Japanese photo retailer Shoten Kobo is now selling the Wahei Optical ‘Peace’ 35mm f/1.4, a classic-looking, clearly Leica-inspired 35mm f/1.4 lens for M mount.
There have been a lot of vintage-inspired prime lenses to hit the market in recent years, including Mandler’s 35mm f/2 “7 Elements” lens that faithfully recreates a classic Leica 35mm f/2 lens design. Like the Mandler lens, Wahei Optical’s Peace 35mm f/1.4 E41 Classical Silver Chrome lens “pays homage” to a Leica lens, as CAPA Camera Web reports. In this case, the reference lens is the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Steel Rim released in 1961.
The company says that, unlike modern lenses that pursue uniform image quality and high resolution, many photographers still seek something with “unique character” and rendering that changes with the shooting conditions and aperture.
In the case of the Peace 35mm f/1.4, Wahei Optical claims that it delivers imaging akin to vintage lenses, meaning it offers a slightly soft, dreamy look at f/1.4 that sharpens up considerably as the lens is stopped down.
“Depending on your mood and subject, you can choose to embrace the open-angle feel or stop down for a more polished image,” the company says in a press release. “This lens allows photographers to enjoy deciding ‘how they want to capture the image.'”
The lens includes seven elements arranged across five groups and incorporates a double Gauss-type design. It has a 10-bladed aperture.
The lens’s vintage spirit extends beyond its optical layout. The lens looks old-school, too. It features a classic brass barrel, a rangefinder-coupled manual-focus design, and a narrow 41mm filter thread. The compact lens weighs just 210 grams (7.4 ounces).
As is always the case with M-mount lenses, the Wahei Optical Peace 35mm f/1.4 will be very easy to adapt to other cameras, including full-frame mirrorless cameras.
Pricing and Availability
The Wahei Optical Peace 35mm f/1.4 E41 Classical Silver Chrome lens is available through Shoten Kobo. In the United States, this means purchasing the lens through the retailer’s eBay storefront. It is $1,329.99.
Image credits: Wahei Optical
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