digital Shot: Standard crop, captures the vivid colors of the drink can and store signs—urban details in focus

The M8 Paradox

Pairing this 15mm with a Leica M8 (≈21mm equivalent) is like teaching ballet to a rugby player—possible, but spiritually challenging. Yet therein lies the magic:

0.7m Minimum Focus: Intimacy forbidden to Leica wides
No RF Coupling: Forces mosh pit-style crowd immersion (where personal space vanishes)

Pro Tips for Wide-Angle Heretics

Film Choice: Rollei Retro 80s—its extended red sensitivity loves Cosina’s coatings
DIY Filter Hack: Gelatin cutouts + rubber band = instant color effects
Zone Focus Presets: Paint distance marks with nail polish (f/8=green, f/16=red)

Who Should Buy This?

✓ Urban Poets: Framing chaos into 15mm snapshots
✓ Analog Minimalists: Building “fit-in-a-cigarette-pack” kits
✓ Distortion Fetishists: Who see leaning towers as features, not bugs

Avoid If: You pixel-peep edges or need autofocus training wheels.

Final Verdict: The People’s Ultra-Wide

The Gen 1 15mm f/4.5 is Cosina’s accidental masterpiece—a $400 ticket to optical anarchy. For the price of a Summicron hood, you get:

90% drama of Leica 21mm(with M8) at 20% bulk
Permission to fail spectacularly
Proof that photography thrives at society’s edges

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (for poets) | ⭐⭐/5 (for lab rats)
“A lens that snickers: ‘Rules? I ate them for breakfast.’”

Leica Elmar 50mm f/3.5 Review: The Pocket-Sized Time Machine

Prologue: The Seed That Grew a Giant

In 1925, a tiny collapsible lens named Elmar 50mm f/3.5 sprouted from Ernst Leitz’s workshop, fertilizing the soil for Leica’s global reign. Weighing less than a bar of Swiss chocolate (120g) and priced today between 400–400–1,200 (2025 USD), this “optical bonsai” remains the DNA of every Leica M lens. Think of it as the Model T Ford of photography—humble, revolutionary, and timeless.

Design: Swiss Watchmaker’s Muse

Collapsible Sorcery
- Body: Brass cloaked in nickel-chrome—durable as a cast-iron skillet, elegant as a Tiffany pendant. Collapses into your M-body like a telescope retreating into its casing.
- Aperture Ring: Turns with the tactile snick of a vintage lighter—each click a haptic love letter to 1920s craftsmanship. （The m-mount version is exclusive, the l39 one is not）
Max Berek’s Legacy
- The Einstein of optics, Berek hand-calculated this lens’ design without computers—a feat akin to baking a soufflé with a campfire.
- Chinese Proverb Footnote:“老骥伏枥，志在千里”
  (“An old steed in the stable still dreams of galloping 1,000 miles”)
  A nod to how this 100-year-old design outpaces modern glass in charm.

Optical Poetry: Simplicity as Superpower

Aspect	Elmar 50mm f/3.5	Modern Summicron 50mm
Sharpness	Hemingway’s typewriter—direct, unfussy	GPT-4 precision
Contrast	Morning tea with a dash of milk	Double espresso
Bokeh	Ripples on a tranquil pond	Butter churned by robots
Magic	🕰️🕰️🕰️🕰️🕰️	⚡⚡⚡⚡🤍

f/3.5 Wide Open: Renders skin tones like honey-drizzled parchment—flaws softened, humanity amplified.
Stopped Down: By f/8, it matches modern lenses’ sharpness while retaining the warmth of a vinyl record.

Film vs Digital: Two Eras, One Soul

Film Romance
- On Tri-X @400, it channels Ansel Adams’ zone system—midtones sing, highlights glow like moonlight on snow.
Digital Alchemy
- On a Leica M11, dial up clarity +15 to mimic its film-era bite. Disable profiles—let its golden flaws dance.

The “Three Delights”

Portability: Fits in a jeans pocket—street photography’s ultimate stealth weapon.
B&W Mastery: Microcontrast so rich, you’ll swear Ansel Adams ghostwrote your shots.
Flare as Flavor: Backlighting paints Impressionist halos—call it “free Instagram filter.”

Who Needs This Lens?

✓ Minimalist Nomads: Who believe less gear = more vision
✓ History Buffs: Collecting tangible fragments of photography’s dawn
✓ Analog Purists: Who’d choose a typewriter over ChatGPT

Avoid If: You shoot sports, crave bokeh orgies, or think “vintage” means “obsolete.”

