Leica 50mm Elmar Red Scale

[Ivar B]

Just by coincidence I found a Leica Elmar 3.5/50mm RED SCALE here as I was buying some other Leica equipment from a collector. The 50mm is according to the seller unused as a relative had bought it when new and the lens is really 100 % like new with cap in bakelite box. I only collect M Leicas – are there anyone out there who knows if this is a desirable lens and what it is worth?

[philipotto]

Here is one that sold recently on ebay.
Not the condition of the one in question though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Leica-50mm-f-3-5...QQcmdZViewItem



Here is a little bit about the lens:
http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/ma...mar3550rs.html



And from our forum:
http://www.leica-camera-user.com/cus...ight=red+scale

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by Ivar B

Just by coincidence I found a Leica Elmar 3.5/50mm RED SCALE here as I was buying some other Leica equipment from a collector. The 50mm is according to the seller unused as a relative had bought it when new and the lens is really 100 % like new with cap in bakelite box. I only collect M Leicas – are there anyone out there who knows if this is a desirable lens and what it is worth?

An Elmar Red scale in real A condition is a good collectible (and nice to use, do not forget, put an adapter T to B and you have the most compact Leica M set); it has not high ratings (from 200 to 300 US$ about) for it is anyway not a rarity: there are fluctuations in prices depending on some details that identify more or less produced versions: the Elmar50 RS, If I remember well, can be found in almost three version:
1) Stops to f 16
2) Stops to f 22
3) With "diamod shaped" instead of "triangle shaped" focus distance ref. point

It is a "Wetzlar only" lens : no Canadian versions. Screw only: the Elmar 50 3,5 BM exists, but is quite different (almost identical to the 2,8 version)

There are collectors (like me: I own 7 different Emars 90) that like to have as a goal all the variants of a single lens, and Elmar 50 3,5 has a good number of these; another plus can be an "interesting" s/n : round (00 - 000) or close to (ends with 999 or 998 or 001 or 002... collectors, I often say, are someway a strange breed)

[earleygallery]

Philip has linked to my previous thread about the Red Scale. I'm ashamed to say I've not yet managed to do the comparison tests but hopefully this weekend I can find some time.....

The nicest example of this lens I've seen was mentioned in my thread, a very minty one at a Leica dealers. They were asking £299 which is really top money, but there can't be too many in such condition, so if yours is as good/better that gives you some idea (I assume it was sold because its no longer listed).

[wizard]

Ivar,

I bought a red scale Elmar last year via ebay for 200,- €, also completely unused, no scratches on the lens tube, etc.

Best regards,

Andreas