Good & Cheap LTM lenses?

W

wlewisiii

Guest
Ok, so now that I've got a Canon IV SB body on the way to me and a nice I-61L/D to mount on it, I've gotten thinking about what other lenses are out there. While I've been reading everything I can find, I know very little about the LTM lenses. So I've searched here, read Mr. Gandy's pages, and lots of others. Time now for some nice subjective opinions... 😀

Would those of you more well versed in LTM lore care to hold forth on what lenses a bottom feeder like me can reasonably hope to find cheaply? The FSU lenses are obvious as I'm familier with most of the Kiev versions. What about the rest? Lieca is probably way out of the question, I'd presume, but Canon and all the sundry others?

I'd like, eventually to get a 35, a faster 50, a portrait (85 - 105) and a 135 for this camera though it isn't going to happen terribly soon. But if I have an idea of ones to look for, then if something pops up in front of my face I'll know to snag it. Or not. 😱

Thanks,

William
 
Go Canon

Go Canon

Hello:

The Canon f2.8 50mm, a Tessar clone, is vg and cheap. The 35mm f2.8 Canon has a similar pop to the 50mm.The Black 135mm f3.5 Canon is an excellent "modern" lens which often goes for little more than $100.00.

Then "all" the CV lenses are good.

yours
Frank
 
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william, if you're interested, I've got a silver J3 that's in great shape.. no idea if you'll run into the focusing issue as is the case with Leicas.. I've never had a chance to test it, but it looks sweet and the focusing and aperture dials work very smoothly

I also have a black J8 that's in similar condition.. also never been tested.. I'm pretty sure I'll never put them to use since I picked up a 50mm 'cron, and the M3 is my only Leica mount body
 
Brett- PM sent.

joe - Thank you, that's the kind of tip I was hoping to get when I started this thread. I'll put the 35/2.8 on my wait for list.

William
 
Plbzzzzz! 😀

Maybe for a mint Canon 7 body, but even then, I'd hesitate. They may not actually get that much on the bay, but it's worth that much to me. Sweet little thing...

William
 
Yes, I've read that one, Mr. Gandy's pages and Mr. Stella's pages. The fun in that is that all three are very open about their opinions... 🙂 Yes, I consider that a good thing. But that's also why I asked here as there are a number of people actually using LTM lenses (including some more obscure ones) regularly.

William
 
A Steinheil Culminar 85mm F2.8 for a portrait lens.

I'll be getting the J3 results back soon after taking it apart and remounting it further out in its Helical. Check out the J9 Calibration thread.

See that thick brass ring? That is how far I had to back the lens module out of its mount. The ring brought the RF back into agreement. It focusses exactly to infinity, using an airplane flying overhead as a reference.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/for...98&page=2&pp=30&highlight=jupiter+calibration
 
He engaged the Infinite Improbability Drive, went to Infinity, and the Totally Screwed up J-3 acheived Focus at the same instant. Coincidence! I Don't Think So!
 
*bump*

Just in case there's someone else lurking here tonight with suggestions for me.

As it stands, I think the search pattern is:
Either Canon 35/2.8 or VC 35/2.5 (preferably used)
Eventually a Canon 50/1.8 & I-22 50/3.5 (for the collapsible)
Culminar 85/2.8
Canon 100/4
what ever cheap 135/4 or better that shows up first.

(gee, can you tell that I prefer long lenses over wide? 😀 )

Thanks all!

William
 
Brian Sweeney said:
A Steinheil Culminar 85mm F2.8 for a portrait lens
Click to expand...

I've been trying for over a year to get my hands on one of those without spending a ton. I suspect, knowing what I do of Steinheil lenses, that it falls short of wonderful, but I still want one. And the Canon Serenar 85mm f1.9 is a great lens, IMHO (I haven't seen one in a while on eBoy - don't know if it is the same as the 85mm f2 Serenar, but looks like it is). But I paid some silly low price for mine - what a cracker of a lens! At the time, everybody was tearing down Serenars - so prices were low. Now, a bit higher, I think.

Still prefer Canon for bang-for-buck in LTM in most cases. Have a huge mess of third-party 135mm LTM lenses, though and some of them are sweet - and cost all of ten dollars NIB on eBoy. Ask Captain Caveman, he's seen them.

But what the heck. I'm nearly broke, but if I see another third-party 'unknown' LTM lens on eBoy mis-categorized as an M42 or whatever, I'm buying it - and you guys keep watching the Nikkors and Canons and Jupiter auctions for me. Works for me, but don't say I didn't try to let you know!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
FPjohn said:
Hello:

The LTM 90mm f4 Elmar is special. Like the 135mm Hektor it is undervalued. If you get a good buy the Elmar is worth the CLA. Enjoy your Canon.

yours
Frank
Click to expand...

Do you know what the difference is between the 'fat' and the 'thin' 90mm Elmar? They apparently made them for a long time - like the Hektor - any particular one to watch for? I have a Hektor 135 as well - nice, but the Canon 135's appear sharper to me, and a stop faster. Not putting it down - it was well worth the $49 I paid for it, and it could be that I don't have a great example anyway.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Hello:

I have two (?) 36mm postwar coated Hectors, one Euro and the other for the American market. They are coated and sharp. They both cost me about $90.00US and do not have the common scratches or wipe marks. Disadvantages are no click stops and the size: these are not teles but long lenses. The 135mm F3.5 Canon is a more modern lens and the one I have (Black) is both sharper and slightly more clinical.

The elegant "thin" 90mm Elmar is postwar, coated, and comes in 39mm filter size as well as the earlier and more awkward 36mm (mine). 'Passes the spouse/girlfriend test.The prewar black "fat" Elmar is uncoated to my knowledge. Beware of scratches and wipe marks on soft coatings and look for fog-a cleaning by a professional is often required.

yours
Frank
 
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