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50 2.8 Elmar


Austinite

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The one that came with my M3 couldn't take a sharp shot no matter what. Brought it back to the dealer and they asked if I'd give them a chance make a repair attempt. 3 weeks later I get the the Elmar back. The tech said someone had take the lens apart and not seated the front element properly. NowLeica-M3-50-elmar-tri-x-test2-copy.jpg it's working great and giving me the look I've not been able to get with any modern lens. That vintage, lower contrast glow. BTW I shoot a fair amount of digital as well and would not know how to get a print like the one I got from this non-artistic test image. Now I'm a happy man. (see first photo from this link.) http://texaspfhotos.blogspot.com/

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I too have heard unique quality about this lens and try to find a brand new one with 6-bit coding but no luck, and end up ordering the Summicron instead. I wonder why Leica discontinued this model after only a couple of years .... what a shame.

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Have one of each, old and new. both have wonderful properties, just different.

 

I went crazy when I got the old one 20 years ago. It had way better color than the collapsible summicron it replaced. Then I got all the Summicrons and finally the last 50 2.8. I can not part with any except the collapsibel Summicron. I really disliked that one.

 

If you like the old Elmar, try a Red Scale 50 3.5. Even more of a vintage look.

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If you like the old Elmar, try a Red Scale 50 3.5. Even more of a vintage look.

 

I have found the 3.5 Red Scale Elmar to be a better performer than the 2.8. Sharper wide open and a tad more contrasty. The M mount 3.5 is the same as the LTM Red Scale lens.

 

Of course the latest 50mm 2.8 is a completely different lens, not the old one re-introduced.

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Here are some examples of the 2.8/50 Elmar's two versions and the 3.5/50 with M-mount (which has the same optics as the "red scale" though it is more practical to use, as you don't need your fingernails to set the aperture...):

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-sammler-historica/116514-welches-50er-objektiv.html#post1237007

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-sammler-historica/116514-welches-50er-objektiv.html#post1237063

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