Elmar 50mm 2.8

[fti]

It's a super affordable lens. Has a bit of the Leica magic and its diminutive design and size is endearing and practical at the same time. Very usable lens which makes for an expensive body cap. Mine's from 1960 and fits well on the M9p.

Practicing social distancing

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I have a 50mm f2.8 Elmar in Leica screwmount that I use on my Barnack cameras. Its a very sharp lens!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Super affordable ... within Leica world. For the rest of us, Industar 61 L/D will do the same for ten times less.

 

[fti]

I have a 50mm f2.8 Elmar in Leica screwmount that I use on my Barnack cameras. Its a very sharp lens!

Great shots. Definitely a sharp lens in its own right. I think the Elmar on the Barnack must look great! I'm still on the fence of how the lens looks when in use, but it looks great collapsed and uber-portable.

 

[fti]

Super affordable ... within Leica world. For the rest of us, Industar 61 L/D will do the same for ten times less.

True. I think you can find the Elmar, the one I have, for about 250EUR. I have no knowledge or experience with the Industar but the prices are crazy cheap. Be that as it may, I'm happy with this lens and stopped down its really usable. Built quality is solid, and I think with good light, this lens is a keeper. I bought this lens for cheap together with my M9p and it's been a pleasant surprise for me.

 

[helen.HH]

Yes all the elmars are Splendid. This is with the first version F2.8 50mm ...the only drawback abit finicky in rotating, but draws beautifully




in sync by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

another v1 50 2.8




Doctor reading and writing by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

v1 50 2.8




Quiet by the Pond... by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[hap]

Super affordable ... within Leica world. For the rest of us, Industar 61 L/D will do the same for ten times less.

Perhaps true...if you happen to get a good one and/or know how to work on it.

If you outsource all that it could add up to a Leica and still be much more difficult to sell.

 

[hap]

I'm not in any way familiar with the various versions. Mine is #16336xx No INdustar is built like this.

 

[helen.HH]

I'm not in any way familiar with the various versions. Mine is #16336xx No INdustar is built like this.

They came out with a 50 2.8 Elmar around 1994 -2005 I think...
to my eye more punchy , modern rendering, Beautiful lens

Elmar M, v2




Afternoon snooooze... by Helen Hill, on Flickr






Rock Me... by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Perhaps true...if you happen to get a good one and/or know how to work on it.

If you outsource all that it could add up to a Leica and still be much more difficult to sell.

I know how to work on it. 🙂

Those Industar rigid lenses were just like Elmar 50, cheapest ones to get after 3.5 versions.

61 series.

26M.

Elmar 50 2.8 is kind of famous for lubrication fog. I never seen FSU lenses with this issue. Even with later, black J-12 where aperture blades are next to submerged in the oil. 🙂

Way too many problems with Leitz glass comparing to same age FSU RF clean and stable optics. This is regarding your add up to Leica comment. 🙂

 

[jordan.dickinson]

About to get one of these myself. Screw mount version that's long overdue for some use. Hoping it's a good copy!


Thanks for these photos. Very inspiring, and so coincidental on timing for me.

 

[helen.HH]

I know how to work on it. 🙂

26M.

Hey Ko. hello,

Yum,Always ADORED this shot !!
so what is this shot with...camera and lens ,
Thanks !

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I know how to work on it. 🙂

Those Industar rigid lenses were just like Elmar 50, cheapest ones to get after 3.5 versions.

61 series.

26M.

Elmar 50 2.8 is kind of famous for lubrication fog. I never seen FSU lenses with this issue. Even with later, black J-12 where aperture blades are next to submerged in the oil. 🙂

Way too many problems with Leitz glass comparing to same age FSU RF clean and stable optics. This is regarding your add up to Leica comment. 🙂

The problem is, the Soviet lenses just plain don't focus accurately on Leicas. They weren't designed to. I have an Industar 22 sitting on my desk right now that backfocuses. It isn't because it was built wrong, and it cannot be adjusted; its the way that Soviet cameras' rangefinders were calibrated. It would work fine on a Zorki or FED.

I use Leica and Canon lenses, despite the fogging that is a problem with many of them because I like being able to shoot at wide apertures and have my subject in focus. None of my lenses have haze because they've been cleaned.

 

[fti]

@ Helen & Ko.Fe. those are great shots. At the end of the day, almost any lens is capable of great shots. Just depends on the person behind the lens.

Anyone have any experience with the Sooky-M? Thinking about adding that for close up focus.

Took some impromptu phone shots of the elmar on the M9p





still have to get used to how it looks when extended, but it's growing on me. 🙂

 

[farlymac]

I've got both LTM and M versions of this lens, but haven't gotten the chance to use them yet. I was too busy with other matters to test the M, and I got screwed on the LTM as it wasn't as advertised, but I didn't find that out until it was too late to get my money back. But I like what I'm seeing here, so when things get less iffy I'll be sure to test out the M version, and get a replacement for the LTM.


PF

 

[Highway 61]

All those Elmars and Industars are copies of the unique original : the Carl Zeiss Tessar 5cm lens.

You good purist artists-photographers being always after that lens signature should get the original and get rid of those poor Leitz and FSU counterfeits. 😀

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

All those Elmars and Industars are copies of the unique original : the Carl Zeiss Tessar 5cm lens.

You good purist artists-photographers being always after that lens signature should get the original and get rid of those poor Leitz and FSU counterfeits. 😀

Zeiss Tessars are hard to find in LTM or M mounts. Fortunately, Leica, Nikon, Canon, and others have all made 50mm Tessar-type lenses that fit Leicas.

The Elmar is actually slightly different from the original Zeiss design. The Tessar's aperture is placed in the middle of the lens, between the second and third elements. For some reason, Leitz decided to move forward to the space between the first and second elements. I have never seen anyone test to see if one is better than the other or what differences, if any, there are in rendering.

 

[charjohncarter]

I use Leica and Canon lenses, despite the fogging that is a problem with many of them because I like being able to shoot at wide apertures and have my subject in focus. None of my lenses have haze because they've been cleaned.

I have two Elmar style lenses: one a 90mm Elmar and the other a 35mm Serenar (Canon). Both had haze and I had them cleaned; the 90mm has been fine like you say, but the Serenar falls back to its old habit of hazing. I now clean that one myself; very easy on the Serenar.

I'm trying Ravilious style shading device on the Serenar at present using a haze fiiter (sorry about the quality of the photos; a huge crop at 3200 ISO):

DIY semi hood by John Carter, on Flickr