Leica LTM Show off your Leica I/II/III/LTM Camera

[Erik van Straten]

Thank you Jon, for this information. They dropped the red "C" on the rangefinder lenses for Nikon and Contax too. It is about time for a book on Nikon LTM I think. I guess the black is a kind of chemical blackening. The f/stop rings were by this time aluminium. Is the cut time-wise with the move from brass to aluminium?

A fool can ask more than twelve sages can answer.

Erik.

 

[johannielscom]

Erik,

the Nikkor 35mm 2.5 with black aperture scale that I own most certainly is brass with chrome, it is very heavy.
The aperture ring, I'm not so sure. It might be chemically blackened alloy, but it sure looks like paint to me. Jon will likely be able to say for sure.

Engravings are very precise on both the chrome and black parts of the lens (and on the beauty ring) and so are the paint fillings.

I prefer the lens with the black aperture ring since the numbers are so much easier to read.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Yes Johan, your lens is very attractive, somehow it looks better than the all-chrome version (wich is in itself very nice too). I have the Nikon-rangefinder version (heavy chrome) of the lens. I like it optically more than the f/1.8 version.


Erik.

 

[presspass]

I have been looking for a dedicated finder for my IIIa/35 Elmar. The CV minifinder seems about the right size but I am concerned about eye relief and scratching my glasses. Anyone who wears glasses shoot with this finder? Thanks.

 

[splitimageview]

The minifinder is excellent but no longer made and not easy to find. When it is found, it's not cheap. 🙁

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I wear glasses & use the minifinder. It is really nice,though it is my normal finder on the iii, I also have a SBLOO & use it if I need a bigger view closer to the frame edges....it's just a little easier than the mini. The mini is lovely & I like it a lot. I think it suits the camera but there are also quite a few other options if your looking for 'just a finder.' The 35 is my go-to lens so I'm happy to have several finders. I use the SBLOO on my M4 for quick shooting as well.

 

[Artingei]

Nice screw mount Summaron 35/2.8. Is that the version that focuses to 0.7m?
VC minifinder might be good for that setup!

Thank you. I will have to send this Summaron back because the aperture dial is "decentered", it's about 10-20 degrees off and I don't think that this is normal. I didn't recognized this on the pictures in da bay. 🙁

Furthermore in my opinion the II gets a little bit too heavy and big towards the front with the Summaron, but that's no showstopper. I just ordered a Nickel Elmar. For 35mm I will use my Jupiter-12 until I find a decent Summaron 3.5f or maybe 2.8f (I really like its rendering, though!).

I will have a look on the VC finder, thanks for the recommendation.

Ahhh, one more thing: There was a Summaron LTM-Version that focuses down to .7m? 1m is really annoying with a 35mm lens, for 50mm it's okay.
EDIT: Do you talk about the Dual Mount Summaron, this one? http://www.leicashop.com/vintage_de...-summaron-2-8-35mm-dual-mount-sku31148-3.html THis focuses down to .7m but does the Leica II? 🙂

 

[Erik van Straten]

Yes, I have the dual mount. Focuses to .7m. This lens is also lighter I guess, I have no problems with the weight, it weights only 114 grams (without bayonet adapter). The nickel Elmar f/3.5 weights 107 grams and the LTM Summaron f/3.5 (first version) 145 grams.

However: the dual mount Summaron has a big red dot. Quite ugly on a black and nickel Leica II.

My Leica II (post war conversion) focuses to .8m. My prewar II too.

Erik.

 

[Artingei]

Yes, I have the dual mount. This lens is also lighter I guess, I have no problems with the weight, it weights only 114 grams (without bayonet adapter). The nickel Elmar weights 107 grams and the LTM Summaron f/3.5 (first version) 145 grams.

Erik.

The 3.5 Summaron is heavier than the 2.8? Okay, I will look for a decent dual mount version. Thanks, Erik!

 

[Erik van Straten]

The 3.5 Summaron is heavier than the 2.8? Okay, I will look for a decent dual mount version. Thanks, Erik!

Yes, The Summaron is chrome on brass, the dual mount Summaron aluminium.

Erik.

 

[splitimageview]

The Nikkors are great (got my 2.5 from jonmanjiro)

I did a side by side with a Summaron 2.8 and found little difference. The dual mount Summaron will focus to 0.7m but not on barnacks

 

[rallodi]

My Leica iiif

My Leica iiif

Hello,

Here is my Leica iiif:

Wista Field 4x5 - Nikkor 210 5.6

Measured 4sec @ f11
Bellows extension 35cm + Reciprocity = 29 sec

Xtol 1+1 20 degC in Jobo at minimum speed
Expert 3006
7,5 min

 

[Artingei]

The Nikkors are great (got my 2.5 from jonmanjiro)

I did a side by side with a Summaron 2.8 and found little difference. The dual mount Summaron will focus to 0.7m but not on barnacks

Ah okay, thanks. Thats what I suspected.

 

[d.dulin]

Recently joined in on the LTM fun with this pretty great condition Leica iid from 1932 with nickle dials (thanks Erik). When it showed up it was in such good shape that I was a bit paranoid that it may actually be a fake. Everything seems to be moving and working smoothly with it, seems like its been opened before by the tooling marks on the screws in the lens mount, is there any reason i should get it serviced before using or just go ahead and enjoy my working camera?

 

[Erik van Straten]

Recently joined in on the LTM fun with this pretty great condition Leica iid from 1932 with chrome dials.

Indeed a great looking camera. The dials however are nickel, not chrome. The serial number is great. Did you try the camera? Somehow Leica II's are often found in good condition.

The lens is great too! Relatively new. One of the best lenses for this camera.

Put a film in the camera to see if everything works as it should.

Erik.

 

[Artingei]

Recently joined in on the LTM fun with this pretty great condition Leica iid from 1932 with chrome dials. When it showed up it was in such good shape that I was a bit paranoid that it may actually be a fake. Everything seems to be moving and working smoothly with it, seems like its been opened before by the tooling marks on the screws in the lens mount, is there any reason i should get it serviced before using or just go ahead and enjoy my working camera?

Nice camera and really nice serial 😱

As Erik said, Just put a film through it to test it.

 

[Dralowid]

Somehow Leica II's are often found in good condition.

Erik.

This is very true and quite odd. Leica II's and IIf's can be found looking almost unused. Once could advance plenty of theories as to why this happens but they would all be conjecture...

Having said that, the fact they look so good means nothing when it comes function.


Michael

 

[d.dulin]

Erik,

While I do agree that this is a fantastic lens in general and extremely fitting for this camera I do wish to find an Elmar 50 with the f22 aperture scale to make this a nice compact carry package. (I also impulse purchased a NOOKY that I now “need” a lens for) What would be a good price for that model of Elmar?

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I bought a "near-red-scale" Elmar w/f22 for US$230 in 2016 in excellent condition.

 

[Erik van Straten]

An LTM Elmar with f/22 is the latest model, formerly known as the "red scale" Elmar. I don't know the price of these, take a look on eBay for how much they go. Watch out, because there are lots of red scale Elmars out there that are only converted old ones.

Personally I would look for a nickel Elmar in a very good condition. Together with the Color Skopar you'll then have the best of two worlds for your black and nickel Leica II. But that's me, not you.

Erik.