Skopar 21mm not coupling to rangefinder

[Gabriel M.A.]

I ordered a used 25mm Skopar Snapshot lens, and Googling around learned that there are TWO versions of that lens...a black one that is bayonet mounted and couples to the rangefinder function..and a silver one that requires a Leica M mount adapter, and also "comes with" a camera top viewfinder because the lens does NOT couple with the rangefinder function.

No, the fact that the LTM version comes bundled with a viewfinder has nothing to do with the fact that it's uncoupled. It was somewhat originally meant to be used with the Bessa L, which has no rangefinder and was heavily used with the noncoupled wide-angle lenses. The viewfinder was a "feature" of the lens purchase, if you will.

I'm also (and this is my semi-educated speculation) sure it made the lens cheaper to produce, allowing the inclusion of the viewfinder when you purchased it new.


If your 21mm LTM lens is not coupling, I'd look into the LTM-to-M adapter. Also, some people really like to bang those lenses around; they're used to banging around SLRs, and really don't care about how rough they handle their rangefinder cameras or lenses (promptly blaming the manufacturers for their carelessness).

 

[David67]

Thanks guys for all the advice.
I've decided to keep the lens and use zone-focusing.
Maybe one day I'll try to unscrew and rescrew the mount as described.