Which Vintage Leica should I buy?

[AgX]

I thought of an achromate close-up lens on a good base lens. Macro lenses are expensive and rare for rangefinder cameras.

 

[BAC1967]

Focaslide.
I've been thinking of getting one, I have a Canon IIb. With a NOOKY, some extension tubes, and a couple of enlarger lenses it would allow pretty wide ranging macro work and be fun to boot. I have a SpeedOCopy attachment for Contax mount, it's the same basic idea but the camera body and groundglass unit are mounted on hinged flaps. With the standard 50mm lens it gives about a 6"x9" view, there is no focussing device unless you use a 35mm or 85mm lens with built in focussing mount.
The Focaslides seem to sell very reasonably on feepay, I've seen them go as low as $30.

Just make sure you get all the parts. There's a magnifier that mounts over the ground glass that is very helpful for focusing, it's not mounted in my photo. A helical focusing mount is handy, that's what my lens is mounted on in the photo, it's the ZOONT version for the Elmar lens. without it focusing is difficult because you will have to move the camera or subject back and forth. The way the lens mounts in the Focaslide it doesn't allow for the standard rangefinder focusing.

There were two versions of the Focaslide, one for pre Leica IIIc models and one for Leica IIIc and above models. The difference is the size of the camera that it's built to fit, when the leicaq IIIc came out it was a little bigger than it's predecessors. I just put a thick piece of felt on one of the pieces of metal that holds the camera in place to make my IIIa fit on the IIIC version.

Scroll to the bottom of this document for more information.
https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/00975/00975.pdf

 

[Slvrgltn]

Well I ended up going with a Leica IIIf which was modified by Leica factory and it has a self timer with black dial! I will add a few pictures of it later today! It has the 5cm/50mm lens! I’m still playing with it and testing it out with a roll of color slide film to be processed in a few days. I’m still working on getting a few filters for it yellow, red and an infrared filter that will fit my lens! I’m still going to be searching for a few other Leica’s that I will be able to use for still life and macro. Thanks everyone for your help and I will post pictures of the color slide film once I have them.

Thanks

 

[guangong]

Well I ended up going with a Leica IIIf which was modified by Leica factory and it has a self timer with black dial! I will add a few pictures of it later today! It has the 5cm/50mm lens! I’m still playing with it and testing it out with a roll of color slide film to be processed in a few days. I’m still working on getting a few filters for it yellow, red and an infrared filter that will fit my lens! I’m still going to be searching for a few other Leica’s that I will be able to use for still life and macro. Thanks everyone for your help and I will post pictures of the color slide film once I have them.

Thanks

Oh,oh! Another victim of Leica contagion. Like many of us who are infected more lenses and accessories will begin to accumulate. Remember, Leica is not a camera system but more like a plumbing system. But great fun. Just loaded my own IIIf (unfortunately without self timer, which is very helpful when shooting hand held at very slow shutter speeds) with collapsible Summitar. If you get a Summitar, get $5 filter adapter from China in order to use normality threaded lenses. A lot of ltm lenses out there, but avoid Soviet lenses since flange to film distance is unique.
A great pocketable camera...and durable. My IIIa dates from 1935 and works like new.
Have fun.

 

[Slvrgltn]

Well here’s my Leica which I’m still getting used to working with! Any thoughts or suggestions is always welcomed!

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Nice.
The Summitar is a lovely lens, I would not trade mine for a Summicron. Get an adapter ring for normal filters and protect that front glass, these lenses are hard to find without cleaning marks.

 

[Slvrgltn]

Thanks E. Von Hoegh, I’m working on getting a filter to protect the glass and it has a Leica lens cap that came with it. I’m going to look for some original filters for my black and white photography but I’m going to look at your suggestion as well! I also need a camera strap for it. So I’m going to be searching for these things in the coming weeks! I hope someone can answer if anyone has used the Yosemite camera straps???? I think they look very cool and I don’t know if they work very well?