Final Verdict: The Eternal Underdog

The Elmar 50mm f/3.5 is photography’s comfort food—humble, nourishing, and endlessly satisfying. For the price of a weekend in Napa Valley, you gain:

A working museum piece that still outshines modern rivals in joy-per-ounce
Proof that “progress” isn’t always better—just louder
Permission to fall in love with photography all over again

Rating:
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ (film poets) | 📸📸📸🤍🤍 (pixel peepers)

“A lens that whispers: ‘True greatness fits in the palm of your hand.’”

Pro Tips:

Flare Hack: Shoot into the sun—its uncoated glow paints Renaissance halos.
Film Pairing: Ilford FP4+ @125—Citizen Kane gravitas on a budget.
Digital Zen: Add +20 grain in Lightroom—flaws become features.

Epilogue: The Little Lens That Could
In an age of gargantuan f/1.2 monsters, the Elmar 50mm f/3.5 remains stubbornly, gloriously small. It’s a brass-clad rebuttal to excess, whispering: “You don’t need muscle to move mountains—just vision.” As Bresson might say, it’s not the arrow—it’s the archer. Now go shoot something timeless.

Leica 5cm 3.5 Elmar with black & white film

Rodenstock-Heligon 35mm f/2.8 Review: The Bavarian Swan in Leica’s Pond

Prologue: The Black Swan of L39

In a world obsessed with Leitz’s legacy, the 1950s Rodenstock-Heligon 35mm f/2.8 glides like a Bavarian black swan—rare, refined, and effortlessly regal. Priced today between 1,200–1,200–2,500 (2025 USD), this 220g chrome-and-brass relic bridges large-format grandeur and 35mm intimacy. Forget modern aspherical monsters—this lens is a Viennese waltz in a mosh pit of autofocus chaos.

Design: Precision as Poetry

Bauhaus Ballet
- Body: Solid brass cloaked in chrome—sleeker than a Porsche 356, denser than a Tolstoy novel. Collapses into Barnack bodies like a pocket watch.
- Aperture Ring: Ten-blade iris clicks with the precision of a Glock trigger—each stop a haptic sonnet to analog craftsmanship.
The “Red A” Legend
- Lenses stamped with a scarlet A are Rodenstock’s Mona Lisas—richer contrast, creamier bokeh, and a patina that whispers, “I was forged for kings.”

Optical Alchemy: Large-format Soul in 35mm Skin

Aspect	Heligon 35mm f/2.8	Leica Summaron 35mm f/2.8
Sharpness	Dürer’s etching needle	Instagram filter
Contrast	Bavarian chocolate—dark, complex	Milk chocolate—sweet, predictable
Bokeh	Van Gogh’s Starry Night	Hotel art
Magic	🦢🦢🦢🦢🦢	🦆

f/2.8 Wide Open: Renders skin like Renaissance oil portraits—pores softened, humanity amplified.
Stopped Down: At f/8, microcontrast rivals modern APO glass—leaf veins, fabric threads, and existential crises pop.

Color Palette: A German Autumn

Greens: Moss on Neuschwanstein Castle’s stones.
Reds: Oktoberfest beer tents at twilight.
Blues: Alpine lakes under a cloudless sky.
Chinese Proverb Footnote:“画龙点睛”
(“Adding pupils to a painted dragon—perfection in the final touch”)
A nod to how its “Red A” variants elevate images from great to sublime.

Bokeh Sorcery: The Swirl of Time

With 10 aperture blades and a helical focus design, backgrounds dissolve into buttery swirls—like espresso art in a Munich café. Zone-focus street shots? Even misfires feel intentional, thanks to its 3D “pop” that predates TikTok filters by 70 years.

Who Needs This Lens?

✓ Large-format Pilgrims: Craving Rodenstock’s magic in a pocketable form
✓ Leica Hipsters: Who’d rather explain “Heligon” at parties than drink
✓ B&W Alchemists: Chasing Ansel Adams’ ghost through Tri-X grain

Avoid If: You pixel-peep, shoot sports, or think “vintage” means “cheap.”

Final Verdict: The Unseen Masterpiece

The Heligon 35mm f/2.8 is photography’s secret handshake—a wink to those who know. For the price of a weekend in Salzburg, you gain:

A portal to 1950s optical rebellion
Proof that “obscure” often means “extraordinary”
Bragging rights over Leica purists (“Mine’s Bavarian, darling”)

Rating:
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ (film poets) | 📱📱🤍🤍🤍 (phone snappers)

“A lens that whispers: ‘Elegance is not about shouting—it’s about singing in perfect pitch.’”

Pro Tips:

Film Pairing: Agfa APX 100—its gritty soul mates Rodenstock’s finesse.
Digital Hack: Add +15 “texture” in Lightroom to mimic its large-format bite.
Flare Embrace: Shoot backlit—its uncoated glow paints Baroque halos.

