OK, here is my Leica IIIC lens question

[clicker]

I recently listed a Leica IIIC w/ Elmar 35mm 3.5 on the classified section of the forum and had no takers. So now I am going to keep the camera but I am not sure about the lens.I am asking members to give me their opinions
on the ideal 35mm or 50mm lens to mate with my C. Also what would be a fair price for a clean 35mm elmar 3.5 uncoated.
Thanks

 

[John Shriver]

The Elmar's price/performance ratio is a lot lower than the Summaron 35/3.5. Pricing is more collector-driven on the Elmar. But the Elmar is not as likely to have nasty internal haze as the Summaron.

It's not super sharp in the corners, and has field curvature at wide apertures (the plane of focus is dish-shaped, not flat).

 

[Luddite Frank]

I paid about $100 for a reasonably clean 1941 Elmar 35 on eBay about three years ago.

It has become my primary lens on my user Leica III.... not necessarily because it's "the best lens ever", but msotly because 35mm seems to suit my needs best, and I seem to get sharper images with the 35 Elmar than I do with my Canon 35/1.8...

If it's a nickel Elmar 35, it will definitely have collector appeal.

It was "good enough" for Leica for them to make it for some twenty years: 1930-1950, according to Hove...

 

[Luddite Frank]

As for which 50mm lens is "best" for your IIIc, if you want "classic" Leica results, you can't go wrong with either a 3.5 Elmar or a 2.0 Summitar...

 

[Bingley]

As for which 50mm lens is "best" for your IIIc, if you want "classic" Leica results, you can't go wrong with either a 3.5 Elmar or a 2.0 Summitar...

+1. And if you want a more modern look, I'd recommend the CV Skopar 50/2.5. It's actually smaller than a Summitar extended.