Thanks again

 

[Jim Jones]

The Leitz Auxiliary Reproduction Unit (catalog number 16,526), the sometimes called "Spider Legs," is a quick and convenient way to do macro photography with three fixed magnification ratios: 1:4, 1:6, and 1:9. It consists of three collars to provide the proper extension for several collapsing 50mm lenses, and with an optional adaptor, for the lens head of a few rigid mount lenses. Four extendable legs can be screwed into a collar to set the correct focusing distance and to define the area of coverage. It is a quick system for document copying. They may occasionally appear in movies where spies have to clandestinely copy documents and photos with perhaps higher quality than with a Minox. However, the 50mm Leica lenses that perform so well for general photography are not ideal for macro work. A Nikon with a Nikkor micro lens performs better and is much more versatile for most macro photography. I've used both systems. The Leitz might excel for fast copying of many documents. The Nikon, especially with a copy stand, is generally preferable.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Thanks E. Von Hoegh, I’m working on getting a filter to protect the glass and it has a Leica lens cap that came with it. I’m going to look for some original filters for my black and white photography but I’m going to look at your suggestion as well! I also need a camera strap for it. So I’m going to be searching for these things in the coming weeks! I hope someone can answer if anyone has used the Yosemite camera straps???? I think they look very cool and I don’t know if they work very well?

Thanks again

The only thing I dislike about that lens is that all the accessories, filters, lenscap, etc. are specific to the Summitar, and only the Summitar. Look up the SOOPD folding lenshood - strange, but very very effective.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

...A lot of ltm lenses out there, but avoid Soviet lenses since flange to film distance is unique..

Nah, J-12 and O-15 are just fine, not to mention Russar. I-22 worked on my IIf just fine as well.


I-22 on IIf


I-10 (FED-50) on same IIf.

 

[trendland]

[QUOTE="Ko.Fe., post: 2003680,


[/QUOTE]

Ko.Fe. what is this here? Is it your shot ?

....D A M N E D ........
hope ......(for you) that you have realize what kind of shot you gave. .....
(just as an example to show the use of rangefinder 35mm cameras with 50mm lens)
I can't believe it.

with regards

 

[BradS]

Ko.Fe. what is this here? Is it your shot ?

....D A M N E D ........
hope ......(for you) that you have realize what kind of shot you gave. .....
(just as an example to show the use of rangefinder 35mm cameras with 50mm lens)
I can't believe it.

with regards

Makes me wonder WTF you are talking about. What does this photograph say to you?

 

[trendland]

Makes me wonder WTF you are talking about. What does this photograph say to you?

"Happiness is with the unsuspecting " Brad - but I have the feeling - to you - this shot is also a real nice example how to use rangefinder cameras ?

with regards

PS : The problem with you guys is sometimes that you definitivly have no
idea what you've done.
So the task of a good photographer is absolute to interprete his work and select the good ones from the normal ones. And this is a hart task - believe me.

 

[trendland]

Ko.Fe. just out of interest : Have you the "rights" to this picture ? Often it might be a problem with street photography.
Have you made thoughts, to any time, if you are able to sell such photography?

And you should have proffessional help from expertise of value.


with regards

 

[Malcolm Stewart]

Indeed an M6/7 or Zeiss Ikon ZM if you want an integrated meter.
... The Summicron DR will give you some close-focus capability. (calling it macro is probably stretching it a bit, but might be sufficient depending on the magnification you want to achieve).
It is a great lens with a unique look and probably the best Leica has made in terms of build quality.
Be aware that the DR cannot be mounted on newer bodies such as M5/6/7....

I bought a Leica M6 last year with a 50mm F/2 DR Summicron complete with goggles, and have had no problems. If my memory is correct, I think your caution lies with the M6 TTL body.

 

[Huss]

If you buy a 50/2 DR and want to buy the "eyes" or goggles for it, note that there is a compatibility issue between new and old versions of the lens and new and old versions of the goggles:

https://www.cameraquest.com/m50dr.htm

Yup, I did not know this when I bought my DR several years ago with goggles. They were not of the correct version and so the image in the RF would not line up in the vertical axis. The lens still focuses correctly as they line up in the horizontal axis, but I would have preferred it if it matched on both.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Ko.Fe. just out of interest : Have you the "rights" to this picture ? Often it might be a problem with street photography.
Have you made thoughts, to any time, if you are able to sell such photography?

