Steinheil Orthostigmat-VL 35/4.5?

W

wlewisiii

Guest
I've noticed one of these available for $150 and am pondering if it's worth trying to raise the money for. I've exhausted my google-fu and found little out there on it.

I've got one of their 135/4.5 lenses and it's a classic middle of the road lens - I've used better and I've used worse. I have heard very good things about their 85 lens as well. But there just isn't any info on this 35/4.5 that I can find.

Anyone here ever use one?

William
 
A Google search for Steinheil Orthostigmat turns up the original Steinheil brochure and some nice examples of work with this lens. I had a Steinheil 135mm in LTM and it was ok, but I was not happy with the 135 on a rangefinder. I traded it for an 85mm Culminar and that is a great lens in my opinion. All I know about the 35mm is what I learned from the old Steinheil literature. Other than being slow, I would expect it to be a good lens.
 
Steinheil made a good product at a decent price. I have no examples of the 35mm to provide except those I found on the net. In my gallery, the two "Leica Flowers" shots were made with the 85mm on a Leica IIIf, while the biplane and the nosegear shots were made with another Steinheil 85mm on an Exa.

I wish you luck on the search for a good, reasonably priced, 35mm in LTM. If not the Steinheil, the next up the price chain would be one of the VC lenses.
Jim N.
 
That or else a Canon 35/2.8 which is a known good quality lens. The place I saw the 35/4.5 also has a 85/2.8... Maybe I can get a package deal? :D

William
 
Is this just LTM, or is it for the Visoflex?

Is this just LTM, or is it for the Visoflex?

The seller told me that VM means Visoflex Mount, but I don't know. (or is it VL for Visoflex Lens?) I haven't managed to get the front lens cap off of it, but I just saw a YouTube video about this lens, so I'll try it again. But as for the other side! I can try an adapter and see if I can get it to mount on a Leica M body. Thanks for your attention.
 
I used to have one, nice little lens. No it’s not Visoflex (I have no idea what the VL stands for - hmm Vince Lupo maybe???), it’s a regular rangefinder coupled LTM lens. It has a pretty short focus throw and has two focus tabs, and the knurled front ring rotates to set the aperture. With the matching viewfinder they’re actually pricey little items (I’ve seen the pair offered at about $500). I’d say if it’s in excellent shape, $150 for the lens is more than fair. Check those little lens elements carefully!


steinheil1 by Vince Lupo, on Flickr
 
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