Leica LTM First Leitz 50mm f3.5 Elmar Red Scale BW’s

[Avotius]

Finally got scans from my elmar red scale (my first leica lens, yay!) . It seems like a good lens. Doesn’t flare much, but my goodness when it goes its catastrophic. That said its only flared twice out of several rolls and its always from the sun being outside of the frame. I cant believe how sharp the lens is though. Mine was made in 1953, and yikes, it’s a hundred times better then I expected.

Camera was Voigtlander Bessa R2A, film was Ilford XP2. Place of shooting was Chongqing, China.

Guy washing bowls in an alley way restaurant.

 

[Avotius]

Guy painting a building.

Same guy taking a break, notice his safety hook thing behind his head, 9 floors up on old scaffolding.

Annoying ads that get painted everywhere.

Old and new houses in the center of the city.

Old guy taking a nap on the side rail.

 

[Avotius]

Continued from last post, same camera, film, lens
(forum still giving me long message length problems, sorry)

Old street and houses. What I like about this shot is I took it about 150 meters away from the Mazerati show room, a sign of the wide class gap here in China.

This guy can’t hear his phone so he stuck his head out the window at the tea house. He probably shouldn’t have done it next to me.

A very old run down tea house, one of my favorite places to sit around with a book and camera.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

excellent work, that lens really shines in your hands.

Todd

 

[Todd.Hanz]

forgot to ask, the excellent detail in these images leads me to wonder what film and scanner do you use?

Todd

edit: forget it...i looked at your first post and saw it is XP-2

 

[Avotius]

forgot to ask, the excellent detail in these images leads me to wonder what film and scanner do you use?

Todd

edit: forget it...i looked at your first post and saw it is XP-2

the scanner was a fuji s-2000 lab scanner

 

[Ronald M]

Looks like you know how to use this fine lens. I really like mine.

I have a 36mm clamp on shade that is 12/15 mm deep. Also the 50/90/135 shade is very effective as it is about twice as deep at 50mm and only fractionally bigger in diameter.

I use a 36/39 step up for 39 filters and the regular vented shade if I need a filter, but prefer keeping things small. Therefor the 36 clamp on gets used most and the leica caps fit on the end so I do not remove the shade.

 

[Avotius]

Thanks Ronald, I dont have a shade for this lens, when I picked it up the guy took the lens off a red dial barnack and sold me the lens for dirt cheap. In the end I asked him why he broke up the set and sold me the lens so cheap, he said he couldnt move something like that, pity he didnt know about this place eh?

I have been looking for a decent uv filter for this lens, it really really needs one, its starting to collect a little dust on the element that I dont dare wipe off, just a little blowing...

 

[Xmas]

Avotius

A leitz hood is real expensive, unless you get it from the same store, the Elmar needs a hood, even then you will get flare on occassions, hot spots or whitewash.

Clean the lens with a blower, Leitz used high refractive index glass for improved optical performance without thinking about how soft it was, it is way soft, the coating wont help much.

Noel

 

[Biggles]

****ing EXCELLENT pictures! And sharp! I had no idea those mouldy old f/3.5 Elmars were capable of anything like that.

The bokeh in the "Old Man- Side Rail" shot looks pretty neutral as well. I'd be happy to use that lens.

Thanks for the wake-up call.

 

[Tom Harrell]

I too liked your photos Avotius. I also have a red scale Elmar but I don't think I saw as much contrast out of it as I see in your photos. Is it because I am not processing my own film or what? I have asked myself that question time and again. I have now mounted an Industar 22 on my IIIf and am currantly shooting with it. I think I may need to get the Elmar back out and try some comparison shots of the same subject with all of the same parameters giving the two lenses a good testing. If any of you have suggestions for me I sure would like to hear them.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Joerg]

Great Pictures!
I would recommend the VALOO hood since it allows for changing aperture easily. just watch out on Ebay.
It is a fun lens!

Ciao

Joerg

 

[Film dino]

Interesting pictures, thanks for showing them.

Re: the painter on scaffolding not using his safety harness- we get the same alarming disdain for safety at work in Malaysia

David

 

[tedwhite]

The photographs, and your commentary, Avotius, are both exemplary. I particularly like that street scene from above and the irony of a Maserati dealer just round the corner.

When I was a kid, the US Navy, in its infinite wisdom, sent me to Shanghai, Tsingtao, and up the Yangtze, but never to your city. Being a 17 year old kid, it didn't occur to me to bring along a camera. Duh.

 

[tlfan]

Avotius, nice pictures. Where is that tea house in Chongqing? I will give it a try next time I am in Chongqing.

Terry

 

[spiderfrank]

I like your shots very much, Avotius! They are really wonderful!!
Also,it's nice to see image from a so different world (i'm in Italy)...

Bravo!
Franco

 

[HuubL]

Wonderful photos and excellent quality. I'm going to load my IIIf/elmar with some film tomorrow.