Reviews |Zenitar 35mm f/1 lens for Leica M mount spotted at trade show

Zenitar 35mm f/1 lens for Leica M mount spotted at trade show

Zenitar 35mm f/1 lens for Leica M mount spotted at trade show
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The rumoured collaboration between Leica and Russian manufacturer Zenit took a step towards reality, as a Zenit 35mm f/1 lens for Leica M mount was reportedly spotted at a Russian photo trade show.

Photo Rumors spotted the posts on a Russian forum where a user claimed to have seen the lens listed in a catalog at the KMZ stand at the Photoforum-2018 show. The user writes (according to a Google translation):

Today I visited the KMZ stand at the Photoforum-2018. There is no new KMZ cameras. Lenses are demonstrated on the Canon and Nikon cameras. In the show-window, the only Zenit KM KMZ SLR for the demonstration of K-mount lenses. Of the novelties, the most interesting is the range-lensless lens on the Leica bayonet M 35mm F1.0. Weight 740 grams, 9 lenses in 8 components. Light filter 72 mm. But only in the catalog, I did not see the live one.

Last year it was reported the Zenit will be making a comeback and developing a full-frame mirrorless camera. It later emerged that Leica could be working with Zenit on the project.

Another user commented on the forum post claiming to provide some background on the Zenit-Leica project. According to a Google translation:

This is one of the three objectives for the “Leica” project (the camera is based on Leica-M9, redesigned and with a slightly different body, and the lenses are redrawn). The project, he – a one-time, is positioned as “image”, although more correctly: “gift”. In addition to this, there will be about 20 mm and 50 mm. There are no mentions on the site, as the project was constantly updated and everything was changed. Even the name of the camera has already changed two times – both the index and the brand itself. We in February for the News prepared an interview with a knowledgeable person, but he himself asked to cancel the publication, which is simply obsolete in the few days spent decrypting the record and editing … It’s hard to tell anything concrete until there is no confirmation of that, that this project received final approval, and the plant managed to find the appropriate financing.