What's the smallest M lens?

[sleepyhead]

I think the "C" in Summicron-C refers to the Leitz CL body which it was designed for.

 

[yanidel]

Let me throw the Industar 69 in the mix (28mm, f 2.8)
So small that my camera almost looks like a pinhole. Much smaller then any of the CV's.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

What if we exclude collapsible, then the smallest goes to CV?

I used the CV 21mm f4, which indeed is a small lens, but imho this ones (I had the chance try one of these) is even smaller http://www.leicatime.com/NikkorLtm28-3.5-347219frontcl.jpg .

there's also a 35mm version.
and they are both darn sharp, beautiful ltm lenses.

I think they're pretty much the same size as the leitz elmar 35mm f3.5 =)

http://www.leicatime.com/Elmar35ltm378692onR-D1.jpg

 

[DennisPT]

The Canon 28/3.5 Serena is not big as well.

 

[Srono]

Avenon 28/3.5 is quite small also

 

[b.espahbod]

My guess is Hektor 28mm f/6.3

 

[le vrai rdu]

kenrockwell, a guy doesnt even know to develop his film,



perhaps C means compact.

for me the smallest relative to its opening/performace/design is the 35mm lux preasph.imho

vc25 and vc 21 are very much similar, is it the vc35 2.5 pancake smaller?

they share the same lens barrel 🙂

 

[Beemermark]

Nobody has mentioned the Minolta CLE 28mm, I have one and it is much smaller than the pre-ASPH 28 Elmerit. The 35 Summiron is also very small, but nothing beats the original 50/3.5 Elmar with the M adapter.

 

[chrishayton]

Id go with the 35mm elmar f3.5, Definatly the smallest lens that Ive used or seen.

 

[ferider]

If LTM is allowed, the smallest is the collapsible 50/3.5 Elmar. In 35, the smallest I have used are the 35/3.5 Summaron and the 35/2.5 Nikkor:

Remember this is f2.5, faster than for instance the C-Biogon.

The LTM Color Skopars are tiny, too:

For only M, the Color Skopar 35/2.5 PII is definitely the smallest:

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[johannielscom]

Let me throw the Industar 69 in the mix (28mm, f 2.8)
So small that my camera almost looks like a pinhole. Much smaller then any of the CV's.

Interesting suggestion! Some questions: is it made of steel or brass, or plastic? Does it vignette very much, on film or M8 Leicas? Is it click stopped?

From the looks of it thru Google, it is very small indeed!

 

[ferider]

Let me throw the Industar 69 in the mix (28mm, f 2.8)
So small that my camera almost looks like a pinhole. Much smaller then any of the CV's.

A half frame lens. Plus the Industar 50/3.5 collapsed is smaller.

 

[Avotius]

My 5cm red scale elmar, a very compact lens but a bit fidgety to use. My cv 35 skopar PII is also pretty small, a little longer then a collapsed 5cm elmar.

 

[uhligfd]

The absolute smallest lens for any camera would have to be a body cover with a pinhole drilled into it: absolutely rectilinear with an angle of view of a ?? mm lens (just the same as the distance from the film plane to the hole/cover ..).

The discussion's end.

 

[Willy Elder]

The Russian M-mount copy of the 40mm Summicron, which was the Helios-113 40mm f1.8, is probably the smallest.

 

[yanidel]

Interesting suggestion! Some questions: is it made of steel or brass, or plastic? Does it vignette very much, on film or M8 Leicas? Is it click stopped?

From the looks of it thru Google, it is very small indeed!

It was originally made for the Chania II cameras. It is of brass I believe non rangefinder coupled nor click stopped (the aperture ring is around the lens)
It does vignette a bit on the M8 (especially at F2.8, little stopped down to F5.6). From F4, very sharp with corners being very soft. It does create wonderful effects and colors. I used it on 50% of my shots in Argentina and cost .... $20.

 

[Palaeoboy]

I think Ken was referring to the smallest of the current lenses.

 

[venchka]

You got that right.

You got that right.

I don't know where it stands, but the Canon 28/2.8 ltm is very small. Has to be in the mix.

I was going to mention this lens. I have owned mine since forever. Tiny. Built like a brick. Chrome on brass. Small. Very nice "old school" high resolution/low contrast look. Tiny. 34mm filters. 15/16" projection from the camera. Tiny.

Next in line: Konica 35mm 2.0 UC-Hexanon. 43mm filters. 1 3/6" projection from camera. Faster than most other candidates mentioned above. Black paint over brass. A jewel.

 

[Palaeoboy]

The Russian M-mount copy of the 40mm Summicron, which was the Helios-113 40mm f1.8, is probably the smallest.

Thats actually a copy of the CLE 40mm Rokkor which is larger than the actual 4mm Summicron so technically it cant really be the smallest.

 

[HenningW]

The Zeiss Hologon made by Zeiss in Germany was very compact. The optics were recessed into the camera body.

It's the smallest. It sticks out less than 1/4" from the front of the camera. When using it some people thought I didn't have a lens on the camera at all.

BTW, it does fit on the M8. But there's no UV/IR filter for it and the vignetting is extreme! I don't really use it any more since the 15 Heliar is better in most regards.

Henning

See:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/hwulff/Stuff/IMG_1622.JPG.html