M8 and Old Glass

[wlaidlaw]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Wilson, why is using lenses in enlarging is death (heat, chemicals, …) ?

 

Heat. Before the days of cool bulbs, it would not have been uncommon for a medium/large format enlarger to have a 250+ watt bulb. By the time you have focused and masked up, the lens was pretty hot. I recall having to use a glove to change the lens from the Wray 75 mm to the Elmar. The old Elmar has bubbles in the balsam and as it is non-coated and quite scratched as well, it is not worth having it rebuilt. I have another early 50's Elmar 50/3.5 coated LTM lens for when I want to use an Elmar but mainly, I use my 50/1.5 Opton-Zeiss Sonnar for an older looking 50 mm lens on any of my M bodies.

 

Wilson

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[luigi bertolotti]

Thanks CharlesL,

 

So once equipped with the 35-135 adapter in theory you could use any Leica 35 or 135, 39mm screw mount lenses and focusing would be coupled to the M8 rangefinder.

 

Does it follow that all 39mm, Canon, Jupiter, Zeiss and Voigtlander (and others) behave properly as well?

 

Clive

 

The correct coupling of old lenses is better to be verified : Russians, very interesting and often incredbly cheap, can give some surprises about focusing onto a M8: generally speaking, with old lenses is better not to target nail focusing at large apertures... better to search, into them, a medium (so called "creamy") sharpness at medium apertures: this is the field in which they can provide pleasant images.

About the adapters... there is another element to remember about M8 : UVIR filter and coding : if you plan to go under 35mm the correction for UVIR filter is better to have (expecially in color pics) : adapters with coding can be provided by some vendors, whilst original Leitz adapters cannot be practically coded; below 35mm there are many interesting "old glasses"... personally, I like a lot the Summaron 28 5,6... there are also interesting 21 and 28 mm from Japan, the famous Russar 20mm... the world of LTM old lenses can reveal much wider than one can think... ... just in this shop ( https://www.leicashop.com/vintage/leica-lenses-for-leica-screw-c-1000_1010.html?page=1&sort=products_sort_order) you can find about 80 of them.

[wlaidlaw]

At a slightly lower price point than WestLicht, there is Collectible Cameras. Ed and Sandy are really pleasant and incredibly knowledgable guys. If there is ever a problem, never any issue with a return. They have a first class in house technician, who can even rebuild Contax RF shutters (only for cameras they sell - does not do outside Contax work).

 

Wilson

[Clive Murray-White]

Thanks Wilson and Luigi - I've already discovered how helpful Lieca/old camera dealers can be, we have an old established firm, Melbourne Camera Exchange in my nearest big city and every time, I've asked about something, they've saved me a great deal on money by saying things like, "we don't have a new Summicron 50 in stock at the moment but we think you'll like this mint condition version 4," at about half the price! same with IR cut filter "I think we've got a mint condition B+W used one somewhere" at 1/4 the price. That just doesn't happen here at the big glossy camera stores.

 

I liked many of the Russian lenses on 4/3s cameras but I did the impression from other forums that it was not quite so easy using them on Leica M, something about not sitting at exactly the right distance to the film or sensor.

 

Clive

[Maggie_O]

Thank you for all the kind words, folks!

 

Here's a few more of my new friend from the Summilux.

 

Jackson From Above, December 2, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

 

On The Lookout, November 25, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

 

Jackson Catloaf, November 24, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

[Maggie_O]

What the heck, one more of Jackson, via the M8 and 1959 50mm Summilux:

 

Sleeping In The Shower, November 26, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

[Moo-Crumpus]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hm. Meine Fotos auf Flickr sind nicht mehr sichtbar.

Neuer Versuch, altes Summicron III (1:2/50 von 1969):

 

Altes Elmarit (1:2.8/135mm von 1973):

 

Hm. Die IMG-Links ziehen nicht...

http://flic.kr/p/8rXfNP

http://flic.kr/p/8q9wqk

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37741140@N03/4867754789/in/photostream/

Edited December 13, 2010 by Moo-Crumpus
Link-Probleme

[Maggie_O]

Here's a couple of Jackson taken with the M8 and 35/3.5 Summaron LTM:

 

Jackson On My Desk, December 9, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

 

Jackson On My Desk, December 9, 2010 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

[WestMichigan]

Hi Maggie,

might I suggest something regarding your 'desk' - based on my own personal experiences with Felines and such matters I would exceptionally advise you to Cover your Nikon Scanner! As an optically based device, just like a camera - naturally, it's performance doesn't stand up well to accumulations of pet dander and especially Pet Hair! While the former building up might not be determinatively an obstacle the latter draping across a lens or light source certainly does bring matters to a screeching halt until rectified. :-)

By the way - great cat!

