Xmas

Hi It needed to use the LTM lenses as it is like a large LTM to M adapter, to maintain focus to infinity. Simpler to use three bodies... but the collectors must be sleeping. Noel

Hi Andy It makes 'Bill's' baseplate lens holder look like a toy, but with three fast lenses the weight would be a tad higher. Noel P.S. Sorry Bill

Hi Looks like some one has damaged a nice Fed I, in good condition they can go for some money for Fed collectors. Noel

Hi I normally remove any but some people use a lot... Noel

Hi Pico Your comments are probably ok... The super speeds from the 50s were all statement lenses with iffy performance, e.g. the Canon f/1.2 and /0.95. The preasph type II from '62 is only a little later and is similar to a Canon f/1.4. The asph lux and the (asph) Nokton f/1.5 are both from this century, pig to get an asph lux. If you can make do with f/2 (or f/2.5) it is a better choice. Noel

Hi If the rewind crank is too stiff with old lube then you may need to zippo it carefully. Noel

Hi Pico Yes but getting an asph lux is difficult, a f/1.5 Nokton is probably better in every department, except size and weight and close focus, than the pre asph lux. Noel

Hi Jeff Smoke and mirrors. The new glass probably did cost 7x times but that still does not make it a large fraction of the production costs, dont think Puts says it was a large fraction... And Olympus were making wide angle lenses & macro lenses with floating elements for close up in late 70s, but that is not necessarily the reason why Leica went to one for the lux. It normally takes them a decade to admit to anything strange. Like the M2 was cheaper in 58 cause the viewfinder was easier to make... And the pre asph lux type II was introduced without any fanfare in 62-63 cause the type I was not competative, with Nikon and Canon. Noel

Hi The button infinity lock was used on prewwII Fed and very early Zorki (48-49) post war. Donno if Leitz ever used it. Noel

Hi Andy Marketing by product of the bull. The preasph lux was an antique from early 60s, it may have died cause some of the glass was no longer obtainable or contrabanded for processig hazards. The glass is a very small fraction of the production cost, the grinding would be simpler cause the radius of curvatures are not so constrained, the high refractive index glass needs less curve to bend the light, they might have arranged to do some of the elements together even. Do not know why they went to a floating element but it wont have been to increase the production costs, an additional heliciod is another few CNC milling steps. Modern lenses are cheaper to make. Noel

Try Summarit f/2.5 or the ZM Planar, or Konica, or CV Helier or Nikkor HC etc. Leica will go to a new cron when they can make it for X % less and sell it for Y % more. Zeiss get Cosina to manufacture most of the ZMs cause they make more profit. Noel

Hi I was hopin my shots might turn out like HCBs, alas even using 5222, the exposure is better, the graphic worse. Noel

And you have never had a battery leak either... Noel

Hi Dont chimp, only use the LCD for histograms, think of the camera like a film camera... Only use DNG, you may need to use pshop or similar on a % of shots. The sensor has limited dynamic range (compared with many 400 ISO films) if you like specular high lights (it is not like Ilford XP2). You may want to try backing off the ISO 2/3 of a stop, the data can be pulled out of the shadows post processing normally, more difficult with specular high lights, when they are fried they are fried. Borrow a single coated lens for a sunny day shoot, compare with MC modern decide which you like... There is not an anti alias filter in front of the sensor, (the shots will be sharp when you dont shake) and the colors are nice (subjective). Noel

Hi Luigi Yea a collector might like the lens to complete a set but a user just sees it as a convenient way to code for his M9, and not worth any premium. The lens inflation seems to be user driven, not collector... May be a slow sale, users dont like adapters, few people use LTM cameras... CV and ZM lenses sell as fast as Leica's, the CV f/1.7 35mm (also LTM) is 400-500 USD, mine was 220 few years ago. Noel