first lens for first Leica (noob to Leicas)

[luketrash]

My light meter is a Gossen Digisix which I adore. It's been accurate for me and is very easy to use. I use it for all of my cameras including my Hasselblad, which is why I originally bought it. It depends on how deep you want to go into the rabbit hole. I have working light meters from the 1950s that I paid 3 dollars for. But having a decent one like my Digisix means no headaches and since I own several other cameras it's worth the 100 dollars I paid for it used.

Sort of like LTM lenses. You an buy the Industar now, or jump in both feet first into something cutting sharp like a Nokton 50mm or a Leica Summicron. Either way, it's all enjoyable for me. I have lots of old stuff and lots of new stuff. I like using it all.

 

[wolves3012]

thanks for all the helpful info! This place is great.

I just ordered an I-50 collapsible elmar-type from Fedka for $42.50. It was listed as "EXC-" condition. The only I-22 he had was only in "GOOD" condition.

I plan to use this lens for learning to use the IIIc, since I've never owned a camera as old as the IIIc.

I suppose I will also need a handheld exposure meter... any suggestions for one?

Good luck, I doubt you will be disappointed with the I-50. The only downside to the I-22/I-50 is they aren't a fast lens, although they are equal to an Elmar.

As for lightmeters, the Gossens always come up favourites. Personally I've been using a Weston Master IV and not been disappointed. I've also just got a Sverdlovsk 4 which is pretty good, if a little fiddly and not so easy to obtain! Quite a few people also seem to use a cheap digi-cam as a meter.

Your main choice though is really between a selenium meter, which is not battery powered, or a more modern CdS which will require batteries. The downsides to selenium meters (such as the Westons) is that many are old and no longer work properly, plus they aren't much use in very poor light. CdS, on the other hand, is likely to be more sensitive. Beware that some older CdS meters use batteries that are obsolete, which can be a real pain.

 

[pekuekfir]

bought a Gossen Super Pilot CdS light meter, with case and instruction manual. Once I get my I-50 lens, and the gossen meter, and load up my IIIc, it'll be like I got in a time machine and went back to the 1950s...

 

[mh2000]

I have at least 25 50mm lenses so I certainly don't advocate limiting yourself or depending on one look, but for a first/only lens I think you will be much more satisfied with a less limiting lens... something capable of results that don't beg the question, "which lens did you take these with" (because they obviously weren't shot with anything modern).

If you really want to avoid anything from Canon, CV, Leica etc., I would really suggest getting the Industar-61 L/D first... then move on to the more "distinctive" vintage lenses. Stopped down a bit the I-61 L/D is very respectible even when compared to modern lenses costing much more.

For meters I have given in to the little Sekonic Twinmate-II... very pleasing retro look (looks better next to a Leica than the Gossen digi meters to my eye)... if you want to stick with something FSU to go with your lens, I have a Leningrad-8 meter which is very accurate and sensitive enough for ISO 400-800 easily... haven't been so lucky with the Leningrad I or II's, but they are prettier.

Honestly, you don't need a meter though... outdoors, Sunny-16 works great and if you get to recognize a few inside EV's you will do very well... I find this more enjoyable than fooling with meters... and I end up going with my guesses over the meter most of the time anyway...

Get the I-22 and not a I/FED-50 because all the I-22's are clocked for a Leica camera, but many (all?) I/FED-50's are clocked wrong and are a pain to focus on your IIIc (might even hit your RF ring... I forget, but you don't want one). the best thing about the I-22 is that the camera will really fit in your pocket with it attached. With the faster collapsibles they are still kind of big.

Make sure you get a lens cap for anything you have! If you are new to RF's, unlike SLR's, there is nothing to protect your curtains from light, so even just sitting on a shelf with light coming in the lens you will burn holes in your curtains... if you can't find a lens with the cap, bakelite caps for I-22/Elmar etc. can be had for a few dollars from Russia.

I try not to restrict myself to just one look. That's why I use different lens depending on what "look" I'm after at the moment..

