Leica LTM Testing a Xenon....

[Vince Lupo]

Just got this lens back from the 'Wiz', Mr. Franklin Delano Marshman. It's a first-year (1936) Taylor-Hobson 5cm/1.5 Xenon lens that I got with some other camera equipment that I bought last year. Frank did his very best to clean it -- as you may be able to see from the colour shot, it has mucho front element cleaning marks.



The focus is silky-smooth, and the aperture works a treat. However, it is very low contrast. This shot is a JPEG straight from my Monochrom:



A bit of tweaking in Silver Efex gave us this:



I'll probably have a bit of fun with the lens, and then sell it on. I'll post any interesting photos that I make with it in the meantime.

 

[Ranchu]

It's groovy.

🙂

 

[Vince Lupo]

Yeah very, uh, groovy.

Here's another attempt this morning:



Bit of tweaking yielded this:

 

[raid]

Enjoy using this lens, Vince.
Groovy ...? Why not!

 

[Vince Lupo]

Oh sure I can do with a bit of grooviness every now and then.

Heck, it's Friday -- why not indeed!

 

[MCTuomey]

instant vintage! i like the look. i had a summarit 50/1.5 for awhile (successor to the xenon, i think). lovely glow-y thing esp for faces in hollywood-type light. good antidote to my usual practice of crushing the life out of anything close to black.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Yes makes me wonder why I spent all that money on a Noctilux 🙂

 

[Luddite Frank]

Kind of regretting I did not get one of the several that Ritz had when I bought my first Barnack from them, circa 2007.

Are you using a hood on this Vince ?

 

[Vince Lupo]

No, no hood. I currently don't have one, and I think that only the folding barn door Xenon hood fits or the XOONS Summarit hood would fit. Unless you know of a cheap alternative? I'm trying to keep the costs down on this lens, in case I do decide to sell it on.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Does it take threaded filters ?

I wonder if Heavystar has something, or perhaps a Tiffen series filter / hood combo ?

😕

 

[hipsterdufus]

Really like the flowers/stone path shot. They're so downtrodden looking. Or perhaps bowing/reverent? Either way, very dreamy. Cool stuff.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Does it take threaded filters ?

I wonder if Heavystar has something, or perhaps a Tiffen series filter / hood combo ?

😕

Series VI is too small, Series VII is too big. It's 41mm thread (I tried a 40.5mm hood, and it's too small). A 42-43mm clamp-on hood may possibly work.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Really like the flowers/stone path shot. They're so downtrodden looking. Or perhaps bowing/reverent? Either way, very dreamy. Cool stuff.

Amazing the stuff you find in your own backyard. I like the more contrasty of the two, but at least it seems that images with this lens are very malleable.

 

[Vince Lupo]

I've taken a chance on this hood: http://www.ebay.com/itm/311324235227?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I figure for $9.79 with shipping it's worth a shot.

 

[sanmich]

Just a shameless plug (mine is for sale in the classifieds)

I'm a bit surprised by the very low contrast on yours Vince. Although it is indeed low contrast, as long as you don't have a light source in the frame, you get a classic uncoated look.

BUT if you make the mistake to put the sun in your frame, or sometimes even just bright skies, be ready for the mothership of all flares.

 

[Luddite Frank]

I've taken a chance on this hood: http://www.ebay.com/itm/311324235227?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I figure for $9.79 with shipping it's worth a shot.

That Harrison shade should offer some flexibility, with those "fingers"... should at least work well enough for you to determine how much benefit a shade will offer. 😎

 

[Dralowid]

A hood makes a whole lot of difference on a Summarit...so I'd guess it will make even more of a difference on an Xenon.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I think that only the folding barn door Xenon hood fits or the XOONS Summarit hood would fit.

A hood that will fit is the FGHOO, the slip-on hood of the Hektor 73mm f/1.9. These are terrible pricey today, but if you happen to have one ...

Erik.

 

[Vince Lupo]

Just a shameless plug (mine is for sale in the classifieds)

I'm a bit surprised by the very low contrast on yours Vince. Although it is indeed low contrast, as long as you don't have a light source in the frame, you get a classic uncoated look.

BUT if you make the mistake to put the sun in your frame, or sometimes even just bright skies, be ready for the mothership of all flares.

The reason why mine is so low contrast is because of those heavy front element cleaning marks. Frank did his very best to clean the lens, but the front element is pretty well as it's going to be. I look on the bright side though -- no shortage of shadow detail!

Here's another pair of examples wide open (straight from the camera and 'tweaked'):

 

[Vince Lupo]

That Harrison shade should offer some flexibility, with those "fingers"... should at least work well enough for you to determine how much benefit a shade will offer. 😎

And plus this one has a 41mm thread, so if it doesn't work then the one with the 'fingers' should do the trick.