Help me find a 50mm lens for the M3 here..

[Sumarongi]

every 50mm lens will be mentioned sooner or later, so i’ll recommend any lens that’s within budget.

Exactly, you can buy Leica thread mount lenes made by:

(de) Astro Berlin | Enna | Hensoldt | Isco | Meyer | Rodenstock | Schacht | Schneider | Steinheil | Voigtländer | Zeiss
(ja) Arco (Colinar, Snowva) | Canon (Serenar) | Fuji (Cristar, Fujinon) | K.O.L. (Xebec) | Konica (Hexanon) | Konishiroku (Hexar, Hexanon) | Kowa (Prominar) | Kyōei (Acall) | Lena | Leotax | Chiyoda / Minolta (Rokkor) | Misuzu (Altanon) | MS Optical R&D | Nicca | Nippon Kōgaku (Nikkor) | Olympus (Zuiko) | Orion (Supreme) | Pentax | Reise | Ricoh | Sankyō (Komura) | Shōwa Kōki (Piotar) | Sun (Sola, Sophia, Xebec) | Tanaka (Tanar) | Telesar | Tōkyō Kōgaku (Simlar, Topcor) | Voigtländer | Y.K. Optical (Kobalux, Avenon) | Zeika (Rojar) | Zuihō (Honor) | Teikoku / Zunow
(fr) Angénieux | Berthiot
(uk) Corfield | Dallmeyer | National Opt. Co. | Pam | Ross | Taylor, Taylor & Hobson
(it) Elionar | Koritska | Kristall | Trixar | Wega
(nl) Old Delft
(us) Bausch & Lomb | Kodak


...😀

see also: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/39mm_screw_lenses

 

[Huss]

Exactly, you can buy Leica thread mount lenes made by:

(de) Astro Berlin | Enna | Hensoldt | Isco | Meyer | Rodenstock | Schacht | Schneider | Steinheil | Voigtländer | Zeiss
(ja) Arco (Colinar, Snowva) | Canon (Serenar) | Fuji (Cristar, Fujinon) | K.O.L. (Xebec) | Konica (Hexanon) | Konishiroku (Hexar, Hexanon) | Kowa (Prominar) | Kyōei (Acall) | Lena | Leotax | Chiyoda / Minolta (Rokkor) | Misuzu (Altanon) | MS Optical R&D | Nicca | Nippon Kōgaku (Nikkor) | Olympus (Zuiko) | Orion (Supreme) | Pentax | Reise | Ricoh | Sankyō (Komura) | Shōwa Kōki (Piotar) | Sun (Sola, Sophia, Xebec) | Tanaka (Tanar) | Telesar | Tōkyō Kōgaku (Simlar, Topcor) | Voigtländer | Y.K. Optical (Kobalux, Avenon) | Zeika (Rojar) | Zuihō (Honor) | Teikoku / Zunow
(fr) Angénieux | Berthiot
(uk) Corfield | Dallmeyer | National Opt. Co. | Pam | Ross | Taylor, Taylor & Hobson
(it) Elionar | Koritska | Kristall | Trixar | Wega
(nl) Old Delft
(us) Bausch & Lomb | Kodak


...😀

see also: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/39mm_screw_lenses

You missed out Leica from that list.
😀

 

[colker]

I am almost going w/ a canon...

 

[Huss]

I am almost going w/ a canon...

check for haze, they r notorious for that.

 

[Rob-F]

That's a thread mount Leica, probably a II series - no means of attaching a strap. The lens is most likely a Summar. They are decent lenses and could be used on an M3 with an LTM/M adapter. Be aware that the glass in the Summars is soft and liable to either scratch now if not cleaned carefully or already scratched - I cannot tell from the photo.

It is III with SN visible to find out what it is. Looks like it was not in best place for storage,
Summar on it usually uncoated, but some were.
I had it on IIf and on M4-2. I have to clean mine and it was relatevly easy with instructions availible on-line.

number is 175800
I got it already in a terrible state.
I never leave cameras inside closets or cabinets. I rather leave them in a shelf with as much light as possible. It gets real dirty but no fungus.

My first impression was of a II, since it has no strap lugs. But it bothered me that it didn't look like a black paint finish (it didn't look like chrome either; more of a "dust" finish). So after Colker posted the serial number, I looked it up: Ko.Fe. called it right. It is a IIIa from 1935.

 

[Rob-F]

The M3 is meant to be matched with a Rigid Summicron. If money is tight, I would get a Canon 50/1.8 RF lens.

Rigid Summicron is a good choice. And the Dual Range Summicron, which has the same lens unit as the rigid, just in a different mount, would also be right on the M3.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

I agree that the Collapsible is a wonderful lens, but apart from the last series - serail number starts with 13XX XXX - the front glass is very soft (like a Summar) so almost all are scratched to ruins nowadays.

I was lucky enough to find a very clean example and have kept good quality B+W filters on the front since, so no scratches and no haze.

Hi Leicapixie, is your pristine Collapsible with a serial number 13XXXXX? I want to see if my theory is correct. Thanks!

