35mm ltm lens for my iiif - HELP!

[cavcha1]

Guys,

I'm going to purchase a mid-price ltm 35mm (and viewfinder) for my iiif. I want something small, discrete, doesn't need to be super fast - will be shooting f5.6 - f11 on the street 95% of the time.

My thinking:

Voigtlander Colour Skopar

Or

Canon f2

I have no problem putting modern glass on a 50's body, by the way. It's just going to boil down to a lens that is reliable, neat, and delivers a lovely sharp black and white image with a bit of character. The only other lens I use is a 50mm collapsible Summicron, and I love it. For consistency in my work, I would love a lens that, despite focal length, won't give me images that look TOTALLY different from work shot with my 50.

Help me decide!? Or throw something else into the mix!? I can't afford £1000+ Leica....

Thanks a million!

 

[Swift1]

I think you can't really go wrong with either the Canon or the Skopar 35. I have been using a Skopar for a few years and just recently got the Canon. In the short time I've had the Canon, it seems very similar in rendering to the Skopar.
Something like a Summaron 35/3.5 might be more similar in rendering to the collapsible Summicron.

 

[mteresko]

+1 for the Skopar. It's a great and very compact lens. Works very nicely on my IIIf. I've been on the lookout for a deal on a Canon 35/2, but have not tried one yet. I have used the Canon 50/2 and 50/1.4, and they are both excellent, though I've kept the 1.4 and sold the 2.

 

[Gerry M]

For value, I think the 35/2.5 ltm Color Skopar may be hard to beat. Maybe consider the very short focus throw model. 43mm filter thread. About 90' rotation from close (.9 m) to infinity. When mounted, it extends ~1" from the body. Some like it, others not so much. I think it is a great street lens.

 

[splitimageview]

Here is an inexpensive and super light but big view viewfinder from a repurposed Canon:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/URJPSR3A9/35mm-viewfinder-base

 

[cavcha1]

For value, I think the 35/2.5 ltm Color Skopar may be hard to beat. Maybe consider the very short focus throw model. 43mm filter thread. About 90' rotation from close (.9 m) to infinity. When mounted, it extends ~1" from the body. Some like it, others not so much. I think it is a great street lens.

Insight appreciated! Any idea how that particular version of the lens is commonly known? The only thing I don't like about SOME skopars is the little....nipple...focussing aid. I'd be looking for a version without.

 

[Bingley]

I think you can't really go wrong with either the Canon or the Skopar 35. I have been using a Skopar for a few years and just recently got the Canon. In the short time I've had the Canon, it seems very similar in rendering to the Skopar.
Something like a Summaron 35/3.5 might be more similar in rendering to the collapsible Summicron.

What Colton said... The skopar, Canon 35/2.0, or Summaron 35/3.5 are all great lenses and work perfectly with a Barnack Leica. I use a Summaron on my IIIc a lot.

There are other Canon 35s out there worth considering too: the 35/1.8, 35/2.8. And there are Nikkor 35s in LTM mount as well (never used any of those).

In short, you have a lot of choices.

One final consideration: flare resistance. There, the Color Skopar and Canon 35/2.0 are probably your best bets. The skopar has modern coatings; you really don't need to use a hood with it (other than the little round one that comes with the lens). The Canon 35/2.0 has a deeply recessed from element; I don't use a hood on mine.

 

[charjohncarter]

I have a Canon Serenar 35mm f3.5 form the early fifties. I wouldn't recommend it because of the tendency to haze. I de-haze mine before every use, it takes less than 8 minutes. But Canon made some later models that might suit you. The Senenar is very small almost pancake and it is very, very well made. So I'm sure the later models are the same.

Here is mine., I think I paid about $40-50:

https://www.ebay.com/i/372816629629...MIuo3FstjO5QIVgP_jBx3N5w0fEAQYAyABEgJ3d_D_BwE

Here is a wide open shot:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/carte...jmC-pW6te4-qQzH2E-pVSyVG-qAjihy-pVSBA1-h4rWAF

 

[Gerry M]

Insight appreciated! Any idea how that particular version of the lens is commonly known? The only thing I don't like about SOME skopars is the little....nipple...focussing aid. I'd be looking for a version without.

No focusing stem on this model. It has a scalloped ring.

 

[Brianmc86]

Here is an inexpensive and super light but big view viewfinder from a repurposed Canon:

https://www.shapeways.com/product/URJPSR3A9/35mm-viewfinder-base

I actually just bought one of these. Overall I love the cheap price and its size. The thing that bugs me is that for some reason the top section of my viewfinder doesn't sit flush with bottom section, and as a result I have a gap in either the front or back of the viewfinder which lets dust in. I think the middle slot of the top plate needs to be recessed a little bit more to accommodate for the middle glass height, but I won't complain since this is still much more affordable than most finders.

Now I just need a 35 LTM lens to go with it...

 

[B-9]

Jupiter-12 absolute banger for chips.

