Lens for first ltm Leica what I'm looking for

GregY · 2026-04-20T15:45:16-0400

RLangham said:
I have experienced the viewfinder encroachment on the Zorki S, should be about the same given the viewfinder placement is almost the same. I BELIEVE (and I’ll be careful not to scratch anything) that unlike the Zorki, the Leica can mount a Voigtländer Kontur 50mm action finder, which I greatly prefer to a small viewfinder. And then the early I-26M I have has the narrow focus ring which makes the encroachment bearable.

When compactness is at issue I think I’d run it with my banged up old I-22 until such a time as I can get a collapsible Canon or the collapsible Elmar.

I'm a big fan of the uncluttered view of the accessory viewfinders. I use mine on my CL, M & IIIg (now that the iiif is gone)

Elmarc · 2026-04-20T15:56:36-0400

RLangham said:
I have experienced the viewfinder encroachment on the Zorki S, should be about the same given the viewfinder placement is almost the same. I BELIEVE (and I’ll be careful not to scratch anything) that unlike the Zorki, the Leica can mount a Voigtländer Kontur 50mm action finder, which I greatly prefer to a small viewfinder. And then the early I-26M I have has the narrow focus ring which makes the encroachment bearable.

When compactness is at issue I think I’d run it with my banged up old I-22 until such a time as I can get a collapsible Canon or the collapsible Elmar.

I did not realise you already had the Industar 1-22 50. I'm sure that will serve you just as well on the Leica.

RLangham · 2026-04-20T20:28:18-0400

Elmarc said:
I did not realise you already had the Industar 1-22 50. I'm sure that will serve you just as well on the Leica.

I do want to get another collapsible lens eventually for two reasons. First, putting a Soviet lens on a Leica immediately makes it look like a counterfeit. Secondly my I-22 was almost free because it’s missing both the stop pins and the infinity lock, and has really unsmooth focusing action.

That being said I’m looking at the lenses I bond with and I don’t know what the pattern is other than that they’re all pre-1960. Industars which are just Tessars, Nikon Auto Nikkor-S 5cm f:2, Argus Coated Cintar which is also modified Tessar… Cassar-S which I think is just a triplet… Steinheil Auto Quinaron 35mm…

I can’t help but think I might really fall in love with an Elmar, probably the coated version. But god I wish Zeiss Jena lenses weren’t so expensive, I always like those.

GregY · 2026-04-20T20:51:34-0400

RLangham said:
I do want to get another collapsible lens eventually for two reasons. First, putting a Soviet lens on a Leica immediately makes it look like a counterfeit. Secondly my I-22 was almost free because it’s missing both the stop pins and the infinity lock, and has really unsmooth focusing action.

That being said I’m looking at the lenses I bond with and I don’t know what the pattern is other than that they’re all pre-1960. Industars which are just Tessars, Nikon Auto Nikkor-S 5cm f:2, Argus Coated Cintar which is also modified Tessar… Cassar-S which I think is just a triplet… Steinheil Auto Quinaron 35mm…

I can’t help but think I might really fall in love with an Elmar, probably the coated version. But god I wish Zeiss Jena lenses weren’t so expensive, I always like those.

RL, my experience with the early 3.5cm & 5.0 Elmars tells me the coating isn't that important.... they're terrifc lenses....

Lens for first ltm Leica what I'm looking for

GregY

Elmarc

RLangham

GregY

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