Red scale Elmar 5 cm better?

[ironringer]

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Could users inform us if the "red distance scale" Elmar 5 cm lenses are any different or improved compared to "black scale" versions?

I believe I have seen (on eBay) a red scale Elmar as early as s/n 909xxx, and some black scale Elmars may actually "overlap" and were made with later s/n than early red scale versions. What is the sequence of production for black and red scale Elmars?

Comments and examples?

[luigi bertolotti]

Elmar 5cm was made in so high numbers in the '50s that I think is very difficult to set "threshold" s/n which define the transition black scale / red scale (and there is also the variant in the focus reference point... first diamond, then triangle) ; usually, the Red Scale is considered "the best" of Elmars : indeed, what is sure is that the optical schema was recomputed in 1951 : but I am not sure that one can say definitely that ALL and ONLY Red Scale items (and of course, the last E39 model) do have the recomputed optics.

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[ironringer]

Thank you for this useful information. I will look for a nice red-scale Elmar from the mid-50s, perhaps when visiting Rome next month.

[spydrxx]

Over the years I've used most of the 50mm lens variants, but only in the last 9 months have I used a red scale LTM collapsible 50/3.5. It is a hard call, but I think it will surpass all the others as my favorite in this focal length (I don't do low light shooting anymore, so the Noctis and Summiluxes are just excess weight for me). I hope you enjoy yours when you get it. Just make certain that it is clean with no haze, or get it CLA'd for best results.