M6J Elmar and Elmar-M Difference?

[Hern]

I've been looking at the Elmar-M and the M6J's Elmar, and noticed that the M6J's Elmar retains almost everything of the ergonomics of the original 1960s Elmar, with the infinity lock/focus knob and the aperture ring raised ridges.

I assume it has the optics of the newer Elmar-M, but does anyone know if the slightly annoying rotating lens barrel is present on the M6J Elmar, or has that been rectified in this remake?

P.S where does one go to find an M6J Elmar without having to get the body as well? Been searching for ages.

 

[jaapv]

The Elmar-M is technically identical to the lens supplied with the M6J AFAIK The lens was originally conceived for the set, but was so good that it went into general production.

 

[ferider]

Attached what the OP refers to. Clearly different from my Elmar-M w/o infinity lock. Curious myself.

 

[jaapv]

The Elmar-M does not rotate.

 

[rodt16s]

Here's my M3 and M6J old and new Elmar
The new Elmar specific for the M6J has a tab but no lock
It's with Malcolm Taylor otherwise I'd take another pic

 

[Erik van Straten]

A wonderful lens, very sharp and with a fine tonality.

Leica M3, Elmar-M 50mm f/2.8, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[jaapv]

Attached what the OP refers to. Clearly different from my Elmar-M w/o infinity lock. Curious myself.

An Elmar-M has no infinity lock. That is the older Elmar (without M). The Elmar M is a reworked design of the Elmar. Different coatings, reworked design with the diaphragm moved, different mechanical design. First supplied with the M6J, later in general production with a slightly different barrel (straight) and no tab. A considerably better lens.

 

[rfaspen]

I think the OP wants to know if the front of the M6J-specific version of this lens has a rotating front; or is it a "parallel mount" where the front of the lens doesn't rotate. I'm curious too. I couldn't find the answer in my lit.

We already know the old, original Elmar 2.8 has a rotating front. The new Elmar-M 2.8 has a parallel mount (non-rotating front). But the M6J lens??

 

[ferider]

An Elmar-M has no infinity lock. That is the older Elmar (without M). The Elmar M is a reworked design of the Elmar. Different coatings, reworked design with the diaphragm moved, different mechanical design. First supplied with the M6J, later in general production with a slightly different barrel (straight) and no tab. A considerably better lens.

Sorry, Jaap, you're wrong. Look at the fonts. Maybe it's not a lock but a handle, but it's a modern Elmar-M that's clearly different from the "stand-alone" Elmar-M. This picture is from a chrome M6J kit.

There are several on ebay right now, each has the Elmar-M with infinity handle.:

322081261722
201560733504
201556298158

etc.

From 201556298158:

Roland.

 

[jaapv]

That was what I am saying - the same lens, but with no tab/handle and a straight mount.
From the image I thought it was the previous Elmar, but you may well be right that is the Elmar-M-J with the tab invisible.

 

[rodt16s]

M6J has a tab, but no lock.
The aperture ring is like the 50's but with the modern font
I doesn't rotate like the 50's.
You can realign the f numbers from TDC by rotating the destended barrel then after extended and locking they are around the side, caught me out for a while

 

[Ronald M]

Don`t know but my two Elmar M are gems. My mint original from 1950 is no slouch either

 

[jaapv]

M6J has a tab, but no lock.
The aperture ring is like the 50's but with the modern font
I doesn't rotate like the 50's.
You can realign the f numbers from TDC by rotating the destended barrel then after extended and locking they are around the side, caught me out for a while

That is correct; the locking bayonet of the barrel has three positions on the Elmar-M as well.

 

[jaapv]

Don`t know but my two Elmar M are gems. My mint original from 1950 is no slouch either

No surprise, the optical formula is very similar. The improvements come from new coatings and mostly from relocating the diaphragm.

 

[jonmanjiro]

No surprise, the optical formula is very similar. The improvements come from new coatings and mostly from relocating the diaphragm.

The front element in the optical formula of the Elmar-M is also a bit unusual as per the following:
(the article that Giullio is referring to below is here)

(Marco Cavina as an interesting article on leica M 50s and the elmar-m is included, the article also indicates the peculiarity of the front element (high refraction and reduced dispersion).

 

[Bob]

Thank You Jon,

What wonderful and interesting article by Marco Gavina.
GOOGLE translation works great.

How do you find these little morsels. Very interesting.

Bookmarked for sure !

Thanks 😀

 

[Hern]

Talk about very very interesting stuff. Now I'm really interested, too bad there aren't any floating around on the evilbay by themselves...