Epilogue: The Swan’s Song
Rodenstock made millions of lenses, but only this Heligon 35mm f/2.8 sings with large-format majesty in a Leica’s body. In a world chasing f/1.2 monsters, it whispers: “True artistry thrives in subtlety.” As the Chinese masters knew, perfection lies not in the dragon’s body, but in its eyes. Now go paint yours.

info

Below is an unofficial chronological list of all Rodenstock lenses from 1954 to 1961
2,000,000 ——1945
2,500,000 ——1952
3,000,000 ——1954
4,000,000 ——1957
4,500,000 ——1960
5,000,000 ——1961

Rodenstock-Heligon 35mm f/2.8  L39 NO：
22981xx, 23274xx, 23275xx, 23276xx, 23277xx, 23695xx, 23696xx, 23698xx, 23699xx, 23710xx, 23711xx, 23712xx, 24596xx, 24597xx, 24598xx, 35253xx

Rodenstock-Heligon 35mm f2.8 + leica mp ＋ kodak gold 200

Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH Review: The Optical Titan

Prologue: The Weight of Glory

Imagine bench-pressing a Rolls-Royce engine block—if that engine were forged into a camera lens. The Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH (2025 price: 12,000–12,000–15,000) isn’t just a tool; it’s a 700g brass-and-glass flex of optical machismo. Born in 2008 to outshine its siblings (Noctilux f/1.0 and f/1.2), this “King of Bokeh” redefines excess. Forget gym memberships—carry this lens daily, and your biceps will thank you.

Design: Brutalist Sculpture, Swiss Precision

Chassis of Champions
- Body: Brass barrel —dense as a Hemingway novel, balanced like a Steinway.
- Focus Throw: Short as a Lamborghini gearshift—snap to focus before your subject blinks.
Aperture Alchemy
- f/0.95: A black hole for light, sucking in photons like a Vegas casino.
- Click Stops: Tactile as a typewriter, each click a tiny rebellion against digital silence.

Optical Sorcery: When Night Becomes Day

Aspect	Noctilux 50mm f/0.95	Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH
Sharpness	Samurai sword at f/0.95	Laser-etched titanium
Bokeh	Monet’s Water Lilies	IKEA lamp shade
Weight	Kettlebell workout	Featherweight boxer
Soul	☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️	🌞🌞🌞🌞🤍

f/0.95 Wide Open: A dreamscape where sharpness and softness waltz—center details pop like Hemingway’s prose, edges dissolve into Rothko abstractions.
Stopped Down: By f/2, it mimics its Summicron cousins—sharp enough to slice nostalgia.

Bokeh Wars: Medium Format in Your Pocket

Forget Rollei twins or Hasselblad heft—this lens turns 35mm into 120-film theatrics. At f/0.95:

Backgrounds Melt: Like butter in a Parisian bakery, swirling with creamy, circular highlights.
3D Pop: Subjects levitate off the frame, thanks to ASPH’s progressive focus falloff.

The “Night God” Paradox

Leica claims this lens thrives in candlelight. Truth? It’s more diva than deity:

Digital Love: On a Leica M11, ISO 12,800 looks like Kodak Gold 200—grain? Call it “organic texture.”
Film Romance: Tri-X @1600 becomes noir poetry—shadows hum Leonard Cohen tunes.

Generational Feuds: Noctilux vs Noctilux

f/1.0 (1976): The eccentric uncle—swirly bokeh, longer focus throw, Bohemian Rhapsody vibes.
f/0.95 (2008): The CEO cousin—smoother bokeh, clinical precision, Billie Eilish cool.
Chinese Proverb Footnote:“一山不容二虎”
(“One mountain cannot shelter two tigers”)
A nod to their rivalry—both majestic, both demanding the spotlight.

Who Needs This Lens?

✓ Bokeh Hedonists: Who measure life in shallow depth-of-field
✓ Leica Collectors: Building shrines to Wetzlar’s glory
✓ Contrarians: Who’d choose a 700g lens over gym weights

Avoid If: You shoot landscapes, value portability, or fear credit card bills.

Final Verdict: The Unapologetic Beast

The Noctilux f/0.95 isn’t a lens—it’s a statement. For the price of a Tesla down payment, you gain:

A handheld observatory, turning night into Renaissance paintings
Proof that “practical” is overrated
Bragging rights eclipsing even Rolex owners

Rating:
🌙🌙🌙🌙🌗 (nocturnal poets) | ☀️☀️🤍🤍🤍 (daylight realists)

“A lens that whispers: ‘Light bends to those who dare.’”

