Mandler 50mm f/1.4 Lens Looks Like a Leica but Isn’t Priced Like a Leica

Chinese lens company Mandler made headlines for its debut lens earlier this year, a facsimile Leica 35mm f/2 prime. The company is back with another Leica copycat, the Mandler 50mm f/1.4 E46 Pre-A.

Inspired by the Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 E46 pre-aspherical lens, which was manufactured until the early 21st century, Mandler’s lens is priced very aggressively. The aluminum variant is just $369. The brass version is $548, still a far cry from the price of a used Leica 50mm f/1.4 E45 pre-aspherical lens, which can cost over $10,000.

Mandler tries to very closely recreate Leica’s optical designs and performance, including bokeh rendering, color rendering, contrast, and flare characteristics. However, Mandler has also embraced contemporary optical design elements, including the ability to focus closer than Leica’s classic lens. Mandler’s new lens can focus as close as 0.5 meters.

The company also works to improve certain aspects of its optical performance while preserving the overall “look.” The lens has seven elements arranged across five groups and a 12-bladed aperture. Mandler says resolution is about 20 to 25% better than Leica’s old lens, while maintaining the same size. Mandler specifically calls out f/1.4 as an aperture where the resolution improvement is especially noticeable. Mandler describes the bokeh as “swirling” and “airy.”

“Through relentless digital computation, optical simulation, and iterative design exploration, we have continuously sought the finest balance between a classic imaging character and modern optical performance,” Mandler says.

“After dozens of rounds of optimization and validation, we have finally arrived at the Mandler 50mm f/1.4,” the company continues.

The Mandler 50mm f/1.4 E46 Pre-A comes in M and LTM mount versions and will easily adapt to a wide range of mirrorless and analog cameras in either version. The aluminum version weighs approximately 290 grams (10.2 ounces), while the pricier brass version is 385 grams (13.6 ounces). Both lenses are 46.5 millimeters (about 1.8 inches) long and accept small 46mm filters.

Sample Photos

Pricing and Availability

The first batch of Mandler 50mm f/1.4 E46 Pre-A lenses has already sold out, but a second batch of units will be available to preorder on October 1 at 10 AM EDT (7 AM PDT). The aluminum version will cost $368 and comes in black, while the silver brass version is $548. In both cases, the manual focus, Leica-lookalike lenses are undeniably affordable.

While PetaPixel has not used Mandler lenses itself, reviews of Mandler’s debut lens, the 35mm f/2 7 Element, noted that the lens offers great value and solid performance, albeit with some issues with field curvature. The 35mm f/2 is allegedly not especially well corrected for aberrations, but compromises are bound to exist in this price bracket. It remains to be seen if Mandler’s second lens, the new 50mm f/1.4 E46 Pre-A is as quirky as its 35mm sibling.

Image creditsMandler