I also plan to buy a Russian fake Elmar lens to see what it will give..

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

If you bought the IIIc to get that specific vintage Leica look in your pictures, then go directly for the summitar or summar. I have several J-8's but I prefer the signature of old leica glass. From the FSU lenses the Industar 22 compares most in terms of signature.

To get an idea: first pic with Industar 22, second with 1940 Summitar (I have a bad scanner thats why these pics look so grainy and not that sharp, but I like the vintage look)

 

[mh2000]

oops, see you already got the I-50... and I think I was wrong... the FED-50=Industar-10, the collapsible Industar-50 is almost identical to the I-22 I think... the rigid I-50 is an ugly beast, but takes a darn good photo for a $5 lens.

My I-22 is good stopped down... have fun!

 

[pekuekfir]

thanks, mh. You had me worried with your fist post where you said not to get the I-50, after I already ordered one...!

I was watching a 5cm collapsible summitar on ebay the last few days, but I forgot to bid on it after I got home from work yesterday. It went for $127.50.

I ordered 6 rolls of Kodak 100 TMax B&W film. Never used it before, hope it's good stuff. You can't buy 100asa B&W film locally. The local stores only carry 400.

 

[mh2000]

I think TMX is quite a beautiful film... but I prefer the flexibility of 400 speed films.

 

[Graybeard]

thanks for all the helpful info! This place is great.

I just ordered an I-50 collapsible elmar-type from Fedka for $42.50. It was listed as "EXC-" condition. The only I-22 he had was only in "GOOD" condition.

I plan to use this lens for learning to use the IIIc, since I've never owned a camera as old as the IIIc.

I suppose I will also need a handheld exposure meter... any suggestions for one?

Buy a dead Weston Master IV or Weston Master V on eBay. Don't spend more than $10 - there are plenty of pretty but inoperative ones available for that price.

Send the meter to Quality Light Metric in Hollywood (CA, where else) for an overhaul and calibratiom. This will be about $80. There will be about a one week turnaround and you will have, essentially, a new Weston meter. They don't get any better.

 

[pekuekfir]

thanks, I'll keep an eye out for a weston V. QLM sounds like a good company, but I'm kind of disappointed that they don't appear to have a website.

 

[pekuekfir]

this is slightly off track...

last night I was messing with my new IIIc that I got in the mail about a week ago. When I received it, I just put it safely away after looking at it quickly (no lens yet, so couldn't try it out).

Anyway, last night I pushed the shutter button and the shutter fired. So the shutter may have been cocked for who knows how long... is that a problem? Also, this may be a dumb question, but when you are taking pictures with a Leica III, when you are done for a while, you do NOT advance the film (and thus cock the shutter) do you? ie: do you store the camera with the film unadvanced and the shutter uncocked?

 

[pekuekfir]

someone point me to a lens hood I can use with the Industar 50 that I've got coming in the mail. I checked with fedka.com, but yuri said that there were no Industar lens hoods, at least no "original" ones.

 

[pekuekfir]

I also noticed that my first Leica (IIIc) has a flash plug-in on the back of the top plate. Was that a modification from the original or not?

I bought this Leica for collectability purposes (also to use of course), and I wanted a camera AS ORIGINAL. It was listed on Adorama's website as in "E" condition.
I read that modified Leicas are worth around half of an unmodified one.

 

[wolves3012]

this is slightly off track...

last night I was messing with my new IIIc that I got in the mail about a week ago. When I received it, I just put it safely away after looking at it quickly (no lens yet, so couldn't try it out).

Anyway, last night I pushed the shutter button and the shutter fired. So the shutter may have been cocked for who knows how long... is that a problem? Also, this may be a dumb question, but when you are taking pictures with a Leica III, when you are done for a while, you do NOT advance the film (and thus cock the shutter) do you? ie: do you store the camera with the film unadvanced and the shutter uncocked?

