Inexpensive LTM lenses

[campy51]

How do we feel about the 135mm Canon LTM lenses? I am thinking I might not be able to live without one...

I have the Canon 135 and a Nikon 135 and find the Nikon to be much sharper.

 

[eli griggs]

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.

 

[blee1996]

Recently I got a Komura 35/2.8 from a member here: it is small and sharp, and quite inexpensive.

 

[John Wiegerink]

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.

 

[M. Axel Wikstrom]

I think its disingenuous to recommend a $300+ lens as "inexpensive" because you were lucky and bought it for peanuts.

How much time did you spend scanning craiglist or wandering local markets? Put that time into money. One could easily work some extra temp jobs for a weekend and just buy whatever they want,

Well, $300 isn’t very much money these days.

 

[eli griggs]

Well, $300 isn’t very much money these days.

It depends on whose wallet it's coming out of!

 

[outwest]

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.

 

[GregY]

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...

 

[campy51]

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.

I bet that store is out of business.

 

[brbo]

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"

 

[Valmidira]

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.

 

[eli griggs]

Use to be Fed, Industar and Jupiter lenses were cheap.


Study up and bargains will come your way.

 

[julio1fer]

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.

 

[250swb]

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.

But with the best will in the world cheaper M42 lenses become unbalanced on an LTM body because they are heavier, and even 50mm require extra checks against the scale focus rather than in camera focus. And if looking for other lenses in the future for an LTM setup an outlier M42 is the one that stays in the camera bag because it doesn't make sense.

 

[GregY]

Well, $300 isn’t very much money these days.

Exactly. How much is a tank of gas today??

 

[Sergey Ko]

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.

Not working rangefinder
Huge weight & size (
Retrofocus construction ((

& just not beautiful !!!

 

[Sergey Ko]

It's just nice to look at this technical purity and perfection: