uncoated 35mm lens?

D

daniel buck

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So I love shooting with uncoated lenses for large format, I like the "glow" they give in highlights and the contaminated dark shadows.

Any suggestions for a (inexpensive) wide-ish lens that isn't coated? Will be used on an M9, if that matters. I'd love to find something in the 35mm range. Doesn't have to be super sharp, but I'd like to to be decently sharp. M39 mount would be fine, I think I've got more chances of finding something in a M39 mount?

Any suggestions?
 
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Daniel,

Buy a cheap 35mm ltm lens and remove coating from front lens element. Use white vinegar or half and half hydrogen peroxide and amonia.

Regards,
Robert

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Look for an older 3.5cm F3.5 Elmar.

Not too many uncoated 35mm lenses. The pre-war Zeiss Biogon for Pre-War Contax mount cameras.
 
Thanks for the tips :)

Robert, are there only coatings on the front of the lens? I thought there were usually coatings on the inside glass surfaces too?
 
Hi,

All lens surfaces are coated, but the front coating is responsible for most light transmission + flare resistance.

Regards,
Robert

daniel buck said:
Thanks for the tips :)

Robert, are there only coatings on the front of the lens? I thought there were usually coatings on the inside glass surfaces too?
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Each air/glass surface on an uncoated lens reflects ~4%. A coated lens reduces this to ~1%. Depending on the lens, the coating may or may not be easy to remove with a simple solution. The older Leica lenses have a softer coating, and inner surfaces often have a softer coating. But- most lenses made after 1950 are hard coated, Leica lenses after ~1960 are hard coated.
 
rlouzan said:
Daniel,

Buy a cheap 35mm ltm lens and remove coating from front lens element. Use white vinegar or half and half hydrogen peroxide and amonia.

Regards,
Robert
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Scary! I use vinegar for all my de-fungussing, and I've done a LOT of de-fungussing. I've never known it destroy a coating!
 
It might take off a damaged inner coating. I had to remove the oil damaged coating from the surface behind the aperture blades on a 1939 Sonnar "T". Much better without the coating than with it. The solution would not affect the front element, which is hard coated.
 
Bear in mind that with 10x8 inch, if the 'glow' extends 2.5mm from the highlight, it's around 2% of the linear measure of the neg. With 35mm it's pushing 10%. The effects are not always the same (and I have both coated and uncoated lenses for 35mm and 10x8 inch).

Also, most uncoated 35mm lenses are elderly, primitive, sometimes overstretched designs.

Cheers,

R.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Bear in mind that with 10x8 inch, if the 'glow' extends 2.5mm from the highlight, it's around 2% of the linear measure of the neg. With 35mm it's pushing 10%. The effects are not always the same (and I have both coated and uncoated lenses for 35mm and 10x8 inch).
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you may have a good point there Roger. I don't expect the same results from a 35mm versus 8x10 uncoated shooting, but I'd like to get a similar feel, the lower contrast and glowy feel to bright areas.
 
I did pick up a cheap Summerit 50/1.5, this will probably satisfy my yearning for a glowy lens, and also satisfy my occasional yearning for some swirly photos :) It's quite glowy, I think this will do quite nicely for black and white! A little strong for color I think though (the lens was listed as "ugly" condition, just how I like my fuzzy lenses!) I do think I'll look into a slightly wider lens that will have glowing highlights, a 35/3.5 Elmar that is mentioned several times here. Thanks yall!
 
The Elmar 35/3.5 is the only Leitz 35mm lens available without coating.

For 50mm I would take an uncoated Summar 50/2.0
 
I just purchased an old silver Leica M mount 50mm f/1.5 Summarit and if it was ever coated there is none that I can detect now. I have not processed my films from it yet. There are sites on the net which have shots taken with this old lens.

I think there are some Summarits for sale on B&H or Adorama.
 
Haigh said:
I just purchased an old silver Leica M mount 50mm f/1.5 Summarit and if it was ever coated there is none that I can detect now. I have not processed my films from it yet. There are sites on the net which have shots taken with this old lens.

I think there are some Summarits for sale on B&H or Adorama.
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I did pick one up, and like you I can't really tell if there is a coating on there or not. it was labled as "ugly" condition, but that's how I like my fuzzy lenses :D
 
I like the results with the 50/1.5 Summarit, but Roger was correct, the glows are not as consentrated near the highlights as they are on large format. This is ok, I still like the look :) Now I've got to get something wider. I'm thinking that 35mm may not be wide enough, any suggestions for an uncoated (or otherwise "fuzzy" lens like this one) in maybe a 28mm?


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Not exactly what you are looking for, but have you thought about the Voigtlander Single Coated lenses?
 
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