A "Character" 35mm LTM Lens

[bayernfan]

It occurs to me that there are plenty of "character" 50mm LTM lenses, e.g. Summar, Summitar, Jupiter, Sonnar. That is to say, lenses with distinct rendering quality (or fingerprint, or whatever you wanna call it).

What about the 35mm focal length? The Summaron 35/3.5 certainly is not (I own one). The Elmar 35/3.5 is low contrast wide open, but doesn't have a particularly special look (I also own this onel).

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[dourbalistar]

The Head Bartender has a list of LTM lenses you can reference as a starting point.

I think missing from the list is the Canon 35mm f/1.8. Filmosaur has a description here, and a post with a few image samples here.

 

[DanskDynamit]

summaron 2.8 for me has it plenty.

 

[trix4ever]

I'll second the canon ltm 35mm f/1.8, lovely character and sharp in the centre wide open, sharp over most of the frame stopped down. Only negative is the long throw focus. I'm not selling mine.


https://filmisadelight.com/

 

[Erik van Straten]

Try the VC Ultron 35mm f/1.7 LTM. Very nice rendering. I will never sell mine.


Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Try the VC Ultron 35mm f/1.7

I've sold the camera that came with it, but not the lens.

 

[jonmanjiro]

A "Character" 35mm LTM Lens

Ultron 35/1.7 LTM lovers, how would you describe the special look of this lens? I had one for a while but it seemed quite modern looking to me, though a bit soft wide open.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Ultron 35/1.7 LTM lovers, how would you describe the special look of this lens? I had one for a while but it seemed quite modern looking to me, though a bit soft wide open.

It has very nice and perfect rendering. Better than Skopar. Character comes with optical defects of old LTM lenses.
My copy was not soft wide open at all.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Jon, this one is at full aperture.

Leica M2, LTM Ultron 35mm f/1.7, Tmax400.

sharp, contrasty, wonderful bokeh and no distortion

Erik.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Canon 35mm f/1.5. The rare LTM 3.5cm f/1.8 Nikkor tops this list IMO.
Phil Forrest

 

[Timmyjoe]

I'll second the canon ltm 35mm f/1.8, lovely character and sharp in the centre wide open, sharp over most of the frame stopped down. Only negative is the long throw focus. I'm not selling mine.

I'm with trix4ever on this. Nice small lens, tack sharp on center even wide open, sharpens on edges as stopped down, and renders "old school" or "classic", i.e. lower contrast. I like lower contrast lenses, especially for B&W work as it's easy to add contrast, but rather difficult to remove if it's baked into the negative or digital file.

Leica M Monochrom (first version) w/35mm Canon f1.8 LTM lens @f8

Best,
-Tim

PS: I'm also a fan of the Canon 35mm f2 LTM lens, which is a bit sharper edge to edge wide open, yet still has a lower contrast signature compared to the modern Leica 35mm's.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Jon, this one is at full aperture.

Leica M2, LTM Ultron 35mm f/1.7, Tmax400.

sharp, contrasty, wonderful bokeh and no distortion

Erik.

It's a nice photo, Erik. Sharp, contrasty, smooth bokeh and no distortion. Yep.

But I don't see a special look. I don't see anything that would make me say "ah that was taken with an Ultron 35/1.7". Its the exact opposite of a "character" lens, its characterless really.

Canon 35mm f/1.5. The rare LTM 3.5cm f/1.8 Nikkor tops this list IMO.

Ditto that! The two lenses I would have suggested.

 

[splitimageview]

I compared the Nikkor 35/2.5 to the Summaron f/2.8 and found them to have similar rendering. Dare I say ‘classic?’ 🙂 Also compared the 35/2 Summicron v1 and the 35/1.8 Nikkor a few years ago, both of those being rather pricey. All of these have ‘character’, however that is defined.

 

[Calzone]

Canon 35mm f/1.5. The rare LTM 3.5cm f/1.8 Nikkor tops this list IMO.
Phil Forrest

I agree with Phil. The rare 35/1.8 Nikkor in LTM has this magical veiling flair wide open. Very dreamy. This lens also is radioactive and nuclear hardening causes my lens to kinda have a half stop yellow filter built in. The contrast produced is ideal/perfect/magical.

Cal

 

[Erik van Straten]

It's a nice photo, Erik. Sharp, contrasty, smooth bokeh and no distortion. Yep.

But I don't see a special look. I don't see anything that would make me say "ah that was taken with an Ultron 35/1.7". Its the exact opposite of a "character" lens, its characterless really.

I think that is a big quality of the lens. It is not the lens, but the photographer who has to make a distinctive photograph.


Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I agree with Phil. The rare 35/1.8 Nikkor in LTM has this magical veiling flair wide open. Very dreamy. This lens also is radioactive and nuclear hardening causes my lens to kinda have a half stop yellow filter built in. The contrast produced is ideal/perfect/magical.

Cal

Is this lens different from the "normal" S-version of this lens?


Erik.

 

[Calzone]

Is this lens different from the "normal" S-version of this lens?


Erik.

Erik,

I don't know personally from experience, but my understanding that there are two versions of the 35/1.8 in S-mount: one is single coated and from my understanding is the same optical formula using radioactive glass; the newer version I don't think has the radioactive glass and is multicoated.

The newer lens was made for a reissue Nikon rangefinder body. Jon M. did a comparision between the two versions. They both are remarkable lenses.

The veiling flare is at F1.8, and is greatly diminished at F2. My LTM version is rather small. I love that the distance scale is only in feet since I'm an American. I don't use a hood.

Also know that this lens works well on my Monochrom. For me I like modern new Leica glass for digital. Know that I shoot retro single coated glass for B&W film in 135 and 120. The only modern multicoated lens I shoot film with is a 47/5.6 Schneider on my Plaubel 69W Proshift.

Comparitively speaking the 35/1.8 Nikkor cost me less than a 35 Cron V1 and is without the soft coating issues. I paid $1.7K for mine.

Cal

 

[jonmanjiro]

I think that is a big quality of the lens. It is not the lens, but the photographer who has to make a distinctive photograph.

I know that's your stance, Erik. And there is nothing wrong with it.

But does it answer the OP's question? He's looking for 35mm "character" lens, a lens with a special look - distinct rendering versus distinctive photos. To quote the OP, a "distinct rendering quality (or fingerprint, or whatever you wanna call it)". As your photo nicely shows, the Ultron has a distinct lack of distinct rendering.

Is this lens different from the "normal" S-version of this lens?

No, same lens in a different barrel.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I As your photo nicely shows, the Ultron has a distinct lack of distinct rendering.

You have disposed of your Ultron 35mm LTM lens because it was not good. Now that you see that mine is good, you come up with a story that my lens has no distinctive character. I find that strange. You are free to do that, but I find that rather childish.


Erik.

 

[jonmanjiro]

You have disposed of your Ultron 35mm LTM lens because it was not good. Now that you see that mine is good, you come up with a story that my lens has no distinctive character. I find that strange. You are free to do that, but I find that rather childish.


Erik.

Erik, your image is fine. Your lens is fine. Its a defect free and clean modern look, with no swirl or vignetting etc. But I don't see any distinct character, which is what the OP is looking for, that would identify the image as having been taken with the Ultron. That's all I'm saying. If you find that childish, ok. Whatever.

Character comes with optical defects of old LTM lenses.

Tend to agree about character.

Edit: maybe it would help if the OP could clarify in a bit more detail what he means by "distinct rendering quality (or fingerprint, or whatever you wanna call it)".