Omnar Lense

Omnar Lenses is a British boutique manufacturer that represents the extreme high end of the "upcycling" movement. Founded in 2021 as a collaboration between Hamish Gill (founder of the photography blog 35mmc) and Chris Andreyo (of the repair workshop Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics), Omnar specializes in rescuing legendary optics from high-end point-and-shoot cameras and rehousing them into "heirloom quality" M-mount bodies.

For the Leica user, Omnar solves a specific desire: "I love the rendering of my Contax T2 or Yashica T4, but I want to shoot it on my Leica M with a real rangefinder experience." Unlike simple DIY conversions, Omnar lenses are engineered from scratch in the UK, often featuring complex mechanical innovations (like floating lens blocks) to correct optical flaws that the original cameras masked with autofocus.

History

The brand was born out of a shared frustration with existing conversion options.

The 35mmc x Skyllaney Alliance (2020–2021)

Hamish Gill had previously experimented with converting cheap lens elements (like the Canon AF-10) using existing services but felt the mechanical quality was lacking. He teamed up with Chris Andreyo, a master lens technician known for restoring vintage Leitz glass.

• The Launch: In October 2021, they officially launched the Omnar CN26-6. It was a proof-of-concept: taking the humble plastic lens from a Canon AF-10 and putting it into a precision-machined brass housing that cost nearly £1,000. It sold out almost immediately, proving a market existed for premium "fun" lenses.

The "FLB" Innovation (2024–Present)

As they moved to more serious optics (like Zeiss Sonnars), they encountered the problem of focus shift. Vintage Sonnar designs often shift focus as you stop down, a problem SLR/AF cameras fix automatically but one that ruins rangefinder accuracy.

• The Solution: Omnar developed a proprietary Floating Lens Block (FLB) system. This mechanical linkage subtly moves the optical block as you change aperture, ensuring the focus remains perfect at all f-stops. This technology debuted in their Pantessa and Bertele lenses [[1]].

Product Lines (M-Mount Native)

Omnar lenses are produced in small batches, often sold via pre-order or waitlist.

The "Rehoused Legends" Series

These lenses take donor glass from famous compact cameras and give them a permanent M-mount home.

• CX38-28 (The Contax T2): A rehousing of the Carl Zeiss Sonnar 38mm f/2.8 from the Contax T2.
  • Significance: It is fully rangefinder coupled. This allows Leica users to access the "T2 Look" without dealing with the failing electronics of the original camera.
• Pantessa 35mm f/3.5 (The Yashica T4): A rehousing of the Zeiss Tessar 35mm f/3.5 (found in the Yashica T4/T5).
  • Tech: Features the FLB system to correct focus shift. It is one of the smallest 35mm lenses available for M-mount, marketed as a "Pancake Tessar."
• CN26-6 (The Snapshot): Their debut lens. A 26mm f/6 fixed-aperture lens repurposed from a Canon AF-10. It is a high-contrast "street sweeper" lens designed for zone focusing, though it is coupled [[2]].

The "Heritage" Series

• Bertele 50mm f/2: A modern recreation of the 1934 Sonnar 5cm f/2 (originally designed by Ludwig Bertele).
  • The Twist: Unlike vintage Sonnars which are notoriously difficult to focus accurately on digital Leicas due to shift, this version uses the FLB mechanism to lock focus at all apertures.

Technical Specifications

Feature	Specification Details
Native Mount	Leica M-Bayonet
Focus Coupling	Coupled. (Usually 0.7m to Infinity).
Build Materials	Brass. Machined in the UK. Available in Matte Black (Cerakote), Gloss Black Paint, or Silver Chrome.
Key Tech	FLB (Floating Lens Block): A unique mechanical solution for focus shift correction.
Origin	Designed, Machined, and Assembled in the UK. (Worcester & Scotland).
Availability	Batch Production. Lenses are often "Sold Out" or "Pre-Order Only."
Customization	Buyers can often choose specific paint finishes, focus tab styles, or even custom engraving.

Why Photographers Choose Omnar

• The "T2" Look on M11: Many photographers believe the Contax T2 had the perfect lens but a terrible body (by modern standards). Omnar liberates that glass, allowing it to be used on a 60-megapixel Leica M11 or a film MP with total manual control.
• Mechanical Perfection: Unlike MS-Optics (which are famously fragile and quirky), Omnar lenses feel like "real" Leica lenses. The focus rings are dampened, the aperture clicks are crisp, and the brass weight is substantial.
• Solving Focus Shift: For lovers of the Sonnar look, the Omnar Bertele 50mm is arguably the most usable version of that formula ever made, solving the technical headache that has plagued the design for 90 years.

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Sources

• [1] 35mmc (Brand Launch & History): https://www.35mmc.com/15/10/2021/omnar-lenses-cn26-6-26mm-f-6-my-first-lens-coming-to-market/
• [2] Phillip Reeve (Bertele 50mm Review): https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-omnar-50mm-2-0-bertele-flb/
• [3] Omnar Official Site: https://omnarlenses.com/
• [4] Silvergrain Classics (Pantessa Launch): https://silvergrainclassics.com/en/2025/01/omnar_35mm_pantessa_flb/