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The Mandler 35mm f/2 M-Mount Lens

A new Leica M-mount lens is on the way: The Chinese-made Mandler 35mm f/2, a modern homage to Dr. Walter Mandler, the legendary Leica designer responsible for over 45 iconic lenses. Optically, the Mandler 35mm f/2 features seven elements in five groups mirroring the optical formula used in the classic 1970s Summicron lens. Earlier Summicron versions used eight elements, but the seven-element design has a cult following for its rendering and character.

Interest in faithfully recreated vintage glass is growing, especially with M-mount lenses being so adaptable. While Light Lens Lab already offers a high-quality replica of the earlier eight-element Summicron starting at $1,049, and 7Artisans sells a simpler $298 option, the new Mandler lens aims to hit a sweet spot in price and performance. Rumors suggest it could be priced under $1,000 when it arrives next month.

Built from aluminum alloy and weighing 139 grams, the lens is compact and well-suited to street and everyday photography. It has a 10-blade aperture, a 0.7-meter minimum focus distance, and manual focus operation. It will be available in Classic Black or Platinum Silver. It’s designed to fit seamlessly into an existing M-mount kit or adapt easily to modern mirrorless bodies. The company also plans to release three or four new lenses each year, making it one to watch for fans of vintage-inspired glass.

You can see more details on Leica-Rumour’s website here

A New Kickstarter Camera Project

Echolens is a new digital camera that is all about slowing down and shooting with intention, but without giving up modern convenience. Designed to look and feel like a classic 35mm film camera, it features a manual film winder, a physical flash dial, and zero screens in sight. It's digital, yes—but with a heavy dose of analog nostalgia.

Each “roll” holds just 54 shots, capped on purpose to nudge photographers into being more deliberate. There’s a one-click WiFi sync button to transfer your photos to your phone or the cloud, but if you want to go fully offline, you can. The minimalist interface includes only a shot counter and a flash dial, no touchscreen.

It charges via USB-C and promises multiple days of use per charge. Under the hood, there’s a low-light-capable CMOS sensor, while the included filter presets mimic classic film stocks like Portra and Ektachrome. Echolens was founded in San Diego by three childhood friends who grew up shooting film and wanted to ‘reimagine the experience for today’s creators’. The Camera is launching mid-June 2025 on Kickstarter for around $150.

You can see full details on Echolens’s Website here

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The 60 Seconds Review

Welcome to a new part of the Bite Size Magazine, the 60 seconds Review. Here I will review a piece of photography gear every week (so camera, lens, filter, tripod etc.) and write it together in a compact format which you will be able to read in 60 seconds or less.

This time in Review: The Viltrox 35mm f/1.2 LAB lens

Viltrox is aiming straight at the big names with their 35mm f/1.2 LAB lens. A premium prime designed for Sony E-mount that tries to offer G Master-level image quality without the G Master-level price tag. And in a lot of ways, it gets close.

Handling and Build

It’s a solid piece of gear, made from magnesium-aluminum alloy and fully weather-sealed. The included bayonet hood and 77mm filter thread make it feel ready for pro work. The lens also comes with an OLED display, customisable buttons, and a USB-C port for firmware updates—features you normally don’t see at this price ($999). But at 920 grams, it’s definitely on the heavier side. It feels front-heavy on smaller Sony bodies and starts to wear on your wrist after a long shoot. The aperture ring is one of the more polarising parts. It technically offers both clicked and de-clicked modes, but a lot of photographers find it too loose or inconsistent. Most end up controlling aperture from the camera instead.

Shooting Experience

Autofocus is one of the standout features here. Viltrox uses four voice coil motors that make AF both fast and quiet. It has great accuracy even wide open at f/1.2, with excellent subject tracking on newer Sony bodies. Focus breathing is minimal, and flare resistance is surprisingly strong, even when shooting into direct light. While continuous shooting works fine up to 15 fps, Sony bodies will throttle performance on third-party lenses like this—something that frustrates many users, especially those used to the higher burst rates on Sony’s native glass.

Image Quality

Optically, this lens is a beast. Sharpness is excellent in the center even wide open, and it only gets better when stopped down. Bokeh is smooth, natural, and clean, with little to no fringing or distracting textures. Subject separation is strong, and chromatic aberrations are impressively well-controlled. There’s some vignetting at f/1.2, but it clears up nicely by f/2 and is easy to fix in post. Distortion is mild but has a bit of a wavy, mustache pattern that might need correction on architectural shots. That said, some astrophotographers have noticed more coma than they'd like, especially compared to Sigma’s 35mm f/1.2 Art. Sunstars are also kind of soft and unremarkable, which may matter to people who like shooting night scenes.

Should You Buy It?

Honestly, probably not. While it nails the optical side, most photographers agree that the size, weight, and slightly clunky handling make it less fun to use day-to-day. It’s great on paper and even better in controlled settings, but it doesn’t quite offer the balance of performance and usability that many look for in a 35mm prime.

Alternatives?

Sony’s 35mm f/1.4 GM is the obvious one. It’s smaller, lighter, and more refined. Sigma’s 35mm f/1.2 Art is the closest direct competitor in terms of specs, but it’s even heavier and more expensive. Sigma also makes a 35mm f/1.4 DG DN that’s cheaper and smaller, but it gives up a bit in optical quality. Still, for most people, one of those two Sigmas or the Sony will be a better all-around choice.

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The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers

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