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Inexpensive LTM lenses

I may have given the same answer in this thread before but a quick review says "no", so I'll go again and recommend the Japanese 90 mm Sun Sola, which i rather fancy on my ltms, most often on the Leica CL (analog), + LTM adapter.

Some hold it as good as the Leica 90mm offerings in the LTM but I've no personal experience, so I'm passing on gossip.
 
Funny you should bring up this lens. About a week ago I was digging through some of my "junk" camera boxes looking for a long lost (STILL LOST) double cable release and stumbled on this very same lens in M39 mount. I don't have a 90mm for my old Leica IIIa so I hauled it out and cleaned it up with the intention of trying it out. After reading what you say about it I feel rather excited rather than reluctant to put it on the old IIIa and give it a whirl.
 

Well, $300 isn’t very much money these days.
 
Maybe 10 years ago I walked into a camera store in a tourist town and spotted a 35 Elmar in a case. I looked at it and asked how much would this be. The shop owner looked at the IIIC around my neck and said "you'll use it won't you?". I said of course and he said $10. So it is still in my IIIC kit! It's a good lens. I have other lenses in my IIIF kit but the 35 there is no better than the Elmar. That said, for my Canon I use all Nikon lenses. Never warmed up to the Canon lenses.
 

The 35 Elmar is a gem. I paid $75 for mine on Ebay.....but the word is out & they're going for $500-700 USD...
 

I bet that store is out of business.
 
At the risk of being labeled as a billionaire (OP did say that J-12 is already in "silly money" territory)… there is a new relatively “budget” (in Leica money) LTM option for a 35mm LTM lens.

Mandler 35mm F2 "7 elements"
 
It's true that even here in Czech Republic (former "Eastern Bloc" country), Soviet lens prices have been higher lately, but they're still nowhere near as crazy as on eBay. You can still buy an Orion 15 or a Jupiter 12 for a reasonable price. As we say: Patience brings roses.
 
Use to be Fed, Industar and Jupiter lenses were cheap.


Study up and bargains will come your way.
 
A cheating option: There are adapters from LTM to M42 that give access to the many excellent and cheaper M42 wide angle lenses, for a LTM body. Rangefinder will not couple, of course, but guess focusing is not that hard with a wide angle. Of course you will need a viewfinder that covers the focal distance.
 
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