Pro Tips:

ND Filters: B+W 60mm Slim—unless you enjoy shooting f/0.95 at ISO 6.
Grip Hack: Wrap the barrel in tennis grip tape—your palms will sing hymns.
Film Pairing: Kodak Vision3 500T—Blade Runner vibes on a Leica budget.

Epilogue: The Titan’s Whisper
Leica didn’t build the Noctilux f/0.95 to be useful. They built it because they could—a brass-clad “up yours” to optical physics. In a world chasing smaller, lighter, saner gear, this lens stands like a lighthouse: flawed, glorious, utterly unforgettable. As the Chinese collectors say, “玩镜头不归路”—there’s no return from the lens rabbit hole. With the Noctilux, you won’t want to climb out.

Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 7-Element Review: The Sunlight Whisperer —— King of Bokeh

Prologue: A Sip of Liquid Gold

Imagine if Monet’s Impression, Sunrise were distilled into glass. The 1980–1998 Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 7-Element (aka Seven Sisters) is photography’s answer to a perfectly aged Bordeaux—complex, warm, and steeped in nostalgia. Priced between 3,500–3,500–7,000 (2025 USD), this 255g brass-and-glass marvel doesn’t just capture light; it bottles sunlight itself.

Design: Swiss Watchmaker’s Muse

Tactile Alchemy
- Focus Tab: Slides like a Rolls-Royce gearshift—smooth, weighted, addictive.
- Aperture Clicks: Each click echoes a grandfather clock’s heartbeat, a relic of pre-digital craftsmanship.
Two Flavors
- Black (Aluminum): Light as a Hemingway novella, stealthy on chrome M bodies.
- Silver (Brass): Dense as Tolstoy’s War and Peace, aging like a Stradivarius.

Optical Poetry: Painting with Sunbeams

Aspect	7-Element	Modern ASPH
Sharpness	Hemingway’s prose—direct yet soulful	GPT-4 precision
Contrast	Morning fog over the Seine	High noon in Death Valley
Bokeh	Van Gogh’s Starry Night	IKEA lamp shade
Magic	☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️	🤖

f/2 Wide Open: A soft-focus dreamscape—sharp as a tiger’s gaze at the center, gentle as rose petals at the edges. (虎嗅蔷薇—“A tiger sniffing roses”, symbolizing power tempered by grace*)
f/5.6–f/8: Reveals Ansel Adams-level microcontrast. Dust on your M11’s sensor? Call it “free film grain.”

Street Photography: The Silent Dancer

Blind Shooting Zen
- Zone focus at 2 meters, f/2—capture fleeting moments like a jazz drummer catching the beat.
Black & White Sorcery
- Tri-X film + 7-Element = Cartier-Bresson’s ghost high-fiving Daido Moriyama. Shadows dissolve like ink wash paintings (水墨画), highlights glow like rice paper.
Color Alchemy
- Renders sunlight as buttery as a Vermeer portrait. Skin tones? Think honey drizzled on marble.

The “Bokeh King” Paradox

Modern lenses serve bokeh like fast food—predictable, uniform. The 7-Element? It’s a Michelin-starred tasting menu:

Progressive Bokeh: Backgrounds melt from crisp to creamy, creating 3D pop.
Flaws as Virtues: Slight swirls and “imperfections” add je ne sais quoi—like vinyl crackle in a Spotify world.

Film vs Digital: Two Lovers

Film Romance
- On Kodak Portra, it’s 1960s Vogue meets Parisian café—grain caressed by lanthanum glass.
Digital Affair
- On a Leica M11, dial down clarity +10 to mimic its film-era soul. Disable profiles—let its golden flaws sing.

Generational Wars: 7-Element vs ASPH

ASPH Lenses: Technical perfectionists—the overachieving valedictorians.
7-Element: The jazz saxophonist—improvisational, emotional, unforgettable.

VIII. Who Needs This Lens?

✓ Poets with Light Meters: Who see grain as texture, not noise
✓ Nostalgia Alchemists: Turning sunlight into gold
✓ Contrarians: Who’d choose a vintage Leica over AI-generated “perfection”

Avoid If: You shoot sports, need autofocus, or think “vintage” means “obsolete.”

IX. Final Verdict: The Eternal Flame

The 7-Element isn’t a lens—it’s a time machine. For the price of a Rolex Datejust, you gain:

A masterclass in pre-CGI optical artistry
Proof that “flaws” can outshine clinical perfection
Bragging rights at any camera club (“Yes, mine glows in UV light”)

Rating:
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ (film romantics) | 📸📸📸🤍🤍 (digital realists)

“A lens that whispers: ‘Photography is not about light—it’s about how light dances with memory.’”

