Leica collapsible lenses

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

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Question about Leica collapsible lenses............do they make any other focal length collapsible lenses apart from 50mm??

[Abram]

There is a 90mm the Macro-Elmar and a much older Collapsible 90mm Elmar from the M3 days as well.

 

Maybe others?

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[michaelwj]

To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things:

Firstly, space between the last element and the shutter, so there is little value if the rear of the optical cell goes into the body, as with most lenses with focal length shorter than 50mm. Therefore you don't see it happen with wide angles, which are more likely to be small anyway.

Second, you want it to get small once it's collapsed. A 90mm lens will be able to get very small, but a 135mm lens will still stick out ~45mm more than a 90mm so a lot of the small advantage is lost. Remember that they were originally made for the screw mount cameras and so could be pocketable.

So at one end (50mm) the optical cell is far enough from the shutter to make it worthwhile, and at the other end (135mm) the optical cell is too far forward to make it a very small package when collapsed (I suppose you could use a two tube telescoping system but it would not be as strong).

As a result, you only see 50mm and 90mm collapsible lenses.

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things:

Firstly, space between the last element and the shutter, so there is little value if the rear of the optical cell goes into the body, as with most lenses with focal length shorter than 50mm. Therefore you don't see it happen with wide angles, which are more likely to be small anyway.

Second, you want it to get small once it's collapsed. A 90mm lens will be able to get very small, but a 135mm lens will still stick out ~45mm more than a 90mm so a lot of the small advantage is lost. Remember that they were originally made for the screw mount cameras and so could be pocketable.

So at one end (50mm) the optical cell is far enough from the shutter to make it worthwhile, and at the other end (135mm) the optical cell is too far forward to make it a very small package when collapsed (I suppose you could use a two tube telescoping system but it would not be as strong).

As a result, you only see 50mm and 90mm collapsible lenses.

thank you for the explanation sir

[michaelwj]

thank you for the explanation sir

No worries, but don't assume I'm an expert, it's just my thoughts on the matter!

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

No worries, but don't assume I'm an expert, it's just my thoughts on the matter!

No worries, I was thinking about a 28mm but seeing as they are not available I will stick with what I already have 

[jaapv]

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To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things:

Firstly, space between the last element and the shutter, so there is little value if the rear of the optical cell goes into the body, as with most lenses with focal length shorter than 50mm. Therefore you don't see it happen with wide angles, which are more likely to be small anyway.

Second, you want it to get small once it's collapsed. A 90mm lens will be able to get very small, but a 135mm lens will still stick out ~45mm more than a 90mm so a lot of the small advantage is lost. Remember that they were originally made for the screw mount cameras and so could be pocketable.

So at one end (50mm) the optical cell is far enough from the shutter to make it worthwhile, and at the other end (135mm) the optical cell is too far forward to make it a very small package when collapsed (I suppose you could use a two tube telescoping system but it would not be as strong).

As a result, you only see 50mm and 90mm collapsible lenses.

Still, the Leica C has a lens that collapses when switched off, yet it zooms to 200 mm equivalent.

[michaelwj]

Still, the Leica C has a lens that collapses when switched off, yet it zooms to 200 mm equivalent.

It is truely a masterpiece.

[friedeye]

LTM Elmar 35 3.5.  Great little lens that collapses flat.

[pico]

To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things: [....]

 

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

[david strachan]

LTM Elmar 35 ^50mm3.5.  Great little lens that collapses flat.

 

The 35mm f3.5 isn't collapsible.  Perhaps a typo; think you mean the 50mm Elmar.

 

all best...

[Keith (M)]

No worries, I was thinking about a 28mm but seeing as they are not available I will stick with what I already have 

28mm & collapsible?  The new/old Summaron is so dinky it does not need to collapse...