Leica LTM Leitz New York Wollensak Velostigmat 50mm/f3.5

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
Does this lens shoot any differently than a Leitz Elmar f3.5/50? ~ the samples are very nice, I was once told the lens formula's are the same as the Elmar?

I honestly can't see a difference, the whole "Wollensak" thing has always been about them being "rarer" collectables.......

Tom

ps: I wish I could "let loose" on Berlin with one of my IIIC K's and my M8 with a "wartime" Elmar f3.5/50 and a CZJ Sonnar T f1.5/50 respectfully 🙂
 
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hi Tom, i actually don't have any idea how en Elmar shoots... i would imagine that they are similar as you said. the only thing i can say with certainty about the difference between the two lenses is that the aperture knob on the Wollensak turns the opposite way than on an Elmar. and as for the "Wollensak thing" being just about its rarity and collectibility you would know better than me seeing as you have many war and post war fetish gears. 😀 respectfully 🙂
 
LChanyungco said:
hi Tom, i actually don't have any idea how en Elmar shoots... i would imagine that they are similar as you said. the only thing i can say with certainty about the difference between the two lenses is that the aperture knob on the Wollensak turns the opposite way than on an Elmar. and as for the "Wollensak thing" being just about its rarity and collectibility you would know better than me seeing as you have many war and post war fetish gears. 😀 respectfully 🙂
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Oh yes the Wollensak lenses are very collectable, I don't know the whole story behind them, as they are part of the postwar history of Leitz New York and I think that they all date from the 1946 to 1949 period, I must do some more research on LNY and their production and sales after WW2 🙂

Happy Shooting!!!!!

Tom
 
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Leica M3 / E.Leitz N.Y. Wollensak Velostigmat 50mm 3.5 / Rollei Retro 100
 
Tom,

regarding production years of the E. Leitz New York Wollensak Velostigmat, in this page on p.net I read:

... during the latter part of WWII (1944-45) and in the earlier postwar period, Leitz Wetzlar items were very difficult to come by. During this time, E. Leitz NY marketed several lenses that were engraced "E. Leitz New York", but the optics were manufactured by Wollensak, an American company. These items included a 50/3.5 Velostigmat, a 50/4.5 enlarging lens, a 50/2.8 (which was probably only a prototype, since I've only ever seen it pictured in Lager Vol. II), a 90/4.5 Velostigmat, and a 127/4.5 (which was alternatively called "Anastigmat", then "Raptar", then "Velostigmat": all the same lens made by Wollensak). These lenses turn up for sale by dealers or on eBay (the 50/3.5 is very scarce, the 90 and 127 are more common).
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This was a thread on p.net in 2003, in which even Al participated.

Apparently, these lenses were made stateside from 1944 onwards, only until Leitz were able and allowed to supply their own Elmar 50/3.5 lenses again.

I saw a mint example (even box included) sell on eBay for EUR 680 some time ago.
 
buzzardkid said:
Tom,

regarding production years of the E. Leitz New York Wollensak Velostigmat, in this page on p.net I read:

This was a thread on p.net in 2003, in which even Al participated.

Apparently, these lenses were made stateside from 1944 onwards, only until Leitz were able and allowed to supply their own Elmar 50/3.5 lenses again.

I saw a mint example (even box included) sell on eBay for EUR 680 some time ago.
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I think they were made from ca. 1944 to 1950 (sounds about right) while the Leica American Export just started getting good again in 1949/50 ~ and the Leica Photography magazine was published again.

While I don't have access to the 1946-49 Elmar production, I know just by collecting and research that the postwar demand of Wetzlar lenses, quickly exceeded the supply of lenses available (you don't see many 1946 to 50 Elmar 35's do you? ~ I know that most of the 1945/6 US Army issued 35mm's were from 1941 thru 1943 allotted numbers)

Needless to say the Wollensak lenses are collectable and worth $650+ depending on condition, I wonder, did Wollensak make a 35mm????
(I don't recall seeing one, just 50's, 90's and 127's)

Tom
 
LeicaTom said:
...

