Leica LTM Leica 5cm Lenses: Which would you recommend?

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses

Leica 5cm Lenses: Which would you recommend?

  • Elmar 5cm 3.5

    Votes: 122 32.1%

  • Summar

    Votes: 65 17.1%

  • Summarit

    Votes: 68 17.9%

  • Summitar

    Votes: 120 31.6%

  • Collapsible Summicron

    Votes: 100 26.3%

  • Rigid Summicron

    Votes: 88 23.2%

  • Summicron DR

    Votes: 80 21.1%

  • Other [old] Leica 5cm lens

    Votes: 54 14.2%
  • Total voters
    380
  • Poll closed .
raid said:
Hi Dennis,
The older the lens is, the more likely it is of lower contrast.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's right. The reason I said that is I remember a photo taken with the hektor; the gold fish in the pond really popped out. Thinking it twice, maybe I was deceived by the overall flatness of the pond.
 
I have found one Summarit for $250 and one for $300. I am now asking about the condition of the lenses.
 
$300 is a deal on a Summarit if it`s clean and scratch free, (which is almost impossible)

I`ve seen "MINTY" LTM one`s sell for $450/$500 before, so it`s all about condition with these....and the 1949 and 1952 versions with "Taylor & Hobson" are $500+ just for the engraving! :eek:

Tom
 
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Hi Tom,
I have some pics of the lenses. Could you pm me your email address again?

Thanks.
 
John,
Your images look great. The Elmar 3.5 did a superb job [with your work!] in the high contrast situations. It makes sense why so many photographers still dig this lens.

It could be that I included the 3.5 Elmar in my earlier 50mm lens comparisons, but at that time no 2.8 Elmar was included since I did not own one and nobody sent me one.
 
raid said:
Thanks, Dennis. This is then a low production lens. I wonder who owns one here.
Click to expand...

Hi Raid, here's a random snapshot from this years easter egg hunt with a Hektor. I thought it might give you an idea of how it handles a high contrast situation. Delta 100.

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MikeL said:
Hi Raid, here's a random snapshot from this years easter egg hunt with a Hektor. I thought it might give you an idea of how it handles a high contrast situation. Delta 100.
Click to expand...

Hi Mike,
Is the Hektor similar to a 3.5 Elmar in such high contrast situations or does it give less contrast and sharpness?
 
This is an image taken with the 3.5 Elmar [end of roll] at 4.0:
50mmElmar35.jpg


This is a similar image taken with the rigid 5cm 3.5 Industrar at 4.0:

50mmIndustrar35.jpg


This image was taken with the 2.8 Elmar:

460483-R1-13-12-1.jpg
 
raid said:
Hi Mike,
Is the Hektor similar to a 3.5 Elmar in such high contrast situations or does it give less contrast and sharpness?
Click to expand...

Hi Raid,
Unfortunately I've never used a 3.5 Elmar. My Hektor has slightly less contrast than my uncoated Summar, but I'm not sure I'd be able to tell unless on the same roll, same scene, same process, etc. It has a bit of bloom on the front element that I've never cleaned, so that might influence the contrast a bit.
As for sharpness, I've read that sample variation can be high on the Hektor. Mine's plenty sharp for me, and I used it wide open on an M8 and was impressed at how sharp a 1930 lens could be at f2.5. My criteria might differ from others, of course.
 
Thanks Raid - so the the f2.8 is a tad more crisp f4-5.6?

Hello Mike;

Your image of the children makes a great case for old glass and modern film. I'll try to resist the urge to look for a Hektor.

yours
FPJ
 
The combination of old lens with modern film can be excellent indeed. I like Reala 100 for color film with vintage oprtics, but I am currently using Kodac 100UC that I got from Frank Petronia.

The 2.8 Elmar is sharper at smaller apertures than the 3.5 Elmar,and of course, it has higher contrast. It is also easier to change aperture on the 2.8 model.
 
MikeL said:
Hi Raid,
Unfortunately I've never used a 3.5 Elmar. My Hektor has slightly less contrast than my uncoated Summar, but I'm not sure I'd be able to tell unless on the same roll, same scene, same process, etc. It has a bit of bloom on the front element that I've never cleaned, so that might influence the contrast a bit.
As for sharpness, I've read that sample variation can be high on the Hektor. Mine's plenty sharp for me, and I used it wide open on an M8 and was impressed at how sharp a 1930 lens could be at f2.5. My criteria might differ from others, of course.
Click to expand...

Just got the prints shot by Elmar and Hektor (both uncoated), same scene, same roll of 400UC and both shot at f/4. Hektor has lower contrast than Elmar but at the same time Elmar is a tad sharper, particularly at the corners. I guess this is kind of expected but won't hurt to say again.
 