Mine is a 126xxxx

 

[colker]

My first impression was of a II, since it has no strap lugs. But it bothered me that it didn't look like a black paint finish (it didn't look like chrome either; more of a "dust" finish). So after Colker posted the serial number, I looked it up: Ko.Fe. called it right. It is a IIIa from 1935.

It does have strap lugs. There is a lot of CLA to be done there. No more rangefinder patch..

 

[Ko.Fe.]

It does have strap lugs. There is a lot of CLA to be done there. No more rangefinder patch..

I had Anniversary camera from forties. Same condition as yours Leica. No RF patch. All I have to do is to clean the optics. And patch was where.

It is not as buggy as you think. Half-mirror replacement is 30 bucks by YYe.
CLA and new curtains. Most likely nothing else and you'll have not some dusty chunk, but 1935 made and functioning for another two decades camera. Barnacks are less advanced than M and it means more lasting and reliable.

 

[colker]

I had Anniversary camera from forties. Same condition as yours Leica. No RF patch. All I have to do is to clean the optics. And patch was where.

It is not as buggy as you think. Half-mirror replacement is 30 bucks by YYe.
CLA and new curtains. Most likely nothing else and you'll have not some dusty chunk, but 1935 made and functioning for another two decades camera. Barnacks are less advanced than M and it means more lasting and reliable.

If i was in the US i would take it tomorrow to a reputable repair shop.... i will wait till i get back to mexico and send it to the US from there.
Meanwhile i will look for a clipon VFinder and lightmeter.

In some ways i like it better than the M3 just for the smaller size. The smaller the better.

 

[Peter_S]

Did you have a look at the Voigtlaender Heliar 50mm f/3.5? A really tiny lens, sharp and nice rendering.

 

[Rob-F]

It does have strap lugs. There is a lot of CLA to be done there. No more rangefinder patch..

Oh, OK, there didn't seem to be any lugs in the photo.

 

[David Hughes]

Quote " A small camera is a thing of beauty. I won´t even place a lenshoood so i go as unnoticed as possible in the street."

In that case, sell everything - including the M3 - except the IIIa and use that with a Summaron 35mm after getting it (the IIIa) checked and sorted out.

Regards, David

 

[leicapixie]

Reply to Erik, 50mm Collapsible-Summicron f2, Nr.1364344 !
It's one of 2nd Generation, slightly soft wide open, very sharp later..
I have (maybe) more flare at times, possibly Leitz UVa filter always on..
I have used friends' Later Summcrons and found little to make me add one.
Professional use where "collapsible" feature was a bonus, in"exciting" times.
My color printer said it was sharpest lens he had ever printed..
Slight flare in large sky areas where i latly saw a Zeiss 35mm new do same..
Notwithstanding about "fall off"etc, I love it!
Oh! At times when used wide, bokeh circles can appear as bagels/donuts..

 

[Rob-F]

Reply to Erik, 50mm Collapsible-Summicron f2, Nr.1364344 !

Slight flare in large sky areas where i latly saw a Zeiss 35mm new do same..

The Zeiss 35/2.8 C Biogon, the f/2, or something else? I thought the 35mm Biogons were not supposed to flare. (I read that on the internet, so it must be right 😀).

 

[Erik van Straten]

Reply to Erik, 50mm Collapsible-Summicron f2, Nr.1364344 !
It's one of 2nd Generation, slightly soft wide open, very sharp later..
I have (maybe) more flare at times, possibly Leitz UVa filter always on..
I have used friends' Later Summcrons and found little to make me add one.
Professional use where "collapsible" feature was a bonus, in"exciting" times.
My color printer said it was sharpest lens he had ever printed..
Slight flare in large sky areas where i latly saw a Zeiss 35mm new do same..
Notwithstanding about "fall off"etc, I love it!
Oh! At times when used wide, bokeh circles can appear as bagels/donuts..

It was also the favorite lens of Cartier-Bresson!

Serial number of mine is 1319235 (LTM).

Leica MP, Summicron 50mm f/2 Collapsible, 400-2TMY.

(dull scans, I will print these soon on Adox MCC 110)

Erik.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Quote " A small camera is a thing of beauty. I won´t even place a lenshoood so i go as unnoticed as possible in the street."

In that case, get a smart phone. No one will notice.

 

[colker]

In that case, get a smart phone. No one will notice.

wrong. A smartphone is way slower and more noticeable as a camera.

I take pictures... i am a photographer. I know.

If i am building a Leica is to take pictures as intended on a rangefinder. Fast and unconspicuous.

I don´t care about sharpness, bokeh or showing off cameras. It´s about catching an elusive image and an Iphone could not be a worse tool for the job.

 

[colker]

It was also the favorite lens of Cartier-Bresson!

Serial number of mine is 1319235 (LTM).

Leica MP, Summicron 50mm f/2 Collapsible, 400-2TMY.

(dull scans, I will print these soon on Adox MCC 110)

Erik.

I should get one. Makes the camera small and easy to carry. 2.0 would be nice.. night photgraphy on 2.8 is pushing the envelope a bit too much.

 

[colker]

Did you have a look at the Voigtlaender Heliar 50mm f/3.5? A really tiny lens, sharp and nice rendering.

i love it... but i need a brighter lens. 3.5 won´t cut it.