On March 27th, 2026, in celebration of the grand opening of Camera West San Francisco, Camera West partnered with Mark de Paola for a unique three-hour masterclass at 120 Maiden Lane.
The Idea:
Camera West and Mark de Paola share a deep connection with crafting images — not just taking them. The intersection of tools and how those tools shape the creative process is something we’ve been deeply in tune with for many years. Mark has spent decades utilizing different tools to achieve looks and emotions through light, color, and composition. We wanted to share the craft of telling stories through emotion, using tools that lend themselves to the imperfections and humanity of those stories like never before. The Vintage Optics Masterclass was born.
The subject of vintage optics alone is broad. Optics from different eras render differently; vintage optics of the same era produced by two different craftspeople can render differently; and optics from different manufacturers carry their own unique characteristics. These idiosyncrasies can only truly be understood through hands-on experience with the glass itself. With that in mind, we curated a menu of exquisite vintage optics designed to whet the palate of participants during their brief but rich time with them.
The Menu:
This session’s menu included such highlights as:
- Original Leica 50mm f/1.2 Noctilux
- Leica 50mm f/1.2 Noctilux Reissue
- Leica 50mm f/1.0 Noctilux E58
- Wollensak 75mm (2in) f/1.9 Oscillo-Raptar
- Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux E43 (Early Batch)
- Kinoptik 75mm f/2.0 Apochromat
- Alpa 80mm Xenon
- Leica 35mm f/2 Summicron 8-Element
- Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron Collapsible
- And more!
The Layout:
Participants had the opportunity to pair each lens with the ideal testing platform: the Leica EV1. We’ve found that the quirks of vintage optics pair beautifully with the EV1’s sensor, and the EVF makes focusing and composing with legacy glass remarkably easy. Some of the older optics don’t offer the best rangefinder coupling — and in the case of the Wollensak 75mm Ocollio Raptar, there is no RF coupling at all.
The day began in the new workshop space at Camera West SF with a talk from Mark covering each lens and offering insights on how to get the most from vintage glass — before heading out into Maiden Lane with Sage and Chi modeling for participants to capture incredible shots on the lane itself.
The Results:
The final hour was spent combing through each participant’s photos, celebrating the captures of the day, and exploring the unique rendering each lens had to offer.
Randy R – @randyras01
Jesus L – @jjlarasfo
Tiffany – @tifferently
Dale S
A special thank you to Sage Backstrom for producing this masterclass, and to Rob Passman for supporting the event from Leica with a full complement of EV1 demo cameras — as well as to Chi Nguyen for modeling on the day. And of course Mark de Paola for his guidence!
Finally, a special thanks to CW Watch Shop for accessorizing Chi with a vintage Rolex Ladies Datejust.
Stay tuned for more very soon, with a more expansive Vintage Optics Masterclass and workshop on the horizon — in the Bay, the City, and the Desert.
