Leica LTM Pre-war Leica glass, show your photos

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc grey, Elmar 50mm f/3.5 uncoated wartime, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc, Elmar 50mm f/3.5 uncoated wartime, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc, Elmar 50mm f/3.5 uncoated wartime, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[john neal]

1936 Summar on M Monochrom

 

[James1]

Last year, I took a chance on a job lot of "camera gear" on the big auction site, which included some Leica stuff. I got a Leica IIIb, 9cm Elmar and universal finder as well as a perfect Weston exposure meter and miscellaneous other photography things.

The gem was the Summar which was just about visible in the listing pictures; it turned out to be an early nickel black-nose version manufactured in 1933. The lens had been well used, and at some point had been coated, but the coating was in poor condition.

However, being coated seemed to have protected the glass from any massive damage, so I had the lens properly restored by Malcolm Taylor, which included removal of the coating to return it to original specification. It now has a nice patina of use, with perfect optics.

Initial photographs were taken on expired Orwo NP55 cine film using my 1935 IIIa body. Probably not the best film to use as a test, but already I can see that the sharpness and contrast are superb.

Taken with a Leica IIIa (1936) and uncoated Summar 5cm f2 (1933) on expired Orwo NP55 cine film processed in Orwo A49 (Agfa Atomal):

 

[bcli]

Awesome, James! Great story and great pics!

 

[Clark.EE]

Elmar 90 f4

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc, Summar 50mm f/2, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc, Summar 50mm f/2, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Dez]

Eric, I don't know why you bother specifying anything about the equipment you use for the pictures you post on RFF. I honestly believe you could come up with a beautiful image with a cardboard box, expired heat-damaged offbrand film, and a coke bottle bottom for a lens. It's a pity that the detailed specs I so often see with images from various photographers here don't specify the kind of eye that is needed to make a fine picture.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Erik van Straten]

Dez, I take that as a compliment. Thank you.

Erik.

 

[Dez]

It is certainly meant as one, Eric. You are a gifted photographer.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc, Summar 50mm f/2, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc, Summar 50mm f/2, Tmax400.

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

1937 90mm f/4.5 Elmar (coated),

Fomapan 100 Classic

Agfa Superpan 200

Agfa Superpan 200

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica IIIc, Elmar 35mm f/3.5 No.171617 @ f/3.5, Tmax400.

Erik.

From the same point of view with a 50mm Elmar.

 

[siracusa]

The images in this thread continue to astound me.

 

[fabiano75]

Leica III+Summitar+trix

Leica III+Elmar+adox100chs

 

[Greyscale]

1936 Elmar 5cm 3,5 Kentmere 100


IIIC-047 by Greyscale3, on Flickr


IIIC-050 by Greyscale3, on Flickr

 

[Uncle Fester]

This is a great thread. I'm really liking what I see here. All my Leica glass is postwar though, so I can't post in this thread. A friend recently bought a IIIF and a CLEAN 1936 Summar from Tamarkin. It's a great lens, sharp and much contrastier than I thought it would be.