Industar LTM My Leica iiif; Elmar or mint Industar 50

[Frank Petronio]

I tried an inexpensive collapsible Industar while waiting for a reasonable Elmar to pop up. The Industar was fine for focus and image quality -- except for feel, they seem to be either too tight or too loose. And too shiny. The Elmar was just right. YMMV.

 

[literiter]

I tried my Industar 50. It isn't bad but not super great either. Like Frank says "they seem to be either too tight or too loose. And too shiny. "

All the Elmars I've seen so far are a little beat up and way too expensive for something at least 55 years old.

Has anyone tried the Voigtlander Color Skopar 50mm 2.5, and what do you think of it?

 

[p.giannakis]

There are four different kinds of Elmars in screw mount, that are presenting themselves:
1) Black scale Elmar
2) Red scale Elmar
3) Nickle Elmar
4) Aperture behind the lens, probably making it easier to adjust aperture, particularly with a hood. ( I like this one)

What are thoughts?

I've got an Elmar with my IIc. How do i know which one is it??

 

[literiter]

I've got an Elmar with my IIc. How do i know which one is it??

Black scale Elmar=distance scale black lettering f3.5
Red scale Elmar=distance scale red lettering f3.5
Nickle Elmar=Nickle plated, which is a slightly warm colored metal plating on lens. f3.5
Elmar f2.8 has a f stop scale behind the lens and is f2.8

(I think)

 

[p.giannakis]

Black scale Elmar=distance scale black lettering f3.5
Red scale Elmar=distance scale red lettering f3.5
Nickle Elmar=Nickle plated, which is a slightly warm colored metal plating on lens. f3.5
Elmar f2.8 has a f stop scale behind the lens and is f2.8

(I think)

Ok, i've got the black scale one.
Thanks for the info.

 

[literiter]

"I'm indulging myself with a bit of camera fondling.... the iiif is a little jewel of a thing."

The IIIa which should reach me any day now is a 2mm littler jewel of a thing. At this time I don't have a 50mm lens for it.

Do you have your iiia yet. Pics??

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The I-50, I-22, Elmar are very easy to clean and relube. Just remove the close-focus stop, unscrew the helical. Clean and relube. I used vacuum-pump grease on mine, like it well-damped. Lithium grease is cheap, and allows easier movement. 5 minute job, one screw holds it together.

 

[Bingley]

Has anyone tried the Voigtlander Color Skopar 50mm 2.5, and what do you think of it?

It's an excellent lens, and balances very well on a Barnack. I got one a couple of months ago, and have been enjoying using it on my IIIc, which is pocketable w/ the Skopar. Very different look to the photos, though, from what you'd get from an Elmar. The Skopar gives a high contrast, closer focus, very much a "modern" look. I think the Skopar is great w/ color film, but check out the bw images from Erik Van Straten with this lens, too. I've got both the Skopar and the Elmar, and like both, but for different reasons. There's a thread over on the Voigtlander forum devoted to images from the Skopar.

 

[Steve M.]

Like most things in photography, the answer is "it depends". Mostly on the condition of your lens. I had an Elmar 50 3.5 and it was a great lens w/ that classic Leica signature, but I also had a collapsible Russian 50 3.5 lens and it was noticeably sharper. Had a number of the Industar 61LD's and they were OK, but one particular one was nearly as good as a 50 Leica Summicron. The usual lens drill is to buy several lenses, test them all at once on a roll or two of film, and keep the best one and sell the others.

 

[typhillips]

Quite happy with my collapsible Industar once I disassembled it, lubed the focusing helicoid and adjusted the shims for proper focus on my IIIf. Easier than it sounds (I wouldn't dare work on a pricey lens).

Extremely compact and very sharp. For $40 (that includes shipping from Russia), I doubt you could possibly do any better.

 

[literiter]

Quite happy with my collapsible Industar once I disassembled it, lubed the focusing helicoid and adjusted the shims for proper focus on my IIIf. Easier than it sounds (I wouldn't dare work on a pricey lens).

Extremely compact and very sharp. For $40 (that includes shipping from Russia), I doubt you could possibly do any better.

My Industar 50 is fine. It even looks like it belongs on the camera but I do notice a softness to the focus that I do not see with the Summicron on my M4-P.

