Possibly buying my first Leica

Brian Legge · Jun 26, 2010

I really wasn't planning in buying one period but a IIIc deal came along that is hard to pass up. Most of the items I could identify and price... One was a bit perplexing.

Does anyone know what this lens might refer to:

Voigtlander Anastigmat "Skopar" 13,5cm 1:4.5

...and potential value? its a M39 lens i might pick up tomorrow as part of a kit but I can't seem to find anything about it. Perhaps the sellers description is wrong? Or perhaps the lens was harvested from a larger format camera and repurposed?

Kevin Caulfield · Jun 26, 2010

It sounds like it's a 135mm enlarging lens with a standard 39mm thread.

Ian Grant · Jun 26, 2010

It's a taking lens, it's Voigtlander's version of the Tessar but a 135mm f4.5 Skopar is usually in a Compur 1 shutter and used on 9x12 cameras.

Voigtlander did make 35mm cameras after WWII so it's possible they adapted the lens for 35mm use, the head off one of the Leica lenses actually covers 5x4 so it's not so far fetched. Some Zeiss & Voigtlander lenses were adapted to fit Leicas.

Ian

df cardwell · Jun 26, 2010

Back when Labor was cheap and Material was expensive, it wasn't unusual to remount a Tessar/Skopar/WhatHaveYou into a focus barrel for a Leica. Especially if you HAD the 135, and you could find somebody to do the work for you ! Remember the Era of the Leica began when having a job was a wonderful thing, and NOBODY could afford what we take for granted today.

All in all, I think the world was a better place when there were more lathe operators and fewer programmers.

paulfish4570 · Jun 30, 2010

Go for the Leica, Brian ...

Rhodes · Jul 1, 2010

Go for it. My first leica was also a IIIc! Love shooting with it!

36cm2 · Jul 1, 2010

Posted wirelessly..

"All in all, I think the world was a better place when there were more lathe operators and fewer programmers"

Amen, brother.

Steve Mack · Jul 1, 2010

Get it. I have a IIIc/f conversion. This camera has an elegant sufficiency of dials and knobs, and is most fun to operate. You can take the thoughtful approach and carefully set up each shot as it comes, OR you can preset everything and use it like a point-and-shoot.

With best regards.

Steve

Brian Legge · Jul 2, 2010

I did.

The camera itself is in good user condition. The rangefinder is slightly hard to see but still better than some of the other cameras I've been using recently. All shutter speeds with the exception of the slowest seem to be working well. The curtains look fine.

It wasn't as stellar a deal as I thought at first due to the condition of the glass though. Oh well, I've had some other good deals recently. The set contained:

Leica IIIc, 417xxx (with a 1961 service sticker on the inside )
Summarit 5cm f/1.5
Elmar 9cm f/4
Jupiter 12
Voigtlander Anastigmat "Skopar" 13,5cm 1:4.5
Leica multi finder

Unfortunately the Summarit - the lens I was most excited about using - has relatively significant cleaning marks. I don't know how usable it will be. The glass of the other lenses aren't as bad but also are in questionable condition. I already have a J12 so I'll probably be selling this one. That will knock the price down a little.

Based on the condition of the glass, the seller sold it to me for $250. If the Summarit is usable, I'll be thrilled with the purchase. If not, I may not hold on to all of this long.

Ken N · Jul 2, 2010

If that's the price for the full kit, you didn't do bad at all.

John Koehrer · Jul 2, 2010

The Summarit will be usable, just prone to flare shooting into the light.

Brian Legge · Jul 2, 2010

Correct, it was $250 fir everything listed.

I hope you right about the Summarit; I'm hooked in fast lenses and it would be a great fit for me. I'm probably going to shoot my first roll later today.

Bateleur · Jul 5, 2010

Congratulations.
Loading the camera, after trimming the leader as required, and using it is the best confidence test for the cleaning marks on the glass.

elekm · Jul 5, 2010

If that Skopar is marked in centimeters, that would make it a prewar lens. I don't believe Voigtlander (the original Voigtlander) made lenses in LTM, so it's either an adapted lens or it's an enlarging lens, as another person stated.

Regarding the cleaning marks, I think that you'll have to shoot a test roll. With some lenses, it might be noticeable in every photo. With other lenses, it might be noticeable only in certain situations.

macrorie · Jul 5, 2010

I use a chrome Elmar 90mm 4 on a IIIf, and it has very nice image quality. And it is so small and light.

Brian Legge · Jul 5, 2010

I was a little haphazard and shot a my first roll with the camera and lenses at a local zombie walk on the 3rd. I used the Summarit and the pair of lenses I already had - a J12 and an I64 LD. I am usually a little more precise when testing new gear but I was excited to test a bunch of stuff. The exposure was botched badly on a few of the shots. I was going back and forth between the IIIc and an Autocord loaded with slower film. A few of these shots were very ever exposed.

The Summarit results were interesting. I was mostly shooting it between f/1.5 and 2. Here are a few results from it. And no, I have no idea what was going on in this second shot:

The J12 had some flaring(?) but otherwise looks promising:

The I64 needs shimming to focus to infinity but looks promising:

Several of the shots have issues in the corner. They almost look like light leaks, though that doesn't make any sense. I'm assuming flaring for now? The Summarit is definitely in rough shape. It has an interesting effect though. I'll probably mess around with it a bit more to see if the look is worth keeping.

paulfish4570 · Jul 5, 2010

Check for leaks. Seals in good shape?
The back could be shifting around just a bit on bad seals, somketimes leaking, sometimes not.
I think I would get that I-64 shimmed; it looks to be a dandy itieration ...

Brian Legge · Jul 5, 2010

Paul, that is the first thing that came to mind... except this is a bottom loader so there is no back. And I can't imagine it being light leaking in from the bottom.

Holes or issues with the shutter curtain came to mind but I'd expect a different look if that were the case - and more consistent behavior.

paulfish4570 · Jul 6, 2010

That's right, a bottom loader. Could the lens mount flange possibly be loose shifting? A control knob seal? The bottomost "flare" has an edge. The other two are in the same place on the frames if both arranged horizontally, in the top left corner, which would be bottom right in the camera, right? And no "flare" at all with the I-64 in one pic, right?

Brian Legge · Jul 6, 2010

Correct on all counts. That is why I'm a bit stumped about what the issue is - it isn't as consistent as I'd expect.

I think I'll take a few shots with the lens cap on to rule out lens/curtain issues. Those seem like the most likely candidates.

Possibly buying my first Leica

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