We're 'foster parenting' a young tiger striped feline named Max while his owners sort out their living arrangements. He's about 6-7mo's old, intelligent, curious, and fearless without being utterly foolish - if that makes any sense! Quite a likable little guy who loves to cuddle. Sit still a few moments and assuming he isn't cuddling with someone else, you've soon got an 'ornamental cat' purring on your chest.

Peace

Richard in Michigan

[Guest Ron (Netherlands)]

Shot with first edition Summicron M 35mm (production 1958-1968 - this one make 1968)

Fully open at f2, as in this shot, a slight vignetting becomes visible; makes the pictures a bit more 'vintage'

 

 

Dutch landscape - little crop - shot with old 90mm Summicron (make 1960), probably at f 4.

 

Shot with Telyt 400mm on a visoflex (make 1960). By far not one of Leitz sharpest lenses, but can still do a nice job.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Ron (Netherlands)

[2Bébèrt]

 

Shot with first edition Summicron M 35mm (production 1958-1968 - this one make 1968)

Fully open at f2, as in this shot, a slight vignetting becomes visible; makes the pictures a bit more 'vintage'

 

Dutch landscape - little crop - shot with old 90mm Summicron (make 1960), probably at f 4.

 

Shot with Telyt 400mm on a visoflex (make 1960). By far not one of Leitz sharpest lenses, but can still do a nice job.

 

Nice samples Ron,

 

These captures reflect the real nature, "de Puur Natuur" of this old glass

[k.a]

 

 

 

shot with a 50mm summilux v2 -61, a lens with a nice rendering but it is a bit on the softer side wide open, but much sharper when stopped down

[WestMichigan]

Hello K.A.,

quite nice images and thanks for sharing them with us here on the Old Glass thread. I must admit that the shot of the gentleman in the first image is really sticking with me - there is an 'Otherworldly' quality about his features which reminds me of the characters in a sci-fi/cop-buddy film from like 20yrs ago. Your portrait has captured something very aesthetically interesting about the person on that train(?) and you've done so within a very aesthetically interesting photograph (at least to my eye). Kudos to you

Richard in Michigan

[jevidon]

"...I recently bought a 35mm Summicron with goggles, which I've mostly used on the film camera though, what the heck, I should put it on the M8...."

 

I believe that the goggles won't line up with the M8 viewfinder.

[pop]

Why do you believe so? I successfully use an ancient goggled 135mm lens on the M8. Is there a mechanical difference between the goggles on a 135 from those on a 35? It can not, however, be mounted on a CL.

[WestMichigan]

Hi Pop,

speaking with wholly un-informed second hand info: I believe that 'some' of the 'Goggle' lenses had an alignment issue when it comes to their viewfinder lenses lining up 'as needed' with the viewfinder windows on the 'Later' M bodies, it's not just a digital M issue.

As I research M Equipment, I have been reading a zillion posts, threads, and descriptions all over the place, over the last 18 months so I could be really 'punting' things. DO NOT take my info as Gospel!

 

R. in Mi.

Why do you believe so? I successfully use an ancient goggled 135mm lens on the M8. Is there a mechanical difference between the goggles on a 135 from those on a 35? It can not, however, be mounted on a CL.

[scsambrook]

I don't ever recall that there was constructonal mis-matching of 'goggled' lenses with M viewfinder windows - not something I've ever come across anyway. But then, I don't know everything ! Some individual optical viewing units (which I think was what Leitz used to call them) do develop alignment problems, such as vertical displacement of the images, but that's not a fundamental incompatibility.

 

I had a 35/3.5 Summaron with the detachable goggles last year which worked perfectly on my M8, despite the overall condition suggesting it had had a fairly hard life. And years ago I had a 35 Summicron which had been dropped and had a crack in the main window but still worked perfectly - so I reckon it can't be too delicate an assembly.

[WestMichigan]

Hi SCSamBrook,

thanks for the input of a first hand user! I'm starting to wonder where I developed the impression 'goggle' lenses have a problem with later M models. My Brain tends to file memories in interesting ways, which is usually helpful in drawing interesting connections and making observations on things from a fresh vantage point - just NOT Always is it Helpful. :-)

Richard in Michigan

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Patman]

These 2 shots made with the 35mm Summaron, no filters. Shot at ISO 160, 1/4000@ f5.6. It was our first snow of the year and a record breaker. It snowed for 96 straight hours with total accumulations of just over 70", the record here for December

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[Guest Ron (Netherlands)]

These 2 shots made with the 35mm Summaron, no filters. Shot at ISO 160, 1/4000@ f5.6. It was our first snow of the year and a record breaker. It snowed for 96 straight hours with total accumulations of just over 70", the record here for December

 

Very nice, but colors are totally different in these two shots, did you treat them differently in post processing?