I managed to find a "mint" red dial Elmar which should be here in a week or so.

If this arrives OK it should end my quest for a lens...I hope! Next I gotta find a hood.

 

[hipsterdufus]

I have never had a Russian lens that focused properly on a non-Russian body. Perhaps it is possible, but it seems like a lot of hassle if you keep on getting bad ones. Just get something made for Leica and save yourself the time and the hassle. Of course, if you have more time than money, feel free to experiment with the Russian lenses. I would rather spend my time shooting than testing lenses.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I always shoot wide-open or close to wide-open. I notice that a lot of people who are happy with the Russian lenses shoot stopped down where focus problems aren't as much of an issue.

 

[literiter]

I have never had a Russian lens that focused properly on a non-Russian body. Perhaps it is possible, but it seems like a lot of hassle if you keep on getting bad ones. Just get something made for Leica and save yourself the time and the hassle. Of course, if you have more time than money, feel free to experiment with the Russian lenses. I would rather spend my time shooting than testing lenses.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I always shoot wide-open or close to wide-open. I notice that a lot of people who are happy with the Russian lenses shoot stopped down where focus problems aren't as much of an issue.

This is exactly where I'm at now.

 

[typhillips]

I have never had a Russian lens that focused properly on a non-Russian body. Perhaps it is possible, but it seems like a lot of hassle if you keep on getting bad ones. Just get something made for Leica and save yourself the time and the hassle. Of course, if you have more time than money, feel free to experiment with the Russian lenses. I would rather spend my time shooting than testing lenses.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I always shoot wide-open or close to wide-open. I notice that a lot of people who are happy with the Russian lenses shoot stopped down where focus problems aren't as much of an issue.

Well, a f/3.5 lens isn't really a fair test, you're right. There is enough DOF at 3.5 to make up for minor focusing errors. However, I also own a chrome Jupiter 8, which is an f/2 lens. After shimming it is a stellar performer, even wide open, at many distances. The key (I think I read this in one of Brian Sweeney's posts) is to shim it to focus correctly at 3m.



In the shot below I was focusing on the upper corner of the picnic table, which you can see is definitely in proper focus... and dig the sweet bokeh! 🙂


Admittedly, this is a small sample and may not apply to all FSU lenses. But often when I see people talk about "good" and "bad" Russian lenses, I wonder whether this is simply just a matter of proper adjustment. There is a lot of variance between lenses because they were individually adjusted at the factory to the body being paired with it, as I understand things.

If you don't like to tinker, then I would agree that you're definitely better off with a Leica, Canon, CV, etc. lens than a Russian one.

 

[jamesmck]

A 1963 Industar-50 collapsible will not screw in all the way on my Leica IIIc (whether extended or collapsed). There's about a mm space between the lens flange and camera body after it is as tight as I dare, and, of course, it will not focus properly. Nothing is bumping into anything on the outside. Any suggestions?
-- James --

 

[literiter]

I found my cheap Industar 50 to be quite a bargain. This was taken earlier this year.
Industar 50 Leica iiif.

 

[bigeye]

The truth is I'm indulging myself with a bit of camera fondling and would like to get the equipment to "look" right. It is a inconvenient camera to use with that squinty viewfinder and tricky loading system.

You're buying on price for something of the heart. I don't think a Zorki or Cosina lens will give you what you're looking for.

I doubt that you'll be disappointed with an Elmar's images and you will have a Leica with a Leitz lens, no 'buts' or 'ifs'. The old Leicas continually delight you with how well they work.

- Charlie

 

[David Hughes]

You're buying on price for something of the heart. I don't think a Zorki or Cosina lens will give you what you're looking for.

I doubt that you'll be disappointed with an Elmar's images and you will have a Leica with a Leitz lens, no 'buts' or 'ifs'. The old Leicas continually delight you with how well they work.

- Charlie

I can't argue with this, it's my opinion to a t but I'll add that - sooner or later - curiosity will get the better of you.

So aim in the long term for a 30's Leica body and lens and a 50's FED and lens; a Leica II and a FED 1f are a good pair. Then add the 40's version of the Leica (like a IIIc) and then a FED 2 with the Jupiter-8. Once you've that under your belt the bug will go away for a while...

Regards, David