Leica LTM Which lens for your IIIg?

[Graybeard]

Colyn has recently pondered the wisdom/merits of adding a IIIg to his armory/collection/fleet/quiver/stable/(your entry here).

It's merits aside, a IIIg is something special and, if one is out and about with a IIIg, a special lens would seem to be in order. Which lens are you guys using on your IIIg's? (Any ladies with a IIIg are welcomed to comment).

I prefer Nikkor optics on mine - either a 50mm/f2 or a 50mm f1.4. Why? - I find them sharper than the alternatives. The Canon 50mm/f1.4 is simply too large (IMHO) for a Barnack Leica - ditto the razor sharp Voigtlander f1.5. I have and use the 50mm collapsible Summicron 50 mm but prefer the Nikkors - no accounting for taste, of course.

My everyday shooter, BTW, is a IIIc/IIIf conversion with a 50mm/f2 Nikkor loaded with Neopan 400. I shoot indoor available light with sufficient frequency that I need both the lens and film speed.

Comment is welcome, of course, and the reason for posting this.

 

[colyn]

I currently have the Summitar and Summicron screw mount lens but prefer the 1.5 Nokton even though it is somewhat large for these cameras mainly for low light indoors work.

Since the IIIg is larger than other screw Leicas I believe the Nokton would be a good choice..

 

[LeicaTom]

The Leitz 2.8 50mm Elmar was the STANDARD issue lens on the IIIG bodies when new, it`s a underrated lens, I shot one for years while I lived in Germany on a IIIF -
NICE ALL AROUND USER LENS - light weight and collapsible

....though I`m also a "big" fan of the Nikkor f2.0 50mm (thanks to Roland)
I`d also like to see some shots taken by/with the f1.4 50mm and the IIIG, I`d say that`s a good combo

Tom

 

[Luddite Frank]

I don't have any experience with Nikkor lenses on an LTM, but...

My Dad and I have both taken a lot of (technically) very good photos with his Nikon S with the f:1.4 Nikkor SC 50mm lens...

I am keeping my eyes open for one in thread-mount...

And Nikkor glass seems to be a bit more hardy than Wetzlar glass...


All that said... I just got back the first rolls from my Leica D (with nickel Elmar 50 /f:3.5, uncoated) and my III-f with Summicron, and right now, the Elmar is the better, cleaner of the two lenses...

Next on my Leitz wish list are a Summitar and a Summarit.

Luddite Frank

 

[dlove5]

For me it is almost a tossup between the Nikkor 50mm/1.4 and the collapsible Summicron 50mm. I probably use the Summicron more because I like the small profile. However, if I want sharp then I use the Nikkor.

My Summicron definitely exhibits the tendency to flare. This is even with almost always using a hood and having had it professionally CLAd. The Nikkor seems to resist any attempt to make it flare. I also have been a lot harder on the Nikkor. Heck I even gave it a partial CLA myself and I'm too cheap to get a hood for it.

I do find I am more willing to use the Nikkor on the IIIg than I have been on the earlier Barnacks. The Nikkor always seemed oversize on my IIIa. OTOH I can't seem to get use to using my 35mm Elmar on the IIIg. It seems too small. Yet I have no problem with the Elmar on a IIIa.

I also like using the Canon 35mm/2.8 on the IIIg. Not a bad performer and it is small but does not feel too small on the IIIg.

I will try to post some shots using the IIIg and Nikkor in the next few days.

 

[Keith]

The IIIg looks pretty sweet with a f3.5 - 5cm red scale Elmar ... it keeps it looking nice and lean and it's a great lens!

 

[Gary Sandhu]

I have a 35 summicron-M asph in LTM. (!)

 

[furcafe]

If by "special" you mean unusual, I enjoy using the LTM version of the original Voigtlander 50/1.5 Nokton. It has a weird 45mm filter thread, so I've been forced to use it without any lens hood, but that's OK, as it's pretty flare-resistant for a 1950s lens & there's no VF blockage, which is always a problem w/the Barnacks. The Nokton also happens to be 1 of the great "classic" fast lenses along w/the Zeiss 50/1.5 Sonnar (I categorize the 50/1.4 & 50/2 Nikkors as Sonnar variants). I do like to use the Nikkors, not just for their optical qualities, but because (like the Nokton) they're heavy & balance well on the hefty (for a Barnack) IIIg. The Canon 50/1.8 works well, too.

For modern lenses, I have a c.1999 LTM Summilux that is as nice as you'd expect (it also balances well because of its chrome finish), but it does block a fair amount of the VF & RF patch (albeit less than the CV Nokton or the Canon 50/1.4--I agree w/you that those 2 are kind of big for a Barnack).

Colyn has recently pondered the wisdom/merits of adding a IIIg to his armory/collection/fleet/quiver/stable/(your entry here).

It's merits aside, a IIIg is something special and, if one is out and about with a IIIg, a special lens would seem to be in order. Which lens are you guys using on your IIIg's? (Any ladies with a IIIg are welcomed to comment).

I prefer Nikkor optics on mine - either a 50mm/f2 or a 50mm f1.4. Why? - I find them sharper than the alternatives. The Canon 50mm/f1.4 is simply too large (IMHO) for a Barnack Leica - ditto the razor sharp Voigtlander f1.5. I have and use the 50mm collapsible Summicron 50 mm but prefer the Nikkors - no accounting for taste, of course.

My everyday shooter, BTW, is a IIIc/IIIf conversion with a 50mm/f2 Nikkor loaded with Neopan 400. I shoot indoor available light with sufficient frequency that I need both the lens and film speed.

Comment is welcome, of course, and the reason for posting this.

 

[JohanV]

I prefer to use the Summitar on my IIIg