KoNickon
Nick Merritt
As for the Mamiya, I have one that I partially took apart because the aperture blades are awry. I realized fixing those may be beyond my capabilities, since it looks like I'd have to completely remove the shutter to get at them, which scares me. The aperture itself isn't working -- it fires as I wind the shutter -- I've experienced that before with other cameras but I don't know the cause. Anyway, maybe I can get the shutter working. The meter responds to light but I can't tell (with the aperture and shutter speed controls removed) how accurate it is. Oh, and the rangefinder looks well off also. So, a project on several fronts! But the lens is in good shape....
Jason Schneider
the Camera Collector
The Futura S was a competent and well made interchangeable lens leaf shutter rangefinder 35 that offered 50mm f/1.5 Frilon and 50mm f/2 Evar normal lenses. It’s fairly uncommon and considered “exotic” but IMHO the Voigtlander Prominent I and II are better picture takers.
raid
Dad Photographer
Once you have the adapter Prominent to Leica, both lenses are relatively inexpensive to find for your Leica. I have both lenses.
edited: the market value seems to have increased for the Nokton lenses.
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hilltime
Well-known
I think people buy the Prominent’s with either the Nokton or Ultron lens, more so for the lenses,
than using them on the original body. I have a pristine Prominent which has the secondary small lever wind, but also came with a pristine Nokton, which I have an adapter and now have mounted on a Contax IIA. It compares very well with the Opton Sonnar 5cm/ 1.5 and splits hairs as to which is the better lens. Of course, the Nokton’s which have original LTM or even more rare, Contax mounts are always sold for a small fortune.
than using them on the original body. I have a pristine Prominent which has the secondary small lever wind, but also came with a pristine Nokton, which I have an adapter and now have mounted on a Contax IIA. It compares very well with the Opton Sonnar 5cm/ 1.5 and splits hairs as to which is the better lens. Of course, the Nokton’s which have original LTM or even more rare, Contax mounts are always sold for a small fortune.
raid
Dad Photographer
I have used both, the Nokton and the Ultron, and both gave me very nice results with my Leica cameras. I saw last evening on ebay that a Nokton alone sells for more than a Prominent with the same lens. Both lenses do very well with Fuji Reala film, I recall.