What's the "best" LTM 50mm collapsible lens?

Trask · Sep 29, 2006

I've got a number of LTM cameras (Canon P, L1, 7s, Leica III), and a couple of 50mm lenses (Summarit, Elmar). While I can use the collapsible Elmar on the Leica and collapse it when not in use, I can't collapse the lens on the Canons because the collapsing mount hits internal baffles inside the camera. So the question is: are there any LTM collapsible lens that can be collapsed on these Canons? And further: Assuming that one is using a camera that can accept a collapsing lens, what's the best one? I'm ignoring the Russian lenses as being too much of a risk, but how are the Canon collapsibles? Or the other Leicas? I think Wilfred Thesiger did a lot of his photography with a collapsible Summar (and he says he carried the camera in a bag made of a goat skin while knocking around the Empty Quarter). Too bad the new Voigtlander 50mm collapsible isn't widely available.

frank · Sep 29, 2006

Based on my experience aand reading, the collapsible Summicron is the "best" of the collapsables. Depends how you define best, but let's go with the normal stuff like sharpness and speed. Since this is a personal and subjective opinion someone else may have a different opinion and still be right.

Jim Jones · Sep 29, 2006

A few decades ago I did a quick, but critical, check of about 35 lenses for 35mm equipment. Four were noticably better than all the others: 50mm f/2.8 El-Nikkor, GN Nikkor 45mm f/2.8, 55mm f/3.5 Micro Nikkor, and 50mm f/2.8 Elmar. The faster 50mm Leitz and Nikkor lenses were close enough for almost all practical photography, so I haven't bought the Elmar for myself.

Claire Senft · Sep 29, 2006

The collaspible 3.5 Heliar may be the pick of the litter..but that may not be in LTM..it is not widely available either.

Rich Silfver · Sep 30, 2006

I like the 1930's uncoated Elmar 50/3.5 quite a lot.
It's not the sharpest lens out there but can still provide some nice images.

Two examples from a week or so ago:

(Both photos taken with a #1 yellow FIRHE filter)

Claire Senft · Sep 30, 2006

A credible job from the old Elmar. Please enlighten me. What does FIRHE mean?

Rich Silfver · Sep 30, 2006

FIRHE is an old, yellow 19mm screw-in filter that fits the 50/3.5 Elmar. I got some more information in some posts here: Batteries Not Included (especially this thread: FIRHE)

Claire Senft · Sep 30, 2006

Ah I should have guessed. It comes from the land of Nooky Sekum. Thank you.

buze · Sep 30, 2006

I'm a great fan of the old Summitar; I have a (soft) coated one, with a bit of haze and dust and it still performs superbly..

Mark Layne · Sep 30, 2006

Most leicaphiles would suggest the 50 f2.8 Elmar. Most of the originals have lubricant etched front elements which are replaced with spare elements for the current version.
Leica 50's are so diverse in character that there is no best
Mark

butterflydream · Oct 1, 2006

To protect your canon from collapsing lens, you can put a narrow tape around the lens barrel so that it doesn't collapse complete to touch the interior of the camera.

I also love uncoated nickel elmar for its BW tone. Only to be careful with some lighting situation. F3.5 elmar with red scale depth of field makes very flattering color portraits.

Karl K · Oct 3, 2006

The late Summitar is great and fairly cheap compared to the Summicron. Stopped down to f/8, they are hard to tell apart, IMHO.

Mark Layne · Oct 3, 2006

Karl K said:
The late Summitar is great and fairly cheap compared to the Summicron. Stopped down to f/8, they are hard to tell apart, IMHO.

The very last Summitars were early Summicrons
Mark

ZorkiKat · Oct 4, 2006

What, no Industar?

The collapsible Industars which came with FED and Zorki cameras are competent lenses. They can give Elmar qualities at 1/10 the price. Elmar accessories can fit on them too. There were three types made: I-10 (supplied as the standard FED lens and marked as FED 50mm), and its "improved" versions I-22 and I-50. Can't really see the improvements though

Coated I-10 from later FED-1 cameras give a rather charming, romantic rendering, even with colour. The earlier ones (those made before 1950 or so)
have non-standard mounts and camming. I've found that the earlier uncoated I-10 lenses, once properly matched to their cameras, do as well as uncoated Elmars.

I-22 and I-50 are coated and have standard focus registers and mounts. They usually can be used on Leica and other LTM RF cameras without fuss.
They are very good lenses.

A photo shot with an I-22. Used with a Leitz "Fedoo" deep red filter. Film was T-max 100, camera, Zorki-1.

Jay

Jersey Vic · Oct 5, 2006

Nothing new from me, just seconding a couple of others-
The Summitar is very special wide open, beautiful bokeh..really gorgeous and the Industar a very sharp lens when stopped down.

John Shriver · Oct 5, 2006

The Summicron and Summitar collapse fine on the Canon 7s without hitting the baffle. Well, at least on my 7s. That's because it's only the tight baffle that's tight, and there's no lug sticking out the top when they are rotated to the collapse position.

However, you have to mount and unmount them extended, or they will bang the lugs against the top baffle.

Don't try this with an Elmar or Summar on your 7s, since they can rotate to any position when not locked extended.

Trask · Oct 7, 2006

John: I have found out when putting my Elmar on my Canon L-1! dg

physiognomy · Oct 10, 2006

Another collapsible lens you might want to look out for is the Canon Serenar 1.9/50. It often sells for much cheaper than the Summitar/Summar & is also a very good lens imho. There was a col. Nikkor 2/50 in ltm as well, but I've never seen one for sale.

Peter

leicarfcam · Oct 11, 2006

My 2 favorites are the Summicron and Summitar. However the Elmar is also a fine lens.
I use the Summicron on both my M3 (bay version) and screwmount Leicas.

What's the "best" LTM 50mm collapsible lens?

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