I feel REALLY LUCKY today! And some questions

[sleepyhead]

Hi everyone

I feel EXTREMELY lucky today because yesterday evening I bought two great lenses for "only" $950: A Type I 35mm summicron (German, 8-element), and a 90mm "fat" tele-elmarit (black).

Both lenses came with their original front and rear caps, leitz UVa filters, and the 90mm came with its shade. Neither lens looks like it has ever been used!

I'm instantly in love with the 35mm summicron and even though I haven't seen the results from it yet, I don't think it'll EVER EVER EVER stray far from my M4! They look like such a perfect match for each other. I have currently been using a type 4 "pre-asph" 35mm summicron and am curious to compare the results from the two versions.

As for the 90mm, I already have a 90mm m-Rokkor which is sharp and contrasty, and in a way I'm hoping that the fat tele-elmarit will be less contrasty, as I almost always shoot black and white and prefer lower contrast lenses. That is, if I decide to keep and use the fat tele-elmarit...

SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU EXPERTS/users OUT THERE:

(1) If you were me, would you re-sell the 90mm fat tele-elmarit (it's in "collectible" condition so should fetch a good price) and use the money for a different elmarit in "user" condition? I'm thinking of either the first elmarit with the removable head, or the current one. I've heard great things about the current elmarit but I like the idea of keeping the 39mm filter size, the lighter weight of the earlier lens, and NOT SPENDING ANY MORE MONEY.

Or, are the results from the fat tele-elmarit SO SPECIAL (character, glow, low contrast, etc.) that it's worth keeping and using (and thereby losing its collectible status)? I never imagined I would have such "problems"!

Another possibility is to sell the 90mm fat tele-elmarit and just keep using the M-Rokkor as 90mm is not a frequently used focal length for me...


(2) Those of you who have used the type I 35mm summicron, how important is a LENS SHADE with this lens? If you've found it important, is there a less expensive alternative to the recommended Leitz 12538 hood? I use the rectangular hood that came with my type 4 summicron, but it won't clamp on to the older summicron. I would prefer to not use a hood at all, otherwise a cheap rubber collapsible hood. But will a standard 39mm screw-on one cause vignetting?

Any advice or comments would be appreciated on these two questions! If anyone has sample photos taken with either of these two lenses I would love to see them.

A BIG THANKS

 

[Photar]

Can't answer your question. But you ARE relly lucky! Congratulations.

 

[peter_n]

You are lucky Yaron! Good for you!! 🙂 I have a "thin" TE and its a really great lens, a wee bit soft wide open and a little prone to flare but a beautiful portrait lens. I think the "fat" one has similar charactaristics but maybe a bit more contrast. If its in collectible condition I would sell it like a shot, buy a user and spend the difference on film or something.

WRT the 35 I think that you should get a shade for it. If nothing else it will protect the front element. I don't like Leica shades mostly and I buy mine from eBay seller heavystar. I have three shades from this guy and they are all top quality and very inexpensive. The link below is to a shade that will fit your lens.

New Metal Wide Angle 39mm Screw-in Lens Hood for Leica

 

[sleepyhead]

Peter

THANKS for the info and link to the wide-angle screw-in shades.

Regarding the 90mm, I'll probably take your advice and sell it, and stick with the M-rokkor for now. In a way i'll be sad to see it go, as it's such a nice hunk of glass and metal.

Regards

 

[Doug]

Yaron, you got a fantastic deal! I bought those same two lenses new in 1966/67. Here are some samples of both, I think with overexposed scans. First the 90mm TE, which I rarely use. Then two shots from the 1st Gen 35 'cron, which at this point I had not used for 21 years, now freshly CLA'd.

 

[sleepyhead]

Hi Doug

Thanks for the samples! The TE shot you've posted looks quite sharp and contrasty.

For the last 35mm shot, did you use a filter to get that sky dark?

CHEERS

 

[Doug]

Hi Yaron, no filters. The Ilford chromogenic B&W, XP2, has greater red sensitivity than the typcical conventional film, so tones of blue sky tend naturally to look as if a light yellow had been used. Besides, this was shot at a steep upward angle where the blue is darker anyway. 🙂

 

[sleepyhead]

Then two shots from the 1st Gen 35 'cron, which at this point I had not used for 21 years, now freshly CLA'd.

This statement makes me feel better about the couple of lenses in my drawer (25mm snapshot skopar, for example) that I haven't used in about a year!

I was thinking recently "it's just sitting around, maybe I should sell it..." But now I'm convinced that if I like it (I DO), then I should keep it! How you could have a 1st Gen 35 'cron and not use it for 21 years is surprising to me, but I'm sure you had your reasons...

Thanks again

 

[Ben Z]

I can't speak about the Type I Summicron 35 (except to say that obviously you got both lenses for about 2/3 the price that one alone usually sells for, assuming it's not the M3 version with the googles) but as to the Type I T-E 90, I've got one and I kept it and sold the latest, current Elmarit when I found a mint pre-APO 90 Summicron. When I travel with a full set of lenses I want them all to take 39mm filters, and the T-E does. I found the performance a lot closer to the current Elmarit than the "reviews" would suggest. Many if not most times these differences in Leica lens generations are way overblown in terms of practical effect on real photography. The T-E is more sensitive to stray light, but use of the deep 12575 hood eliminates it from all but those shots with the sun shining directly into the lens, and then no lens is completely free from the effects of that. Personally I would keep it and sell the Rokkor. You gain a stop and as you can see, the T-E is built like the proverbial brick outhouse. If you get any other 90, I strongly encourage you to check out the last type (55mm filter) non-APO Summicron. From 2.8 down it's tit-for-tat with the current Elmarit (and by extrapolation, within a gnat's whisker of the APO Summicron), plus you've got f/2 with just enough peripheral softness to enhance a portrait.

 

[raid]

Is the 35mm lens the one with goggles for the M3 or without goggles?

 

[sleepyhead]

no goggles, it's on my M4 - gotta run

 

[raid]

Then it is an excellent deal for what you paid for the two lenses.