Pro Tips:

Flare Hack: Shoot into the sun—its 1980s coatings paint halos like Renaissance angels.
Film Pairing: Kodak Double-X @800—Citizen Kane vibes on a budget.
Zen Footnote:“爱而知其恶，憎而知其善”
(“Love something but know its flaws; hate something but know its merits”)

Epilogue: The Myth Lives On
Leica keeps chasing sharper, faster, newer. But the 7-Element remains stubbornly 1980—a brass-clad rebel whispering: “True beauty isn’t engineered—it’s felt.” As Winogrand might say, “Photography is about finding out what something will look like photographed.” With the 7-Element, you’re not just shooting—you’re composing sunlight into sonnets. Now go make some imperfect magic.

Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 V4 King of Bokeh (7-element)

Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 Rigid & Dual Range Review: The Swiss Watch of Lenses

Prologue: When Optics Met Poetry

In an age of disposable gadgets, the 1956–1968 Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 Rigid and its sibling, the Dual Range (DR), stand like a Stradivarius in a world of plastic ukuleles. Priced between 800–800–1,500 (2025 USD), these brass-and-glass marvels are the Audrey Hepburn of lenses—elegant, precise, and eternally chic. Born when engineers were artists and aluminum was heresy, they remain the gold standard for mechanical perfection.

Design: Horology Meets Optics

The Rigid Symphony
- Aperture Click: Rotating the aperture ring feels like winding a Patek Philippe—each click resonates with Swiss precision. Modern lenses? They clunk like subway turnstiles.
- All-Metal Alchemy: Machined brass, weighing 240g—dense as a Hemingway novel, balanced as a ballet dancer.
Dual Range’s Party Trick
- Macro Magic: Attach the “goggles” (a clip-on viewfinder), and focus down to 19 inches—like turning a sports car into a moon rover. Purists scoff, but portraitists swoon.

Optical Scripture: The lanthanum Glass Revolution

Aspect	Summicron Rigid/DR	Modern APO-Summicron
Sharpness	A scalpel slicing moonlight	Laser-etched titanium
Contrast	Chiaroscuro of a Caravaggio painting	Instagram filter
Bokeh	Silk sheets rumpled by jazz	Polyester pillowcases
Build Quality	Rolls-Royce Phantom	Tesla Model S

lanthanum Glass: Leica’s 1950s breakthrough—lanthanum oxide lenses boosted refractive index without the ick of radioactivity. Think of it as swapping leaded gasoline for electric batteries, but with more soul.
Flare Note: Wide-open backlighting? On film, it’s a soft halo—angelic. On digital, it’s a Instagram “vintage” preset. Embrace it.

IV. Generational Wars: Rigid vs DR

The Purist’s Choice (Rigid)
- Simplicity as a virtue. No goggles, no fuss—just a zen monk’s focus on essentials.
The Tinkerer’s Toy (DR)
- Macro mode: Perfect for photographing wedding rings or a butterfly’s eyelash. Rarely used, always admired.
Shared DNA
- Same optics, same soul. Choosing between them is like debating espresso vs cappuccino—both caffeinate your creativity.

The “Four Firsts” Legacy

First lanthanum Glass Lens: Ditching toxic thorium for lanthanum—Leica’s “green” revolution before green was cool.
First Computer-Designed Optics: 1950s IBM brainpower meets German engineering.
First True “Rigid” Build: No collapsing nonsense—this lens scoffs at fragility.
Most Cloned Design: Imitated by Cosina, worshipped by collectors.

Shooting Experience: Time Capsule in Your Hands

Film Love Affair
- Tri-X @400 + Rigid = Cartier-Bresson’s ghost nodding approval. The lanthanum glass renders grain like stardust.
Digital Renaissance
- On a Leica M11, microcontrast pops like a Wes Anderson palette. Tip: Add +10 “texture” in Lightroom to mimic its film-era bite.
The Chinese Proverb Footnote“青出于蓝而胜于蓝”
(“Indigo blue is born from green, yet surpasses it”)
A nod to how the Rigid, born from 1950s tech, still outclasses modern rivals.

Who Needs This Lens?

✓ Analog Aristocrats: Who polish their M3s with unicorn tears
✓ Minimalist Philosophers: Believing “less is more” (and proving it)
✓ History Buffs: Who geek over Cold War-era innovation

Avoid If: You need autofocus or think “vintage” means “obsolete.”

