waiting for leica iiif to arrive- voigtlander 50 or elmar 50?

[Gary Sandhu]

I was confused enough by my GAS and resultant digital Nikons, M cameras, "posh" compacts and too many lenses in the same focal lengths and then I go off and buy a iiif and can't wait for it to get here. I'm planning on using it with a viewfiinder and 28 and 21 voigtlander screw mounts and my georgeous LTM summicron-35 ASLH (!) but find myself now thinking about an elmar 50, or how about the voigtlander 50? Ugh! Thoughts? (about the 50's, not about my GAS problems).

 

[aad]

Elmar-it makes the camera. Nothing is as compact. I have a 50 Nokton, almost never use it.

 

[BillP]

Gary, I have the Elmar and the Skopar, and I use them on my IIIc and IID.

The Elmar is slower, of course (3.5 plays 2.5) but that is not a big issue unless you plan to do a lot of low-light work, which, of course, neither is suited for anyway.

In usability terms, the Skopar has the edge. It is a modern design, with a 39mm filter thread and a small focussing tab that sits at 6 o'clock when the lens is focussed to five feet. It also comes with a small hood (remove to mount your filter, then replace). The aperture ring is in the usual place, and stops down to f22. The Elmar's aperture tab is on the front of the lens; perfectly usable, but a pain with filters. I have a yellow push-on filter for the Elmar, but it gets less use for just that reason.

The Skopar has a reputation for being soft, but in my experience that is rubbish. The Elmar delivers higher contrast, but both are fine performers.

The Elmar wins over the Skopar in two key areas; firstly it collapses. The Skopar is no fatso, but it protrudes noticably. You can stick your LTM in a pocket with it fitted, but it has to be in a big pocket. The Elmar makes any LTM into a truly pocketable camera.

Finally, of course, the Elmar is THE classic LTM lens. If you do not have it, you will always regret it.

Conclusion? Get both! 😀

Regards,

Bill

 

[Solinar]

If you are going to get both, then get the Elmar 50/3.5 and a collapsible 50/2 Summicron or Summitar. The latter two will make for a very posh compact. The classic Elmar fits IIIf perfectly with no intrusion into the viewfinder.

 

[richard_l]

The Elmar 5cm f/3.5 is perfect for the IIIf.

Richard

 

[FrankS]

50 Elmar is the ideal compact folding vintage lens for a Barnack, CV50f2.5 is the ideal compact modern lens for a Barnack. An FSU FED50, I-22, or col. I-50 are value leaders.

 

[Joe Vitessa]

I vote for the Summitar! Looks great on a IIIf, opens up to f2 and gives wonderful results.

 

[nrb]

The Elmar 50/2.8 is perfect for the iiic. If you need speed you can opt for the Summarit 50/1.5, the ancestor of the Summilux. Both are cheaper second hand than the Skopar.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Be advised that if you go for the vintage Leitz lens, pre-war examples were not coated, and may have internal haze and / or scratches & cleaning marks.

So, you might need to budget $100 for a lens CLA...

I agree that the Elmar 50 is THE definitive lens for a Barnack camera... so good that Leitz still makes it (?)...

That said, my Elmar is a 1932 nickel, uncoated, and I hardly use it at all...

My "user" 50 is a 1950's collapsible Summicron, on a 1934 Leica III.

The nice thing about the CV lenses are the modern lens formulations & coatings; you won't be fighting/paying to find decent Leitz glass...

Luddite Frank

 

[Gary Sandhu]

anybody have a picture of a iii with a 50/2.5 color skopar mounted? Is it smaller profile than an M6 with a 28/3.5 voigtlander?

 

[BillP]

anybody have a picture of a iii with a 50/2.5 color skopar mounted? Is it smaller profile than an M6 with a 28/3.5 voigtlander?

The lens is bigger than the 28, but the body is appreciably smaller than the M6. This is my IID with the 50 Skopar mounted. It is very slightly smaller than your IIIf.

Hope this helps,

Bill

 

[Gary Sandhu]

Bill, thanks!

 

[Gary Sandhu]

so, which elmar then? I've checked on ebay. Here's one here:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=6246&cat=10

Which serial number/year/type should I get for best quality? (anybody have a moder LTM 50mm??)

 

[Gary Sandhu]

i bought this:
370021032688 from ebay

a new version 50 summicron in ltm.
I'll add an old collapsible elmar 3.5.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

I have two IIIf's. One has the 3.5/50 Elmar and the other the 2.0/50 Summitar. Both are nice lenses - one is just faster, fatter and heavier than the other, but it looks great!
The Elmar makes a very pocketable camera when collapsed. The Summitar also collapses but not nearly as much and isn't very pocketable - I carry it in a bum bag (I think the Americans call it a fanny pack) slung over my shoulder by the strap or around my waist, depending on circumstances.
Both lenses have a filter problem. An earlier writer mentioned the issue with the Elmar. The Summitar requires hard-to-get tapered thread filters and the lens hood designs for it are atrocious - you're better off accepting some flare than trying to wrestle with the recommended lens hood. You will see filters for the Elmar on EBay from time to time but the Summitar filters are scarce.

 

[Ronald M]

3.5 elmar red scale makes it the most compact. A 50 2.8 elmar is a decent lens. Summitars are fine if you can put up with the filters a shades.

2.5 Skopar is a nice little lens. Take off the shade and it is small enough. Since you are already working with CV lenses, maybe this is the way to go.