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Lens for first ltm Leica what I'm looking for

RLangham

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
1,021
Location
USA
Format
Multi Format
So I finally found my Leica, a IIIb. It’s coming early next week from a reputable photo store in Texas, and I feel like I got a good deal on it.

I’ll already know how to use it when it comes, since I’ve shot plenty with a Zorki C/S, which is basically the IIF of the Soviet world. And I have three good Soviet normal lenses to start, Industars that I’ve liked in the past, the I26m primarily. But obviously I’ll very quickly want something more fitting.

There’s a lot of Leitz glass on the bay and a lot of Canon glass. And I don’t know a lot about Canon glass, but am leaning roughly towards a Canon 50mm f:2. But I’m open to all other suggestions. Maybe not a Jupiter-8, I like the Soviet glass when it’s good, but I’ve had ones with bubbles in the glass before and I’ve never been really impressed with the mechanical tolerances of the lenses.

Basically my budget is a little over $200, I don’t mind waiting for international shipping/paying tarrifs if/when they bill me, et cetera. Collapsible is a preference of mine, but I’m not married to it, and most of my shooting is daylight so I’m not married to a fast max aperture.

So what do people recommend?
 
Bubbles in glass were not considered as a defect. Even Carl Zeiss Jena lenses had some.

A Leitz Elmar 3.5/50mm could be a good fit but I am not sure $200 is enough...
 

RL, I've enjoyed seeing your LF work....especially the Shiprock stuff. (if you're the same R Langham)
I've got both a 28mm 2.8 & 50mm 1.4 Canon LTM lenses. They're fine lenses. (I haven't been inclined to change them for modern Leica glass which i have used in the past) I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Canon 50mm lenses. Lots of them on Ebay.....
I've owned 50mm Summicrons & collapsible Elmars...... The Elmars are going for $300+ these days.
Canons for 1/2 that ....and are not inferior...btw there's more choice among the non-collapsible versions.

(photo Leica / Canon 28mm/Tri-X)
 
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I agree with Dali, a Elmar 3.5 50mm would be a perfect fit and is one of the best lenses ever made.
 
I had both Canon and Leica lenses for my IIIG and Canon 7S, I had the Canon the Elmar 3.5 and 50mm 1.4, in good lighting the Emar was a very good lens, stopped down to F8 or 11 was as sharp as my 1.4 or Litz 50 F2. If you tend to shoot in low light I would go for a F2 or 1.4, not sure if you can get a 1.4 for under 200. Some of the Russian glass is pretty good as well.
 
Dali said:
Bubbles in glass were not considered as a defect. Even Carl Zeiss Jena lenses had some.

A Leitz Elmar 3.5/50mm could be a good fit but I am not sure $200 is enough...
Click to expand...
The one I’m thinking of, mainly, was an early “red P” 26m with some bubbles directly in the axis. At some apertures and distances the lens did have a certain haze in the center of the frame, which I attributed to that. Luckily the FED I was using came with two 26m’s and the other has always been fine.

You’re correct about the Elmar, it’s basically what I want but $300 would be about where they start, at least with no major defects.
Huh, must be a different R Langham! That’s very interesting. AFAIK I never posted any of my LF work, which hasn’t been very good (had some good results with direct positive print paper and coffee toning, but nothing to write home about) and I’ve never been to Shiprock.

Is this the one? I have no relation to him as far as I know, appears he’s in Texas and my family is from south Alabama.
https://www.thefar.org/pictura-gallery/exhibits/robert-langham-iii

Yes, I’m thinking a Canon or Minolta lens. Collapsible f:2 Serenars look nice, and so do the 1.9’s, although I think I prefer all silver lens housings on a Leica.
 
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Canon glass is very good, but be careful about lenses with fog on internal elements. It is a common problem.

A real bargain is the Leitz Elmar 4/9cm. Not expensive and great optical and mechanical quality.




Canon 7s
Leitz Elmar 4/9cm (1951)
Orwo NP100, Adox XT-3
Plustek Opticfilm 7300, Vuescan
 

Very nice contrast. As of yet I won’t have any use for a 9cm lens but I’ll remember that!

Haze does seem to be an endemic problem with the Canon lenses. On eBay a lot of the Japanese sellers are rating lenses with acknowledged, noticeable haze “exc+”, which makes me think it’s difficult to find any without it.
 
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An uncoated Elmar 50/3.5 would be time appropriate for the IIIb. There are only a few glass to air surfaces so the internal reflection is not pronounced yet there is a certain nostalgic beauty to the results.

Get a nice sample and keep it forever.
 
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