I wonder, did Wollensak make a 35mm????
(I don't recall seeing one, just 50's, 90's and 127's)

Tom
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Nope, just the 50, 90 and 127mm lenses. Nothing else. There are Ciro-flexes with 85/3.5 Velostigmat lenses, but it's merely a name Wollensak used for their top line lenses, the Anastigmat labelled lenses are the exact same lens optically.

The Wollensak Velostigmat 50/3.5 was also made for Detrola, Clarus and Perfex cameras, in the case of the latter it even was a Perfex Wollensak Velostigmat 50/2.8. That is the lens I hacked into a de-chromed Industar-22 mount and it is shown earlier in the thread.

I love my 'Hackensak' 50/2.8, it looks cool and focuses spot-on. Sharpness is there and bokeh is Summitar-like.
 
Oh, perform an international eBay search on 'Wollensak Leica', there's something nice to be seen there 😉

Also, Cambridgephoto are selling a Raptar 152/2.7 but I have never before heard of that and doubt it was intended for RF-coupled Leica shooting.

Any info on that 500 bucks 152mm lens welcome. Anyone?
 
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LeicaTom said:
Does this lens shoot any differently than a Leitz Elmar f3.5/50? ~ the samples are very nice, I was once told the lens formula's are the same as the Elmar?

I honestly can't see a difference, the whole "Wollensak" thing has always been about them being "rarer" collectables.......

Tom

ps: I wish I could "let loose" on Berlin with one of my IIIC K's and my M8 with a "wartime" Elmar f3.5/50 and a CZJ Sonnar T f1.5/50 respectfully 🙂
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Tom, I can definitely say that the Wollensak 50/3,5 LTM is more Tessar than Elmar by virtue of the placement of the diagphragm blades. The Wollensak 50/3,5 has the blades between the middle and last groups, unlike the Elmar 50/3,5 which had them after the first component.

I will also confirm xraa33's observation that it resembles the I-22. It does and does about the same thing in terms image quality.

I've disassembled and cleaned two of these Wollensak 50/3,5 already: mine and Lem's. Both lenses found in the Philippines.

The remaining question is, if these lenses, as per the only available reference is concerned, were made for the American market, is the anomalous existence of specimens with METRIC distance marks? America in the 1940s did not use the metric scale on everyday objects. Both Lem's and my Wollensak have metric distance scales.
 
thanks for chiming in Jay. yesterday i received an offer just shy of $900... i'm thinking about it but if i ever wanted one again i doubt that i could find one that i could afford. coincidentally there's a Wollensak Velostigmat 50mm 3.5 Detrola/Leica hack (looks like a Summar mount) on ebay for $650. i have no connection with the seller.
 
LChanyungco said:
thanks for chiming in Jay. yesterday i received an offer just shy of $900... i'm thinking about it but if i ever wanted one again i doubt that i could find one that i could afford. coincidentally there's a Wollensak Velostigmat 50mm 3.5 Detrola/Leica hack (looks like a Summar mount) on ebay for $650. i have no connection with the seller.
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Don't let that go Lem! That lens is an heritage item; it belonged to your grandfather once.

That hacked wollensak + summar mount is really crazy. For tenth of the price, one can get a decent Industar 22, properly mounted and doesn't look as funky, and get just about anything which a Wollensak 50/3,5 can do.
 
since my life has been mobile for the past 5+ years i have become a minimalist. and if i kept all the gear he had i would be up to my neck with gear i would never use. the one item of his that i know he really cherished was his brand new 1956 M3. he referred to it as his "over my dead body" camera. very similar to how my own father refers to his favorite car and how i refer to a cheeseburger and a beer :angel:

we'll see... i probably won't sell the Wollensak, but things are just things and selling camera equipment doesn't diminish the memory and respect for a loved one 🙂


ZorkiKat said:
Don't let that go Lem! That lens is an heritage item; it belonged to your grandfather once.
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