Shop News
MS Optical Super Triplet Perar 3.5/35 Mark II
We are pleased to announce the availability of a second run of this popular lens. It is available for order now in our web shop.
The MS Optical Super Triplet Perar 3.5/35 Mark II is optically identical to first version. In this revision, some minor changes were made:
- Native Leica M mount, not LTM with adapter
- More robust, thicker focussing lever
- Minor changes of markings on barrel, aperture scale marks
As you well know, on Friday, March 11th 2011, a strong earthquake and tsunami struck the eastern coast of Japan. Apart from the shocking damages and casualties caused by these natural disasters, the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power station suffered a severe accident spreading radioactive materials over a vast area, a crisis which is still ongoing. Incidentally, the earthquake also caused some disruption to the production process of the Perar, spoiling a lot of about 50 optical lenses.
Following suggestions from our customers, we have therefore added a voluntary option to donate a modest amount to the Japanese Red Cross (or other charitable organisation) as part of your purchase. The initial amount is set to ¥5000 which you can increase or reduce as you see fit. Thank you.
The simplest optical design that is capable of correcting all of the seven Seidel aberrations over a wide field of view is the Cooke triplet, developed by H. Dennis Taylor in 1893. It is named after the optical company in York, England, for which Taylor worked at the time, Cooke and Sons (later to become Cooke, Troughton and Sims). Taylor’s designs, despite their antiquity, are close to optimum for the aperture and field he intended, given the glass types available in his day.
However, at around 1925 with the rise of the Tessar lens designed by Paul Rudolph of Zeiss the Cooke triplet was starting to be relegated to cheaper lenses such as those in compact cameras, due to its simple design affording low cost manufacturing.
Mr Miyazaki of MS Optical, a small independent manufacturer of lenses and camera accessories, believes that a well-designed triplet is superior to the Tessar. Only very few lenses in history exploited the full power of the formula, such as an early version of the Leitz Elmar 90/4 with three elements. He started researching and designing his own ideal triplet lens at the highest level possible, using 21st century materials and manufacturing techniques. The result is the MS Super Triplet Perar 3.5/35, which has just been released. (For those wondering about the origin of the lens name, in Japanese pera-pera means thin or flimsy.)
Despite it’s deceptively simple construction of three lens elements Miyazaki was able to design a lens of not only outstanding performance, but also with a very interesting form factor and at comparatively low cost.
Here are its key features:
- Very high optical quality triplet formula lens
- Ultra compact design, weight 75g, collapsible (4.2mm height when collapsed)
- Premium quality Tantalum glass, superior to Trium and Lanthanum glass with best refractive qualities
- Refined triplet design with two double thickness positive lenses, superior to Tessar design
- Round aperture for smooth and pleasing bokeh (Edmund Optics, Made in USA)
- Minimum focus distance 0.8m
- ALL glass surfaces multicoated, 97% light transmission
- Vivid, real and beautiful color reproduction, high contrast high resolution images
- Second lot of 200 lenses (serial 201-400), designed, manufactured and hand-assembled in Japan by Mr Sadoyasu Miyazaki
The MS Optical Super Triplet Perar 3.5/35 Mark II is available now in our web shop.
Just like MS Optical’s lens conversions, please be aware that this lens is slightly different in operation from “normal” mass-manufactured lenses. For example, the aperture scale rotates with the whole lens barrel when the lens is focussed and there are no aperture click stops. This is not a lens for photographers who want all their lenses to function in the same way and cannot adjust to a different way of working. This is a design for the connoisseur with an appreciation for optics and their history.
Photos courtesy of Pieter Franken
I did quite some shooting yesterday with the lens [on the Leica M9 and MP] and had it compete with a 35mm Summilux aspherical lens. Obviously there are significant differences, but am quite impressed with what this little lens does. First of all the focus is perfect on the M9 and the view field is good. Bokeh is pleasant. The focussing is very smooth! I liked the hood and front and rear covers – nice detail and execution!
Pieter Franken, September 2010
There is no other independent maker of Leica M mount lenses that offers the same level of quality and creativity as MS Optical in the world today. The Perar is not just a lens, it is a celebration of the spirit of photography.
Related posts and articles on Japan Exposures:
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- MS Optical Super Triplet Perar 3.5/35 The lens is now sold out, please see here for details on the second production run. The simplest optical design...
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June 8th, 2011 at 10:35
Has shipping started?
June 8th, 2011 at 10:46
Yes, but only small quantities for now… hope to send more very soon.
June 8th, 2011 at 20:14
Thank you. So no expected date of arrival yet?
June 18th, 2011 at 12:49
Please see the status update on top of the page. We are shipping mostly daily at the moment, making good progress catching up with orders. Thanks for your patience.
June 25th, 2011 at 16:34
Hi, I know it quite late but if it possible to order the lenses?
Thanks
wit
June 25th, 2011 at 19:22
Hi, yes it is. Please use the link above.
June 29th, 2011 at 10:27
How many days or weeks before product delivery, approximately, should I expect if I order, say, today?