Final Verdict: The Unkillable Classic

The Rigid/DR is photography’s little black dress—always appropriate, never outdated. For the price of a Rolex Oyster, you gain:

A masterclass in pre-CGI engineering
Proof that “they don’t make ’em like they used to” isn’t nostalgia—it’s fact
Bragging rights at any camera club (“Yes, mine has the original box”)

Rating:
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ (film poets) | 📸📸📸📸🤍 (digital realists)

“A lens that whispers: ‘Timeless craftsmanship never goes out of style.’”

Pro Tips:

Flare Fix: Use a hood from a 12585H—it’s like sunscreen for your lens.
DR Hack: Remove the goggles for a stealthy Rigid clone.
Collector Note: Black paint versions fetch prices akin to Picasso doodles.

Epilogue: The Eternal Rigid
Leica keeps reissuing lenses like Hollywood reboots classics, but the Rigid remains stubbornly 1956. In a world chasing pixels-per-dollar, this lens is a brass-knuckled reminder: true greatness isn’t upgraded—it’s revered. As Cartier-Bresson might say, “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” The Rigid? It’s sharpness with a soul. Now go shoot something timeless.

Leica Summarit-M 50mm f/1.5 Review: The Jazz Improviser of Lenses

The Maverick’s Prologue

In 1934, Zeiss launched the Sonnar 50mm f/1.5. Leica, never one to back down, countered with the Summarit-M 50mm f/1.5 in 1936—a lens designed by Schneider Kreuznach, polished to madness, and wrapped in a 15-blade aperture (a feat rarer than a unicorn at a rodeo). Priced between 2,00–2,00–2,000 (2025 USD) depending on condition, this brass-and-glass rebel divides photographers like a Beatles vs. Stones debate. Love it or hate it? There’s no middle ground.

leica 5cm f/1.5 summarit + leica m3 + Black and white film

Design: Vintage Porsche Meets Jazz Club

Built Like a Tank, Polished Like a Steinway
- M-Mount Royalty: Early M3-era models boast Swiss-watch precision, while L39 versions feel like garage-band prototypes.
- Aperture Wizardry: 15 blades create bokeh smoother than a Miles Davis trumpet solo.
Generational Quirks
- First Gen (1949–1960s): “Fixed aperture scale” models—collector’s crack cocaine.
- Second Gen: Rotating aperture ring, less fogging (but still prone to fungal drama).

Optics: Impressionist Painting Meets Noir Film

Aspect	Summarit 50mm f/1.5	Modern Summilux 50mm f/1.4
Sharpness	Bob Ross’ “Happy Accidents”	Navy SEAL sniper
Contrast	Earl Grey tea with a splash of milk	Espresso shot
Bokeh	Van Gogh’s Starry Night	Apple product renders
Soul	Jazz improv at 3 AM	Symphonic sheet music

The “Three Insanities”

Chaos at f/1.5
- Shoot wide open, and it’s like attaching a Tiffany lamp to your camera—glowy, dreamy, and utterly unpredictable. Miss focus? Call it “art.”
Zen at f/2.8
- By f/2.8, it morphs into a Leica Summicron—sharp as a samurai sword, but with a lingering whisper of madness in the corners.
Black & White Alchemy
- Pair it with Tri-X film or a CCD sensor (Leica M8/M9), and you’ll channel Ansel Adams crossed with a Tang dynasty ink painter.
- Chinese Proverb Footnote:“别人笑我太疯癫，我笑别人看不穿”
  (“They laugh at my madness; I laugh at their blindness”—a toast to unconventional beauty*)

V. Street Photography: Pool Hall Hustler

Blind Shooting: At f/1.5, zone focus like you’re sinking an 8-ball shot—half skill, half luck.
CCD Love Affair: The M8’s sensor + this lens = Kodachrome meets a Wes Anderson film.

Who Should Buy This?

✓ Jazz Musicians with Cameras: Embrace chaos as your muse
✓ Film Noir Addicts: Chase shadows, not sharpness
✓ Contrarians: Who’d rather drink absinthe than IPA

Avoid If: You shoot weddings, pixel-peep, or fear surprises.

Final Verdict: The Beautiful Misfit

The Summarit 50mm f/1.5 is photography’s answer to a vintage vinyl record—crackles included. For the price of a bespoke suit, you get:

A time machine to 1950s Mad Men aesthetics
Proof that “flaws” can outshine perfection
Permission to laugh at technical charts

Rating:
🎷🎷🎷🎷🤍 (for jazz souls) | 📊📊🤍🤍🤍 (for lab-test warriors)

“A lens that whispers: ‘Perfection is overrated—let’s dance in the rain.’”

Pro Tips:

Fight the Fog: Store with silica gel—it’s fussier than a Parisian sommelier.
Film Pairing: Ilford HP5+ @1600—grain hugs the glow.
Digital Hack: Add +20 clarity in Lightroom to mimic 1960s press photography.

