Best normal lens for Barnack?

[raid]

Here are some earlier results with several 50mm lenses. Click on "detail" to see the lens names.


Raid

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=670650

 

[dostacos]

It really deapends on what are you trying to achieve?

Presumably this is not your ONLY, or every day camera.

To me it is a strange question as the whole point of using a "vintage" camera is to use it with a lens from that period.
The only thing that you cannot really replicate is (probably), film from that period, but everythingelse should be as near to the original as possible

A 3.5 cm or 5cm lens, (Elmar) from that period is what I would use

I think I understand the question [or at least how I would ask it.]

I want to get a Leica thread mount camera lens. I use Bessa's and have many lenses I am happy with, so I would be interested in a suggestion as an only lens. I would expect either 35MM or 50MM Now all I need to do is find the Leica my wife's dad left her that she packed away and I cannot find😱 😱

 

[CameraQuest]

if you want controllable softness from f/2 to f/5.6
and a vintage look

try a 50/2 Summar


Stephen

 

[Austerby]

I have both the recent screw-mount summicron and a summitar. I echo the previous posting about the sheer size of the summicron on my IIIa - it's really too big, but the results are terrific. I tend to use it on my M3 where it fits better. The Summitar and IIIa is a truly gorgeous combination and the older lens complements the old camera perfectly. It's a combination I use when I'm just popping out and don't want to carry the weight of an M - as I shall do this evening.

 

[thomasw_]

on my IIIc, i like my elmar 50/3.5 or my summitar 50/2 for their differing signatures.

 

[David Murphy]

Well, this thread slowed down a bit, so since I got some time here to look through my old photos, I picked a few more to display here.
First Russian Industar I-22 coll. A copy of Elmar I suppose. I used to have Elmar and never got results as good as I get with the I-22. I-22 RULES!!!!!!!!!
It's a 50mm 3.5 lens. These photos were shot on Bessa R - the only Rf camera I had at that time. All photos are scans from photos on a flatbed - quick and dirty way, but still gives you some idea. Comments are always welcome.

I've got a Fed (Soviet) collapsible -- probably the same lens as the I-22 and I agree it's damn good lens especially for $25, which is what I paid. Other collapsible lenses such as the Summitar or Summicron complement a Leica Screw mount camera just as well - they add to the already pleasantly compact nature of these cameras. Don't overlook a number of rare, but often available Japanese collapsible lenses. I have a Leotax Simlar 5cm 3.5 collapsible and there are many others. There are plenty of these to gawk at in the albums of photos on the Kevin's Camera Web site.

 

[David Murphy]

Here are a few more photos. All done with J3 on Bessa R and on 400 ISO Print Fuji Film Handheld. Wide open or pretty close to it.

Very nice. Did you have your J-3 rebuilt to get these results ? -- I've heard a lot of them need work to get them aligned right. Seems to be an uncomfortable element of luck in getting the right one.

 

[Krosya]

Very nice. Did you have your J-3 rebuilt to get these results ? -- I've heard a lot of them need work to get them aligned right. Seems to be an uncomfortable element of luck in getting the right one.

Thank you. And as far as J-3 - yes and no. Mine is a rather ugly looking one. Was very stiff when I got it, lots of scratches, and I mean you can feel them with fingernail on a front element, yet rear element is very clean. I had to re-lube focus to make it smooth. Didn't neet to shim it - it was fine in that respect. Just a bit tightened as it was a bit loose. And now it works very well. Still looks ugly, but I don't care - less likely someone will steal it . 🙂