And you should have proffessional help from expertise of value.


with regards

Please, check photography rules in most developed countries, like Canada and USA, before you begin lecturing and bragging about someone else photos. You are totally clueless zero as of now. And totally delusional, this example has nothing to do with 50mm lens, it was taken with 38 FOV mm lens.

You should seek help, not about photography, but for been paranoid.

 

[blockend]

this example has nothing to do with 50mm lens, it was taken with 38 FOV mm lens.

That's an unusually good example of its type (for Photrio ; /). If you took it, congratulations, it's excellent.

 

[trendland]

[QUOTE="Ko.Fe., post: 2041408,
You should seek help, not about photography, but for been paranoid.[/QUOTE]

He,he...he Ko.Fe. ???
What's going on with you here?
....seams to me this guy just can not
stand a praise. ...

with regards

PS : Some realy good photographers spent 60 rolls of 35mm film to get the right shot on street photography and this
lucky one take his Leica, go down to the street and came back with such kind of
shot.

 

[trendland]

That's an unusually good example of its type (for Photrio ; /). If you took it, congratulations, it's excellent.

You realy got it blockend - thanks.
If I would be on Ko.Fe.'s side I would soon hurry up to find the way to the next
art gallery wich deals with "modern photography" and show.

It is (and I did not meant this ironicaly) the best shot I've ever seen
on Apug/Photrio.
.....but Ko.Fe. don't like to hear this.

with regards

PS : Sorry for all the others here on Photrio. I realy know that there are also
many of exzellent photographers with real nuce and remarcable examples.
But this single shot wich Ko.Fe. gave as example (with 38 FOV...sorry Ko.Fe.)
is much much more.
PPS : Month ago I noticed shots from a Paris based photographer in a such kind of gallery I mentioned : $ 28.000,-
(it was ALSO not soo bad. ..)

 

[Ko.Fe.]

That's an unusually good example of its type (for Photrio ; /). If you took it, congratulations, it's excellent.

Thank you! I took it, for sure

 

[Shootar401]

"landscapes, abstracts, still life and sometimes macro!"
You are posting in the wrong forum. Any rangefinder Leica is not for what. Leica is for life. Not for stills and macro.

thanks for letting me know I've been shooting with my Leica wrong the entire time I've had it. Since you're no longer allowing to shoot still subjects with my RF, can you tell me what I'm allowed to use it for?

I'll lock my camera away until I get a response so I'm not breaking any of your photography laws.

 

[logan2z]

thanks for letting me know I've been shooting with my Leica wrong the entire time I've had it. Since you're no longer allowing to shoot still subjects with my RF, can you tell me what I'm allowed to use it for?

I'll lock my camera away until I get a response so I'm not breaking any of your photography laws.

You're in good company. Apparently Lee Friedlander has been using his Leica wrong for the past 50 years too

 

[RalphLambrecht]

It’s been a while since I have been on the site but I’m considering getting a vintage Leica rangefinder camera for black and white film photography. I want something that I can travel with but I shoot mainly landscapes, abstracts, still life and sometimes macro!

So can anyone please recommend a great camera and accessories that will fit my photography style???

You can send me a pm or leave your comment on this thread!
It’s greatly appreciated in advance! I’m looking to buy something in the next few months or sooner depending on what I can find!

consider that rangefinders are not ideal for macro. You may be better served with a small ligt-weight SLR.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

thanks for letting me know I've been shooting with my Leica wrong the entire time I've had it. Since you're no longer allowing to shoot still subjects with my RF, can you tell me what I'm allowed to use it for?

I'll lock my camera away until I get a response so I'm not breaking any of your photography laws.

Was I'm talking with you? If I was talking with you and not someone else, I'm sorry. Enjoy what you are capable of.