It's unlikely to cause a problem unless it's left for years, in which case there would likely be other problems too. Out of habit I always cock the shutter just before I take a shot, that avoids putting it away cocked and avoids accidental exposures too! Personal preference - others prefer to leave it cocked for opportunistic shots.

 

[wolves3012]

someone point me to a lens hood I can use with the Industar 50 that I've got coming in the mail. I checked with fedka.com, but yuri said that there were no Industar lens hoods, at least no "original" ones.

There was a push-fit hood available but they are hard to come by. It's the same sort that fits the Elmar. You may have to hunt around for one. The I-50 is coated so it's not desperately prone to flare - a little thought and you may not even need a hood. If you struggle to find one you could also make one from the top section of a plastic bottle (a black one, or paint it!) or something similar.

 

[wolves3012]

I also noticed that my first Leica (IIIc) has a flash plug-in on the back of the top plate. Was that a modification from the original or not?

I bought this Leica for collectability purposes (also to use of course), and I wanted a camera AS ORIGINAL. It was listed on Adorama's website as in "E" condition.
I read that modified Leicas are worth around half of an unmodified one.

It's modified, the IIIC didn't come with flash sync. Others may be able to tell you if the factory did any conversions or whether it was always the repairman.

 

[pekuekfir]

The flash plug is part of the top plate, I mean the top plate was originally made with a flash plug. So maybe someone substituted a top plate from a later III...?

Dang, I wanted an original unmodified Leica, so I guess I got screwed.

When you ask adorama or keh questions about their used equipment, all you get in reply is ... "uh, we don't know anything about it...".
That's the last time I'll ever order an old Leica from either place. Maybe igorcamera.com or kevinscamera.com are better.

I guess I'm ready to load some film, or try to, ha ha, and take some pics. Got my I-50 in the mail yesterday!

edit: the I-50 lens seems fine, and the service from Yuri (fedka) was fantastic. I look forward to giving him more business.

 

[wolves3012]

The flash plug is part of the top plate, I mean the top plate was originally made with a flash plug. So maybe someone substituted a top plate from a later III...?

I'm no expert on Leicas so maybe someone with more knowledge will tell me I was wrong. However, I'm fairly confident a IIIC never came with flash-sync as original. Maybe someone did substitute the cover, maybe the factory did a conversion...hmm.

 

[Svitantti]

I've had a VC Ultron 35/1.7 as the only lense for a M4 and been really happy with it. Nice angle for all-around shooting and fine lense. Not too expensive either. J-8 or J-3 are nice too, though their mechanics are probably not that great - optics are good.

 

[Graybeard]

The flash plug is part of the top plate, I mean the top plate was originally made with a flash plug. So maybe someone substituted a top plate from a later III...?

Dang, I wanted an original unmodified Leica, so I guess I got screwed.

When you ask adorama or keh questions about their used equipment, all you get in reply is ... "uh, we don't know anything about it...".
That's the last time I'll ever order an old Leica from either place. Maybe igorcamera.com or kevinscamera.com are better.

I guess I'm ready to load some film, or try to, ha ha, and take some pics. Got my I-50 in the mail yesterday!

edit: the I-50 lens seems fine, and the service from Yuri (fedka) was fantastic. I look forward to giving him more business.

If Leitz installed flash synchronization they almost certainly would have gone the whole route and done a IIIc to IIIf conversion. If you have only a PC terminal on the camera, it was done by a non-Leitz service technician. These are not all that uncommon.

There isn't any need to obsess over the flash terminal. If you have a useable camera then enjoy your new jewel. Put some ASA400 BW film in the camera and shoot a couple of hundred rolls. See if the flash terminal is a concern then.

You might buy/borrow/otherwise acquire a copy of of Alessandro Pasi's book "Leica, Witness to a Century". It will put you in the right frame of mind.

I'm off to Italy nmyself ext week and I'll have a IIIf with me always; I'll probably bring an f2/50mm since evening offers many fine shooting opportunities. f2 and be there.