A few days in the Alps: in praise of the Ultron CV 35/1.7 LTM

[robert blu]

Premise: when I was young, more than 50 years ago my first RF camera was a Konica C35 (I still have it anywhere!). Later I moved to the dark side, SLR with a Minolta SRT 101 (I still have it).

In more recent times my first RF camera was a Bessa R (of course I still have and I still use sometimes). I do not remember when and I'm too lazy to look for any invoice but I imagine it should have been between 15 and 20 years ago when the Voigtlander cameras arrived on the Italian market. I know, not so recent times! At my age time flies, LOL !

For the Bessa R I bought the CV Ultron 35/1.7 LTM and I was very satisfied with it. Later came the M7 which because of budget reasons I used with the Ultron (much later a 35 F2 cron arrived, but that is a different story9.

For various reasons the Ultron remained in a drawer until a couple of months ago I decided to take it out. But even a non-expert like me could observe some fog when I looked through it. Therefore I decided to bring it to my repair man for a cleaning operation.

A few weeks later I received it back and because my wife and I were going for a couple of days in the mountains I decided to use the Ultron on the M10.

Here are a few images from that short and wet holiday.

It's a tradition in our family when there is a new piece of gear first photo has to be an homage to my wife!

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We drove tho the valley of the river Sesia in the Alps. It is not (yet?) a very touristic area.

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In the past (13th century) people from the other side of the Alps migrated to this area and established the first settlements.
They are known as Walser.






The Walser were and I think some of them still are very good in working stones. This is why most of the roofs of Walser houses are made of stone.



I will post more pictures in the next days.

If you have any photo and story regarding the CV Ultron 35/1.7 LTM please do not hesitate to share 🙂

 

[boojum]

I would love to see more of the Waslers and what they make and do.

 

[johnasavoia]

Mine are all taken on digital, an OG Sony a7, but of the many 35mm lenses I've used this CV LTM is my absolute favorite. Soft and dreamy wide open, more than sharp enough by mid aperture, much less field curvature than any other fast rangefinder 35 in price/class. Ergonomically fantastic, and a true looker, especially compared to the m-mount versions which I find, frankly, ugly.

Sony a7 Voigtlander Ultron 35/1.7 ltm by biff tanager, on Flickr
Sony a7 Voigtlander Ultron 35/1.7 ltm by biff tanager, on Flickr
Sony a7 Voigtlander Ultron 35/1.7 LTM by biff tanager, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

The ltm Ultron did Lovely on Miss M10...
Nice to see Robert !

 

[Darthfeeble]

I have a Bessa R too, and the Ultron lives on it. To my mind this is the best value in RFdom.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I have one too, it is the second version, black paint with a more profiled focusing ring. I bought it about 20 years ago, but did not use it much, having some other 35's too. It is still in a very good condition. I removed the red paint from the word "aspherical" on the front ring. Looks much better now. I also have the third version, still in its box - an M version - in the same styling as the 50mm f1.5. This one has different optics. Both are great lenses.

This one is with the second version.

gelatin silver print (ultron 35mm f1.7 v2) leica m2

Erik.

 

[Darthfeeble]

Inexpensive isn't always bad.........

 

[robert blu]

Good contributions, good photos, thanks my friends. Isn't the old Ultron a "special" lens?

I have no idea (and I would like to know!) why the first two photos I submitted in the opening post with a link to the gallery are no more visible, quite disappointing!

I'll try to post soon some more pictures.

@ Helen: thanks for your words, Miss M10 name is MaryAnn 10 🙂

 

[robert blu]

It seems today RFF works better than yesterday, so I try to add a few more pictures.

When the Walser population settles themselves in the area in 13th century they worked mainly as shepherds and agricultural workers. Nowdays they mainly work in the tourism and leisure, with different open air activities likme rafting, cycling and hiking.

A few still lives in the old villages. The houses, restored retain the original stone and wood structure.



In the Middle Ages during the winter, men unable to work in the fields emigrated to neighboring France where, thanks to their stone-working skills, they found work in the construction of great cathedrals. Here they learned the art of painting, which they brought back to their villages. This is the facade of the church of a small village in the valley, Riva Valdobbia, representing the Last Judgment



Small town with summer social life in the square with the only bar



Stone has for many years been the material of choice in the construction of houses



I'll post more pictures of the area, all taken with the CV 35/1.7 Ulton LTM in the next days.
Please do not hesitate to share yours 🙂

 

[boojum]

Interesting photos of an interesting people. Thanks.

 

[robert blu]

here are the two first pictures which for an unknown reason disappeared from the post!

AS already said it's a tradition in our family when there is a new piece of gear first photo has to be an homage to my wife!


and this is the road to arrive in the valley



Hope they do not disappear again 😎

 

[rhl-oregon]

Lovely series of travel photos and cultural history, Robert—noted in the RFF gallery too.

 

[retinax]

Cool photos from an interesting place!
​​​​​​But I'm also interested whether you could shed any more light on the cleaning of haze of the lens. I thought the haze in these older CV lenses was typically in the cement and thus can't be cleaned. Did your repair person say anything as to where it was in your lens?

 

[robert blu]

Some more pictures with the CV Ultron 35/1.7 LTM and the Leica M10 from the Sesia River Valley in the Italian Alps

I already mentioned the ability of the Walser population to work stones, which still is on of the activities in the valley



And stones made objects can be seen everywhere, like the chairs in this garden



Made of stone is the lower part of Walser houses where the stable and kitchen used to be, the only slightly warm parts of the house. The upper part was made of larch wood because this wood withstands compression very well: in fact it had to withstand the extremely heavy roof because it was made of stone.





Soccer can be everywhere !