Leica IIIf and a Wide angle lens?

[angeloks]

Hi,

I'm considering buying a Leica IIIf along with a 24-40mm range lens. I checked on cameraquest and I'm tempted by the following lenses : 28 1.9 or the 35 1.7.

You guys have any preferences between the 2? Any consideration using these lens on the IIIf body? What else could be a great lens choice for all around street photography?

I'm currently using a big 1V with a 50mm 1.4 along with a 17-40 has a general walk-around setup. I want something more suttle for street photography.

 

[ray_g]

Either will work, with an auxiliary VF. As you know, the IIIF is primarily for 50mm.

Those two lenses are excellent. You may want to check for yourself how they balance with the IIIF. The 28mm particularly, since it is rather large compared to the slender IIIF body.

 

[colyn]

I think a good wide angle lens to go with the IIIf would be a CV 21mm f/4.

I'm not overly fond of 28mm since it's never wide enough for what I want so I have ordered the 21mm

A 35mm would be a second choice..

 

[wlewisiii]

I think there are two very important questions to answer first - what Field of View do you need (ie just how wide do you really want to go?) and just how fast of a lens do you really need? You might find that, for example, a Jupiter 12 35/2.8 fits your needs. You might not, just as easily, but from what you have said thus far it's hard to be sure.

William

 

[angeloks]

Hum... 35mm is too wide for the viewfinder? That's a bit annoying... I also need fast glass, under f2 if possible. And what would be the widest lens I could use without and external VF?

 

[wlewisiii]

50mm.

ANY lens other than a 50 will need an accessory VF on a Leica III. Early Canon bottom loaders can use 100 & 135 lenses easily as well due to the variable magnification VF that they used.

The Barnacks were designed to be small cameras using what we now think of the normal lens and small film. The first accessory lenses were all _longer_. No one did wide angle in those days except for crazy journalists fitting 127mm lenses to thier 4x5 press cameras. But even then, that was more to have extra cropping room on the neg than anything else as that 127 just barely covers 4x5...

If you really want to do wide angles, the Barnack cameras are, simply, not a good choice. Sorry.

William

 

[colyn]

Hum... 35mm is too wide for the viewfinder? That's a bit annoying... I also need fast glass, under f2 if possible. And what would be the widest lens I could use without and external VF?

Well there's the 35mm f/2 Summicron screw mount lens but it will set you back a mint..but you still need a slip-on finder since the IIIf's viewfinder is for 50mm..

 

[Dingo]

I think a good wide angle lens to go with the IIIf would be a CV 21mm f/4.

I'm not overly fond of 28mm since it's never wide enough for what I want so I have ordered the 21mm

A 35mm would be a second choice..

You mean this ....

Personally I think the viewfinder is too big for the IIIf.

 

[colyn]

You mean this ....

Personally I think the viewfinder is too big for the IIIf.

It is a bit big but then I'll be using it mainly on my M Leicas.

 

[tedwhite]

When I got my first IIIf a few week ago, I didn't have a lens for it, so I took the cv 35/2.5 off my Voigtlander Bessa R and used it.

I realized I would get more in the neg than I could see with the tiny Leica viewfinder, so I sort of trained my eye for that, and it worked out just fine without a clip on viewfinder. Having said that, if you wanted to go wider, say down to a 28mm lens, you would be well advised to get the external VF.

For the second roll, I fitted the Canon 50/1.8. Obviously no problem there, and certainly not with the lens, which is a top performer.

Ted

 

[angeloks]

Thank you all for your inputs! I might then consider getting a 50mm lens on this beauty! What would be a wise choice? 50mm Nocton? I was considering the 50mm 2.5 Skopar with the square shade! I just looks awesome!

 

[OldNick]

I find that the IIIf works and looks fine with a Jupiter 12 35mm f/2.8 and an external CV finder. That is currently my favorite combination. See the following link: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/J-12withCVFinder.JPG.html

 

[ZivcoPhoto]

I like to keep the size of my IIIF small as the camera is rather small....so I use a 21mm F4 CV as well as 15mm CV and 35mm Nikkor. Yeah the viewfinder at first seemed imposing on the camera but I have gotten use to it. Even a collapsible Summicron seems to be overkill sometimes, size wise....I think the Nokton is a huge piece of glass for this little camera. The 50mm Elmar keeps it compact, even with a CV 50mm finder on it.

The smaller lenses make it a dream to carry and use at moments notice.

 

[Rob-F]

RE: The CV finder being too big for the LTM: I might suggest the CV 28/35 finder, which is very small. The lens choice would of course be either 28 or 35, or perhaps eventually both. You know I might just take my own advice and go that route. Lenses that interest me are the compact ones, in scale with the camera. The 28/3.5 VC Color Skopar, the 35/2.5 Color-Skopar, and the 35/3.5 Summaron all look attractive to me.

Best,

Rob

 

[tedwhite]

I vote for the cv 35/2.5 because it is very small and very good.

 

[oscroft]

I was considering the 50mm 2.5 Skopar with the square shade! I just looks awesome!

I've got the 50/2.5 Skopar (I don't have the hood yet, but I'll include one on my next CameraQuest order), and it's a great performer from what I've seen so far (I haven't had it long and have only shot one roll of film with it) - first impressions are that it's contrasty and similar to the 35/2.5 Skopar in character. I don't have a Barnack Leica to try it on (or any Leica, for that matter), but it looks and feels fine on my FED-1 (a Barnack copy). From what you say (you say you need something faster than f/2) I think your only problem might be its relatively slow f/2.5

 

[ERV]

I find that the IIIf works and looks fine with a Jupiter 12 35mm f/2.8 and an external CV finder. That is currently my favorite combination. See the following link: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/J-12withCVFinder.JPG.html

I agree- I have a IIc, Jupiter 12 and a nice Tewe multi-finder. The Finder is larger than a dedicated CV 35 metal finder, however it has settings for 35, 40, and 50mm framelines. The Jupiter 12 is a great lens.

 

[Solinar]

The Jupiter 12 is one of the best LTM bargains for shooting wide. The contrast is right for B/W. The look is vintage Zeiss, sharp center, less sharp towards the edges.

 

[aad]

50 Nokton really is better with an aux viewfinder, especially if you keep the hood. It blocks the view a bit.