Collapseable Industars and Leica M

[Dylan Hope]

Okay, so I've been looking into the wonderful world of FSU rangefinders, and after picking up a Zorki-4 and I-61 kit for my girlfriend (Digital fatigue), I figured that now was as good a time as any to just pony up and get a FED-2 and one of the collapseable Industars like I've been saying I'm going to do for a good half a year.

I've heard that there's no real difference between the I-50 and I-22 apart from a slightly better bench test result with the I-50 and it's better to take the approach of getting the nicest condition one you can instead of fretting model numbers. This is right, no?

I've also heard there are issues using the I-22 and I-50 on the FED-2 because of the focus lock system, but I've heard a lot of lenses are modified so this isn't a real problem. What does an unmodified I-22/50 look like?

For the sake of having a compact 50, I might also pick up an adapter ring for my M6. Is the issue that effects the FED-2 also at play on the M6?



I saw that there was a really good thread on here by Brian which would have answered my second two questions, but sadly the images left with Mr. Sweeny and I'm not tech-headed enough to know anything past operating gear without being handheld by a guide

 

[fanshaw]

If you want a collapsible lens on a Fed-2 the best option is to get one fitted with the Fed f3.5 lens which was designed for the camera. It is just as good as the Industar lenss.

 

[Brian Legge]

There isn't enough clearance to push the infinity lock down.to unlock the lens when the lens is at infinity (locked) and mounted on an M. It collides with the mount. The LTM elmar 50/2.5 has the same issue.

The condition of a specific 22 or 50 matters much more than differences between models. Condition includes both how clean the glass is and how well the collimation matches the body.

The infinity lock knob could probably be removed with a screwdriver to make it work though it would make it a bit more awkward to handle.

A good FED lens is very, very close to an Elmar and worth finding if can make it work on your body.

 

[Valkir1987]

If you want a collapsible lens on a Fed-2 the best option is to get one fitted with the Fed f3.5 lens which was designed for the camera. It is just as good as the Industar lens

The (post-war) Fed 3,5/50 lens is even better than the industar in my opinion. I never had to recalibrate them to 28.8mm, while many Industar 22 lenses I have came with the wrong working distance. Its optically better as well.

On the Industar the front element sticks out a little more, it catches a little more dust and scratches. (because of the cleaning)

I have an Elmar too, and its incomparable to the Fed. The Elmar is taller and optically a little diffirent. The Fed lens (Industar 10) is a Tessar like design of its own. But it performs sometimes even better then the Elmar.