 

[jcb4718]

I have the Canon 35mm f2, the Color Skopar 35mm f2.5 (classic) and the Shapeways 35mm viewfinder. The Skopar definitely flares if shooting against the light so it needs its dedicated hood (LH-2) if you shoot this way. This hood does not intrude into the view of an external finder. For the Canon I used an old Voigtlander 42mm push-on hood designed for 35mm lenses. It works superbly, I think slightly better than the Skopar hood. I really like the Canon lens so I have not given the Skopar the attention it no doubt deserves. I have the impression that the Skopar contrast can be 'hard' but the Canon is 'just right'. Both are very fine lenses. The problem I have with the Shapeways finder is that the back-reflected framelines can be a bit faint. The reason is that there is not much mirror surface to do the back-reflecting. I purchased the Zeiss-Sony 35mm viewfinder for the RX-1 digital camera. It has a much larger back-reflecting mirror surface so the framelines are extremely well defined but, if you wear glasses (I do) you slightly get the impression that you are looking through a tunnel. You have to look around a bit to take in the scene. That said, I'm absolutely sold on the Zeiss viewfinder. Once you get used to it, it is superb. The optics is -1 diopters and I'm afraid my old eyes are unable to accommodate this so I need a +1 diopter correction. Fortunately the Zeiss viewfinder takes standard 19mm OD screw in dioptre correction lenses e.g. those for the Nikon SLR system. I also tried the Voigtlander 35mm viewfinder but it did not have enough eye relief for me (and it also has -1 dioptre optics but does not accept correction lenses). So I would recommend the Canon 35mm f2 with the Zeiss viewfinder...but you will not go wrong with the Skopar either.

 

[cavcha1]

I have the Canon 35mm f2, the Color Skopar 35mm f2.5 (classic) and the Shapeways 35mm viewfinder. The Skopar definitely flares if shooting against the light so it needs its dedicated hood (LH-2) if you shoot this way. This hood does not intrude into the view of an external finder. For the Canon I used an old Voigtlander 42mm push-on hood designed for 35mm lenses. It works superbly, I think slightly better than the Skopar hood. I really like the Canon lens so I have not given the Skopar the attention it no doubt deserves. I have the impression that the Skopar contrast can be 'hard' but the Canon is 'just right'. Both are very fine lenses. The problem I have with the Shapeways finder is that the back-reflected framelines can be a bit faint. The reason is that there is not much mirror surface to do the back-reflecting. I purchased the Zeiss-Sony 35mm viewfinder for the RX-1 digital camera. It has a much larger back-reflecting mirror surface so the framelines are extremely well defined but, if you wear glasses (I do) you slightly get the impression that you are looking through a tunnel. You have to look around a bit to take in the scene. That said, I'm absolutely sold on the Zeiss viewfinder. Once you get used to it, it is superb. The optics is -1 diopters and I'm afraid my old eyes are unable to accommodate this so I need a +1 diopter correction. Fortunately the Zeiss viewfinder takes standard 19mm OD screw in dioptre correction lenses e.g. those for the Nikon SLR system. I also tried the Voigtlander 35mm viewfinder but it did not have enough eye relief for me (and it also has -1 dioptre optics but does not accept correction lenses). So I would recommend the Canon 35mm f2 with the Zeiss viewfinder...but you will not go wrong with the Skopar either.

Unless I'm looking at the wrong thing...that viewfinder is £400! I really appreciate your insight into the lenses. I actually found a Canon f2 in London the other day but the aperture ring was stiff as molasses. It feels like if I'm going to find a good one, it will come from Japan....and with that comes risk as I can't touch it before, and import charges. The Voigtlander I expect I could find at very worst within Europe, second-hand.

Much to mull over!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Color Skopar has no character on bw film, print. I had it three times, all three versions.
I was not happy with it every time I print in the darkroom.
It is named as Color for very obvious reason.
Canon 35/2 should give more. Or Ultron 35 1.7 ltm. Watch for fogged copies of both.

the little....nipple...focussing aid

allows you to focus before you have camera to your eye. Or while you are bringing camera to your eye. Works even if it is dark and you can't see focus scale.
Booth lenses I have mentioned could had the focus tab easelly added.

My 35 fv is build from crapped out Olympus XA2. I use ebay hotshoe cover to keep it in coldshoe and XA2 parts to hold its VF.

 

[jcb4718]

Ah! On ebay more like £150 if you are patient. Not much more than other viewfinders... On receipt (from Japan!) my Canon 35mm f2 had a stiff aperture ring and a slightly wobbly focus. The aperture ring I loosened up completely with a tiny drop of watchmakers lubricating oil. The focus looseness is caused by not enough lubricating grease in the helicoils. I guess it happens to all lenses sooner or later. The Canon lens is simple to take apart and very well engineered. Its a simple job to apply the grease and reassemble. I have also re-greased my Skopar. The engineering seemed more 'lightweight' but I have no reason to suppose it is not adequate.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

Is there a reason the 3.5cm Elmar wouldn't be a candidate? Definitely small and the few images I've made with one seemed sharp enough. A Schneider 35mm Xenogon f/2.8 I tried also struck me as being quite sharp, and is well made and whilst not as compact as a Elmar, not particularly large.

 

[xayraa33]

I would suggest the Canon 35mm f2.8 the old style all chrome ones..a nice lens and very available and sell for much less than a Nikkor 3.5cm f2.5 lens and both lenses have very similar signature on the image.

 

[splitimageview]

I’m partial to the Nikkor 35/2.5 but it has a filter size that is unobtanium. However it works with A36 filters if you’ve got those.

 

[cavcha1]

Hey guys, I just went for a Canon f2 in really good (hopefully) condition. Will report back. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[helen.HH]

Well to me there are only 2 choices in LTM
35 Summaron 3.5
35 Canon f2

Yum to Both !

Though there is something special about that little color Skopar
Okay , three choices
Can’t go wrong with any of them