just picked up a 1937 elmar 3:5/35mm lens!

[thomasw_]

Hello,

I wanted to share my enthusiasm about my latest acquisition for my IIIc body, a screw mount 35mm elmar lens. The lens is in remarkable shape; I was out today utilizing this tiny lens. Though I am definitely a 5cm focal length man, I am finding this old lens to open up different vistas. It will be interesting to see how well I have guess-estimated the 35mm framelines for the IIIc.

I may even use the 35mm bayonet-SM adapter and use the lens on my beloved M5 if lens performs as well as I think it will.

Does anyone else have a 35mm elmar that they are happy with? If so, how has it functioned best?

Thomas

[doubice]

Thomas,

Congratulations on your new acquisition! I hope you did not find it at some of the flea markets I frequent in your neighbourhood..... The 35mm Elmar was Leitz's first wide-angle lens, introduced in 1932. It was a good lens for its time, but I think that you will find that it is not a particularly stellar performer. The 50mm Elmar was a far better lens, but since the 35mm Elmar was the only 'wide game' in town in the 1930's, nobody complained.

Check the lens for haze - shine a strong light through the elements; from your photo I do indeed detect some. This would reduce the performance even further.

All the best,

Jan

[luigi bertolotti]

A fine lens to have in a collection, honest and no more in performance, pleasant in BW; I have a very old one (182.311 - 1933) but in use prefer the 35 Summaron 3,5 ("old mount", different from the E39 mount for the BMs). If You suffer, as myself, of some kind of collector's ill, put in plan to have a complete "Elmar set of the thirties" : 3,5-5-9-10,5 (TOO nice !)-13,5. Not too expensive except the 10,5, nice to have: I am looking for exchanges to have my 5 lens set of the SAME year... as I said, is frankly an innocent ill...

[flatfour]

Like all Elmars the 3.5cm is very sharp. I used my 1936 lens a lot but at the time I only had a collapible lenshood so I experienced considerable vignetting. Still it make a nice squarish picture.

[bill]

Congratulations Thomas!

This is the lens that came with my IIIc body. I have been using it without an auxiliary viewfinder (although I now have a VIDOM). I have been very impressed. I have also used it on my RD-1 with an adaptor. It is so tiny you hardly know it is there, and stopped down gives good results.

Regards,

Bill

[jc_braconi]

I have one from 40 year, it is from 1940 and it is coated.
used a lot when I used my IIIa as a second camera to my first M3 in 66.
give excellent results in BW and in colour too.
Enjoy
jc