Long Elmar
Long Elmar
This is a fascinating controversy. I wonder why I don't see any reference to a difference like that in my Lager book?
I seem to have ended up with a bunch of Elmar 50's for one reason or other, so I checked them with a caliper. I didn't make a huge effort to be precise, but just did a comparison. The measurement is of the length of the lens barrel when it is partially collapsed, so the focus mount is not a factor. I measured from the rear of the barrel mount flange to the front rim.
- Original nickel 11:00 standardized version, with no serial number
- Chrome prewar f18
- Chrome postwar f16
- 2 x chrome postwar f22
- Red dial, with a diamond index
The first four types were all exactly the same length, and the red dial a bit less than one mm longer. It's not clear that this means anything optically: what if the front rim is deeper on the red dial (it doesn't appear to be)? If there is any difference in the focusing mount of the red dial version, that could make up for changes in the barrel. So far, I am too lazy to make precise measurements of the key dimensions that would effect the lens's optical position, but all other things being equal, it seems reasonable that the red dial lens could foul things internally when the older versions don't.
Cheers,
Dez