June 29th, 2011 at 10:38
Thank you for your interest. We are currently shipping around 10 lenses a day so I would expect a waiting time of about two weeks if you ordered today, perhaps even less if things go well.
June 29th, 2011 at 17:58
Hi Dirk,
I placed my order on Jun 15. Would you mind give me an estimate on the shipping date?
Thanks!
W
June 29th, 2011 at 21:40
Hi, we are currently at order 6150, making good progress with shipping.
June 30th, 2011 at 1:29
Hi Dirk,
Thanks for the reply. I am now 15X orders away. I will be patient.
July 7th, 2011 at 4:43
Hello Dirk:
Could we please get an update on status.
thanks.
July 7th, 2011 at 6:57
We have been shipping at good quantities, currently at around order #6180. We are well over 100 shipped lenses now and awaiting parts. We should continue shipping shortly. I am checking each lens personally on Leica M9 to make sure it all works (esp. focus accuracy). This takes time but is worth it. Thank you for your patience.
July 7th, 2011 at 8:00
Konichiwa Dirk,
I can imagine how much time it must take to check each lens and how tedious it must be. Are you bored yet?
Just want to say thanks for your efforts before I receive my “perfectly calibrated” lens!
Now… about that serial number… (just kidding!)
July 7th, 2011 at 8:29
Haha, no not bored yet although putting on and off 20-30 fiddly lens caps is a challenge!
Thanks for your support.
July 15th, 2011 at 9:47
Dirk-san,
Do you have any update since last week?
My order # is 631x.
July 15th, 2011 at 9:49
No updates, expecting more lenses to send soon and hoping that the backlog is gone within next 10 days.
July 18th, 2011 at 13:15
What is going on with the orders? I have been waiting for almost 2 months already. Please advise.
July 18th, 2011 at 13:45
Doing our best with shipping. If you can no longer wait we are happy to cancel your order.
July 25th, 2011 at 13:38
Do you bill when the order is ready? Thank you.
July 25th, 2011 at 14:01
Payment is to be made upon ordering (technically no other way). If you want to cancel before shipment, full refund is given.
July 28th, 2011 at 13:54
Thank you for the amazing lens. It was worth the wait.
July 28th, 2011 at 13:59
Thank you for your patience and positive feedback!
August 3rd, 2011 at 9:07
Hi,
I am interested by buying this lens, if I order it today, when will it be shipped ?
thanks and regards
August 3rd, 2011 at 9:08
All going to plan in the next 3-6 weeks, depending on how production advances.
August 4th, 2011 at 22:09
Any updates on orders? I’m on #623X and still waiting. Thanks!
August 4th, 2011 at 22:15
No news I’m afraid. As you know, current status is scheduled for end of August. Many smaller Japanese companies close mid August so we will have to be patient.
August 6th, 2011 at 7:04
I posted a little video on the lens, shows a lens cap trick as well: http://goo.gl/q2VX8
So far I am very happy with this little lens!
August 6th, 2011 at 7:10
Great video Kevin, thanks for making it. It’s probably something I should have done to explain more aspects of the lens
August 10th, 2011 at 1:49
Your lens looks like so much with my Yashica’s T5 Tessar 35mm f3.5!!
I took it out of the body and I’m looking for a way to adapted on my Nex5.I have to find a way to focus and set aperture.
August 10th, 2011 at 1:52
If your lens was a 24mm f2,8 I will order it without second thouts.Very nice little thing.
September 2nd, 2011 at 2:06
Hi Dirk,
Any updates?
September 3rd, 2011 at 7:33
Is this lens still available to order, MS Optical Super Triplet Perar 3.5/35 Mark II? Thank you.
Steve Oaks
September 3rd, 2011 at 18:04
Available, yes. However, about 60 people are waiting at the moment.
September 3rd, 2011 at 22:29
Hi, Dirk. Any update on the third batch? Thanks!
September 4th, 2011 at 0:42
Hi Dirk,
Any Idea when you will start to ship the lens ?
regards
Nicolas
September 24th, 2011 at 12:23
About half of the people waiting will be able to have their lenses shipped in very early October, i.e. in about a week from today. The remaining should follow soon after.
September 29th, 2011 at 2:21
Dirk, I have a Perar from your second batch and very much enjoy it. Do you have a lens filter that fits the lens?
September 29th, 2011 at 6:45
Hi Terry, at the moment only a Skylight 1B filter is available:
http://www.japanexposures.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=433
October 1st, 2011 at 22:33
We have started assembling lenses and plan to ship in good quantities next week.
December 21st, 2011 at 6:28
MS Optical Super Triplet Perar 3.5/35 Mark II:
Is the lens available for order? When is the expected delivery day?
December 21st, 2011 at 13:29
Hi, I suddenly fall in love with this tiny lens. Are you still selling it now? And how long it will take for the shipping after the order? Thx
December 21st, 2011 at 16:01
Hi, lenses are in stock and shipping is pretty much immediately.