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Funleader Updates Contax G35 Conversion Kit
credits: Funleader
Funleader has announced an updated Black Edition of its Contax G35 Leica M Conversion Helicoid V2, continuing its approach of adapting classic Contax G lenses for Leica M cameras without permanently modifying the original lens. The update, according to the company, is especially interesting for photographers who still like the look and rendering of classic Zeiss optics on Leica M bodies.
The biggest change is the move to an upgraded aluminium alloy housing for the conversion components, which cuts down the weight compared to earlier versions and slightly changes the overall feel. The kit now also includes a matching aluminium lens cap, and the new all-black finish is designed to fit in more naturally with modern Leica M cameras. At the same time, the fully converted optical version of the lens still keeps a full brass construction. Internally, Funleader says the structure has also been refined to improve focus damping and focusing smoothness, which should make manual focusing feel a bit more controlled during regular shooting.
The system itself still revolves around a non-destructive conversion process, meaning you can move the original Contax G35 35mm f/2 optical block into the helicoid without permanently altering the lens. It supports proper rangefinder coupling for Leica M cameras, keeps the original 35mm focal length, f/2 aperture, and full-frame coverage, and uses a 46mm filter thread with a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 meters. One small quirk from the earlier version is still there, when set to f/16, the effective aperture is actually closer to f/13 because of mechanical limitations tied to the original lens design. Pricing is set at $990 for the full conversion kit, while the updated Black Edition helicoid on its own costs $519.
OM System Is Making An OM-3 Monochrom?
credits: OM System
A pretty unusual rumour is making the rounds right now. OM System is supposedly working on an OM-3 Monochrom, a black-and-white-only version of the OM-3 that could arrive as early as August 2026. According to multiple sources, the camera would be based on the existing OM-3 platform, which actually makes a fair amount of sense considering OM System has already experimented with niche versions of its cameras before, like the OM-3 Astro.
The idea behind a monochrome camera is quite a bit different from just switching a regular camera into black-and-white mode. Conventional image sensor are essentially colourblind. Only the Bayer colour filter ensures that each pixel captures only red, green, or blue light. The missing colour information is then calculated, or interpolated, via demosaicing. This works surprisingly well, but it comes at the cost of sharpness and light sensitivity. A monochrome sensor removes that filter entirely, allowing every pixel to capture full luminance data. In practice, that means higher sharpness, cleaner detail, improved light sensitivity, and lower noise, especially at higher ISOs. The downside is obviously that the camera can only shoot black and white, and tonal adjustments often rely on physical colour filters attached to the lens.
If the rumour turns out to be real, the camera would likely keep most of the existing OM-3 hardware, including the weather-sealed retro-style body, BSI-stacked sensor design, and OM System’s strong in-body stabilisation system. That combination could make sense for genres like street, documentary, and travel photography, where monochrome shooting is pretty popular. It would also place the OM-3 Monochrom into a very small category currently occupied by cameras like the Leica M11 Monochrom and Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, although likely at a much lower price point.
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