Epilogue: The Legacy of Madness
Leica’s Summarit 50mm f/1.5 is the NBA’s “Pistol Pete” Maravich of lenses—unpredictable, flamboyant, and utterly unforgettable. Modern Summilux lenses may rule the charts, but this granddaddy whispers: “You don’t take photos—you conduct light.” As the Chinese proverb goes, true artistry often hides in the cracks of convention. Shoot wide open, embrace the chaos, and let the world call you mad.

Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 Collapsible “Radioactive Yellow Glass” Review: The Alchemist’s Elixir

Prologue: When Radiation Meets Poetry

Imagine if Van Gogh’s Starry Night were forged into glass—glowing with eerie beauty, unapologetically imperfect. The 1956–1968 Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 Collapsible “Yellow Glass” (aka Radioactive Cron) is photography’s answer to a vintage whiskey: aged, complex, and slightly dangerous. Priced at 1,500–1,500–12,000 (2025 USD), this 200g brass-and-thorium relic defies modern logic. Born in an era when engineers played God with radioactive elements, it’s the James Dean of lenses—rebellious, iconic, and forever young.

Design: The Mad Scientist’s Blueprint

Toxic Cocktail
- Glass Recipe: 3 lanthanum layers + 1 thorium core + 1 lead-infused rear element—a periodic table party banned by 1980s environmentalists.
- Collapsible Sorcery: Folds like a pocketknife, weighs less than a paperback.
The “Yellowing” Phenomenon
- Thorium decay tints the glass like aged Scotch, casting a golden haze. Fear not:
  - Digital: Auto white balance neutralizes it—no Instagram filter needed.
  - Film: Kodak Ektachrome laughs at the tint; Fuji Pro 400H embraces it as “vintage warmth.”

Optical Alchemy: HCB’s Secret Weapon

Aspect	Yellow Glass Summicron	Modern APO-Summicron
Sharpness	Hemingway’s prose—direct but soulful	ChatGPT precision
Contrast	Morning fog over the Seine	High noon in Death Valley
Bokeh	Monet’s brushstrokes	CAD-rendered circles
Radiation Charm	☢️☢️☢️☢️☢️	🤖

Low-Light Wizardry: Thorium glass absorbs UV/IR, rendering twilight scenes like Rembrandt’s chiaroscuro. Henri Cartier-Bresson’s shadowy Parisian alleys? Thank radioactive decay.
Skin Tones: Renders complexions like honey-drizzled marble—flaws softened, humanity amplified.

Myth-Busting: Radiation & Risks

Health Fears:
- Fact: The dose is weaker than a transatlantic flight. Sleeping with it under your pillow for 50 years ≈ 1 dental X-ray.
- HCB Proof: The man shot with it into his 90s. (Though he probably swapped lenses more than socks.)
Film Damage:
- Leaded rear glass blocks 99% of radiation. Leave a roll in your M3 for a year? You’ll get slightly vintage fog—call it “free VSCO preset.”

Shooting Experience: Time Travel in Your Palm

Digital Love Affair
- On a Leica M11, it’s Ansel Adams meets Wes Anderson—sharp yet nostalgic. Disable profiles; let its golden flaws dance.
Film Romance
- Tri-X @1600 + this lens = film noir reborn. The thorium glow caresses grain like a jazz saxophonist.
The “Three Miracles”
- f/2: A dream sequence—soft focus becomes artistic intent.
- f/4: Suddenly sharper than a New Yorker’s wit.
- f/8: Reveals CCD-like microcontrast (Leica M8 owners, rejoice).

Who Needs This Lens?

✓ Poets with Light Meters: Who see grain as texture, not noise
✓ Vintage Alchemists: Collecting radiation like rare spices
✓ Contrarians: Who’d choose a vinyl crackle over Spotify HD

Avoid If: You shoot weddings, fear EPA audits, or think “AI bokeh” is progress.

Final Verdict: The Forbidden Fruit

The Radioactive Summicron is photography’s yin-yang—harmony in opposing forces. For the price of a Rolex Submariner, you gain:

A ticket to 1950s optical rebellion
Proof that “dangerous” often means “unforgettable”
Bragging rights at camera clubs (“Mine glows in the dark!”)

Rating:
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ (film romantics) | 📱🎞️🎞️🤍🤍 (digital pragmatists)

“A lens that whispers: ‘True magic lies in the flaws we dare to preserve.’”

