Rounding the Bend - Leica IIIc + Elmar 5.0cm f/3.5

[Godfrey]

On my bicycle ride to Mountain View, I cross California Hwy 85 via a pedestrian bridge. I stopped for a moment to catch the highway traffic below, but found this view of the path/roadway to be more intriguing.

Rounding The Bend - Mountain View 2024
Leica IIIc + Elmar 5.0cm f/3.5
Ilford Delta 400 ​

The photo proved a trickier-than-usual exposure to render due to the bright sun on one side and the dark shade on the other, as well as the reflectivity of the concrete. I'm curious to try a similar photo again the next time I ride over the bridge with the M10 Monochrom, just to see how the monochrome digital sensor handles it compared to this relatively fast film.

G

 

[DownUnder]

For what has long been regarded as a 'basic' lens, the 50/3.5 Elmar can do wonderful things in the right hands.

I have one in my iiif kit, but a Summicron 50/2.0 lives on the camera. The 'cron has a unique 'character' and handles light in totally different ways from the Elmar. I really must put that 50/3.5 to more use, and learn how to handle it.

As I understand it, the trick with mixed lighting is to figure out the light when I'm shooting. And how to adjust the lens to keep the mid tones while covering the best of both the highlights and the shadows.

I often wish I could take my own advice on this, but having cut my teeth in the 1960s on B&W photography, I now work mostly in harsh Asian or Australian light, so I go for the highlights, and let the shadows take care of themselves.

When digital came along and I moved to Nikon Ds, I initially set my exposures to minus one third, but on reviewing my extensive archive of Asian images I now realise this was not really the best way to go about it.

Almost all my digital images can be salvaged, but ye gods! the post processing I have to do. (sighs)

The renowned Zone Gurus (St Ansel and his acolyte the great Minor) both had a lot to teach me about dealing with complex light, but I never seemed to learn.

An fine image here, Godfrey. An old Leica and a basic lens can produce masterful work in the right hands.

 

[Godfrey]

I have the Elmar 5.0cm f/3.5, an SMC-Pentax-L 43mm f/1.9, and the Voigtländer Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5 and 28mm f/3.5 in Leica Thread Mount (LTM). I've just the other day ordered a Voigtländer Color-Skopar 35mm f/2.5 as well. I will continue to keep the Pentax 43 on my M4-2 most of the time, it's a natural fit on that camera, and the Elmar 50 with the three Color-Skopars will be my IIIc kit.

The Elmar 50 is a kick because it collapses down so small and is so light for carrying, and it has a lovely rendering signature. I have the clip-on adapter for 39mm filters to use with it too. The Color-Skopar 50/2.5 I've compared against my recent series Summicron-M 50/2 and they produce remarkably similar rendering, both quite different from the Elmar.

All lovely lenses and the camera is delightful. I just processed my third roll of film through it, taken with the Color-Skopar 50 and 28 lenses, and (aside from my exposure mistakes) the negatives look fantastic. Scanning likely tomorrow... 🙂

G

 

[Richard G]

I've used my two 50 Elmars on my M Monochrom. DON'T have anything to drink. And take it off as soon as you finish with it. Fortunately my Monochrom is my only black M Leica. I have not made a mistake, but you would dent the innards or cause a paint chip or a scratch and it might affect images later if you confidently collapse the lens. I'm hoping it couldn't get as far as the shutter. My DR Summicron can't....

At base ISO the shadows are infinitely retrievable, almost. At ISO 320 I'd go for f5.6 1/1000s (or slower equivalents) in that light. With film, even Ektar 100, in the Australian summer, at the beach, tolerates 1/200s at f8. Black and white likely more forgiving. Monochrom definitely not.

Nice shot. And a pretty nice piece of cycling infrastructure there.

The background blur in the 50 Elmar collapsible shots on film I think is very beautiful. And the lens is sharp.

 

[newst]

I occasionally set out with my IIf and an Elmar trifecta, 35mm, 50mm, and 90mm. All are early, uncoated lenses. The results of these outings can be surprising. This is with the 35mm and LOMO 800.

 

[Godfrey]

Thank you for the compliments! 🙂

I noticed that when trying to fit the Elmar 5.0cm onto one of my M bodies, can't remember which one, the focusing lever ran into the frame line selector at near focus distances. Have any of you seen this with your equipment?

I processed the third roll I put through the IIIc yesterday, made mostly with the Color-Skopar 50/2.5 and a couple of frames with the Color-Skopar 28/3.5. The negatives look terrific (unless I botched the exposure... LOL!); these Color-Skopars perform really well on film, and it's evident now that the body/shutter/rangefinder is working well at all settings.

I'll scan the roll today and see if there's anything worth posting. 😉

G

 

[Richard G]

Thank you for the compliments! 🙂

I noticed that when trying to fit the Elmar 5.0cm onto one of my M bodies, can't remember which one, the focusing lever ran into the frame line selector at near focus distances. Have any of you seen this with your equipment?

I processed the third roll I put through the IIIc yesterday, made mostly with the Color-Skopar 50/2.5 and a couple of frames with the Color-Skopar 28/3.5. The negatives look terrific (unless I botched the exposure... LOL!); these Color-Skopars perform really well on film, and it's evident now that the body/shutter/rangefinder is working well at all settings.

I'll scan the roll today and see if there's anything worth posting. 😉

G

I seem to remember having to mount the lens not at infinity with my 11 o’clock Elmar on one of my Ms. Might have been the rewind lever of a digital, or the button of the M2.

 

[Godfrey]

I seem to remember having to mount the lens not at infinity with my 11 o’clock Elmar on one of my Ms. Might have been the rewind lever of a digital, or the button of the M2.

Thanks. I'll look and see again just what interference I ran into.

G