FPjohn said:
Does anyone have a direct comparison of the f2.8 vs f3.5 Elmar*?
Here is my example of what the f3.5 can do in a high contrast situation.
http://not.contaxg.com/document.php?id=12468
yours
FPJ

* Yes, i'll check flickr.
Click to expand...

I can't do a direct comparison (which would require the same scene), but these may give you some idea...

Elmar 50/2.8 LTM at f.11:

3601347198_a93dc564c5_o.jpg


Same lens, f.4:

3600534631_729602ef04_o.jpg


Elmar 50/3.5 coated, at f.11:

3512379176_713337ef72_o.jpg


Same lens, at f.4:

2302980809_895892017f_o.jpg
 
Well, it`s NOT a LTM lens, but a 1992 Rigid Summicron f2/50 that I shot these with last weekend........

Sally_Bride_2.jpg



Sally_Bride_11.jpg


A Crossprocessed Fujichrome 100 shot with my 1987 Leica M6, this time working with a new Florida retro model the lovely
Miss Sally Blake :) *Shot somewhere around f4 or f5.6*

Enjoy!

Tom
 
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Tom,

The rigid Summicron does well here.
I am not a fan of cross processing, but I am sure that many people love it!
 
Great thread, Raid !

Upon the advice of my photographer / collector mentor, my first LTM body & lens were a III-f and collapsible Summicron ( # 1,191,xxx ).

Soon after, I acquired a 1932 Leica D , with nickel Elmar, "11 o' clock Inf lock", # 99,xxx.

Last year I picked-up three Summars: 369,xxx (coated?); 228,xxx; and 312,xxx (with Leica III/ F, # 117,xxx).

These are the limit of my Leitz 5cm lenses...

I usually have the 'Cron on my "beater" III (1934); last month I was on a kick to shoot only black Leica with 1930's uncoated lenses, so my least-scratched Summar was pressed into service (not sure which # that would be as I type).

I also shot a roll with my 1932 D / nickel Elmar at a pre-1916 car-show in SE Pennsylvania.

I have been confining myself to Fujicolor 200 for consistency.

I noticed the nickel Elmar shots are all quite sharp, but "lacking in contrast"... it was a cloudy day, threatening rain. There also seemed to be some "haze" in the center of several shots, so there may be an issue with lubricant deposit on the interior surfaces.

The Summar offers a bit more contrast, but there are issues with flare, so a hood is a "must"... I use Summicron Barn-doors on an A-36 to E-39 filter adapter ring. I like the bokeh produced by the Summar.

I would like to get a nice Summitar, as well as a Sumamrit or a Xenon
(or both :D).


I would also like to get a 2,5 Hektor 5cm to go on the D... but they don't turn-up too often.

The f/ 2.5 Hektor is described in the 1933 Leitz catalogue as "Universal lens of specially large aperture." :rolleyes:

The same catalogue says this about the f/ 2 Summar: "Ultra-rapid lens, for all branches of amateur photography and exposures by artifical light."
Apparently there was a also non-collapsible Summar early-on.

By the time of the 1936 catalogue, the only 5 cm lenses available were the 3,5 Elmar and the collapsible Summar (available in nickel or Chrome).

I would imagine there were / are un-coupled versions of the 2,5 Hektor...


Has anyone found that slower or faster film speeds work best with un-coated lenses ? ( I have tried shooting Fuji color 400 or 800 with the uncoated lenses, and any gains from the additional speed seems to be countered by more grain than I would like ....)

Luddite Frank
 
Hello Luddite,
Thanks for the information on your Leica 5cm experience.
I prefer not to challenge uncoated lenses too much; I use slow film with such lenses. Try Reala 100 with a Summar.
 
raid said:
Hello Luddite,
Thanks for the information on your Leica 5cm experience.
I prefer not to challenge uncoated lenses too much; I use slow film with such lenses. Try Reala 100 with a Summar.
Click to expand...


Raid,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will probably have to get the Reala mail-order.

Any suggestions where to look for it ?


Slightly OT, in addition to the LTM kit that I drag around every day, today I took along a Kodak Retina I (uncoated 3,5 Ektar), loaded with Plus-X 125...

I have not shot any B&W for nearly 30 years, and figure it's worth a try...:cool:


Regards,

LF
 
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Luddite Frank said:
Raid,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will probably have to get the Reala mail-order.

Any suggestions where to look for it ?


Slightly OT, in addition to the LTM kit that I drag around every day, today I took along a Kodak Retina I (uncoated Tessar), loaded with Plus-X 125...

I have not shot any B&W for nearly 30 years, and figure it's worth a try...:cool:


Regards,

LF
Click to expand...


Luddite,
I buy all my film with mail order.
Try freestyle photography or B&H for reasonable prices.
You also can get good deals on ebay. Shipping cost is always the catch if you want only 1-2 rolls.
 
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