Pro Tips:

UV Test: Shine a blacklight—watch the thorium glow like Tron’s legacy.
Clean Carefully: Use a lead-lined cloth (kidding… mostly).
Chinese Proverb Footnote:“毒草亦能开花”
(“Even poison weeds can bloom”—celebrating beauty in the forbidden*)

Epilogue: The Last Alchemist
In a world obsessed with clinical perfection, the Yellow Glass Summicron stands as a brass-clad rebel. It whispers: “Your camera isn’t a machine—it’s a wand.” Handle it with respect, shoot with abandon, and let its golden glow remind you: the greatest risks often yield the richest rewards. As Bresson might say, “There are no bad lenses… only boring photographers.” Now go make some beautiful trouble.

Radioactive yellow glass serial number:
NR 920×××
NR 921×××
NR 922×××
NR 993×××
NR 994×××
NR 995×××
No. 1009×××
Nr102××××
No. 104××××

Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 Radioactive — leica summicron 50mm(5cm) f/2 radioactive yellow glass screw mount ltm l39

leica summicron 50mm(5cm) f/2 radioactive yellow glass screw mount ltm l39

Leica Summicron-M 90mm f/2 E55 Review: The Porsche 911 of Lenses

Prologue: The Mandler Masterpiece

In 1980, Walter Mandler—Leica’s answer to Enzo Ferrari—crafted the Summicron-M 90mm f/2 E55, a lens as timeless as a vintage Rolex Submariner and as precise as a Swiss railway clock. Priced between 800–800–1,600 (2025 USD), this 475g brass-and-glass marvel trimmed the fat from its predecessor (the “Big Head Nine”) while retaining every ounce of optical soul. Think of it as the Porsche 911 of telephotos: compact, iconic, and engineered to outlive trends.

Design: Minimalist Brilliance

Bauhaus on a Diet
- Body: Anodized black aluminum—sleeker than a tailored tuxedo, lighter than a hardcover Hemingway. The retractable hood clicks into place like a bank vault door.
- E55 Filter Thread: A nod to practicality in a world of niche accessories.
Generational Leap
- Compared to the clunky V1 “Big Head Nine,” the E55 is a Michelangelo chiseled from marble—smaller, lighter, yet optically identical.

Optical Sorcery: Sharpness with Soul

Aspect	E55 90mm f/2	Modern 90mm f/2 APO
Sharpness	Katana blade at f/2	Laser-guided scalpel
Bokeh	Monet’s garden at dusk	Excel spreadsheet gradients
Weight	Weekend suitcase	Featherweight backpack
Soul	🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻	🎧

f/2 Wide Open: Renders skin like Renaissance oil paintings—pores softened, eyes sparkling like Venetian glass.
f/4 Sweet Spot: Microcontrast so crisp, you’ll count eyelashes in landscape shots.

The “Three Delights”

Street Portrait Zen: Zone-focus at 5m, and let subjects wander into your frame like characters in a Wes Anderson film.
M3 Synergy: Pair with Leica’s 0.91x viewfinder—a match made in Wetzlar heaven.

Focus Philosophy: Slow Photography Manifesto

The Mandler Method: Manual focus with this lens is vinyasa yoga for photographers—stretching patience, rewarding precision.
Anti-Spray-and-Pray: At 90mm, every click costs $1.50 (film + development). Treat it like a sommelier pours Bordeaux: mindfully.

Who Needs This Lens?

✓ Portrait Poets: Who believe eyes > autofocus motors
✓ Film Purists: Chasing Ansel Adams’ ghost through Tri-X grain
✓ Contrarians: Who’d choose a typewriter over ChatGPT

Avoid If: You shoot sports, fear tripods, or think “vintage” means “eBay flip.”

Final Verdict: The Timeless Workhorse

The E55 isn’t just a lens—it’s a lifestyle. For the price of a weekend in Provence, you gain:

A Mandler-era optical relic that outclasses modern APO glass in character
Proof that “lightweight” and “legendary” aren’t mutually exclusive
Permission to trade pixels for poetry

Rating:
🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️ (film alchemists) | 📱📱🤍🤍🤍 (zoombies)

“A lens that whispers: ‘Slow down, the best moments are worth waiting for.’”

Pro Tips:

Film Pairing: Kodak Tri-X @400—grain dances with its buttery bokeh.
Digital Hack: Add +15 “texture” in Lightroom to mimic its film-era bite.
Zen Mantra: “90mm isn’t a focal length—it’s a meditation.”

Epilogue: The Lens of Intentionality
Leica’s E55 90mm f/2 scoffs at shortcuts, whispering: “Greatness isn’t found in speed, but in stillness.” Like a Tang dynasty ink painting, its beauty lies in bold strokes, not frantic scribbles. In an age of computational hype, this lens is your passport back to photography’s beating heart. Now go frame your masterpiece. 🖤