LTM users, its time to stand up and be counted!

[hou baloo]

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Count me standing proudly, too.

 

I had a IIIc + Summar in uni, eventually sold it for a Pentax. Now, 30 years later, I have a IIIf and Summitar, and just bought a CV Bessa R and 90 Elmar. Love the look of pix from the Summitar!

[David_Loney]

I have a 111c + Summar which I bought this year on ebay for £91

Just had a CLA and about to shoot my second roll. First results were fantastic before the CLA so can't wait to see what they will be like now.

Will post some results.

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[Adrian Bastin]

Hello. I have several thread-mount Leicas, ranging from a 1930 non standardised I© to a IIIF red dial. Lenses: all the Elmars in coated and uncoated versions; collapsible Summicrons and a Summar - which is my very favorite; it was the first Leitz lens I bought some years ago, but after having it cleaned last year by Peter at CRR Luton, it turned out to be just what I have been looking for. Usually it lives on an M2 but when I want compactness it goes on the 1933 chrome II, which I love for it's simplicity and pure elegance. The shutter dial is a little easier to operate, especially in cold weather when I'm riding my bike and can't feel my fingers.

[Adrian Bastin]

A recent picture.

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[Adrian Bastin]

And this, from the same short bike ride, near Shapwick in Somerset UK.

 

Summar again, and Reala. Given a (digital) yellow filter and then desaturated. Contrast increased.

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[earleygallery]

Nice shots Adrian. I recently bought a very clean Summar and just finished a test roll. I have another but its got some fogging or damage inside (still got to pull it apart to see if I can clean it!).

[bill]

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Welcome guys!

 

Still time to join the Barnack Challenge...

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-collectors-historica/28373-barnack-challenge-rules-second-theme.html

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[Adrian Bastin]

Thanks James. I think fogging does more to degrade a Summar than anything. I have one with scratches and fungus and it's still better than my clean one was when it had just a little fog.

[L39UK]

I have settled with a IIf (Red Dial) after many years using a variety of Leica screw models.

I like its simplicity and its clean body lines,no slow speed dial and no delayed action mechanism,both of which have given me shutter problems in the past.Regarding lenses,I am afraid I could be called a "Heretic" ,a 50mm f1.4 Nikkor is fitted as standard,and I have a 35mm f2 Canon wide-angle, but I have also some " Leica glass" in the form of a 5cm Red scale Elmar.

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[ksargent]

I recently joined the club with the purchase of a 1954 IIIF RD ST and I'm quite taken (as I'm sure you all understand). I've been using it with a CV 35/2.5 Color Skopar (an excellent lens, btw) and should be receiving a 1953 Elmar 50/3.5 (Red Scale) any day. As this is my first LTM model, I'm certain to have plenty of questions for you all.

 

Regards

Ken

[pxlpal2]

Hi guys,

 

Count me in with a IIIf RD ST and a clean Summitar. Lots of fun every now and then. I actually just got one of those Chinese ABLON copies on the bay and have started to use the IIIf even more.

Regards,

 

Frank M.

[wlaidlaw]

Hi guys,

 

Count me in with a IIIf RD ST and a clean Summitar. Lots of fun every now and then. I actually just got one of those Chinese ABLON copies on the bay and have started to use the IIIf even more.

Regards,

 

Frank M.

Frank

 

What is a Chinese ABLON copy - never hear of it. There are some very expensive Chinese collector IIIF and M3 clones around, hand-made for the communist ruling classes, if that is not a contradiction in terms. They now fetch serious money due to rarity value.

 

Wilson

[wlaidlaw]

ABLON Sorry Frank, just twigged you meant a film leader template - silly me.

 

Never use one myself as you can load a normal film using a shiny, thin, round edged card, slid behind the cassette side sprocket, slide the film down and then slide the card out - works a treat. Was shown that about 10 years ago by one of the old Leica guys at R.G. Lewis in Holborn, when I went to replace a lost template and they were out of stock.

 

Wilson

[bill]

Interesting trick with the card.

 

I do trim, but I do it freehand with a pair of Swiss Army Knife scissors. Not got it wrong yet. I usually have one ready-cut and with the camera, then cut more if I need them as I go along.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[earleygallery]

I trim by guesstimate with scissors too - prob trim a longer leader than I need most times, but it always works fine. Never tried the card trick, think I'm worried about sticking it into the shutter by accident!

 

Good to see yet more LTM users! The Skopar is a great lens I'm using one on my M2. The Elmar is the perfect match IMO but I also find the 25mm Skopar an excellent lens on the lllf as its not rangefinder coupled.

[wlaidlaw]

I trim by guesstimate with scissors too - prob trim a longer leader than I need most times, but it always works fine. Never tried the card trick, think I'm worried about sticking it into the shutter by accident!

 

I said exactly the same thing to the R.G.Lewis man, when I was first shown the trick. He said as long as you use a thin, flexible, rounded corner card, it is flat and preferably shiny and you always slide it down the outside of the sprocket, it is quite safe. I use my National Trust membership card, which is perfect. It is one of those annual membership cards you peel off a letter. I have been doing it for 10 years now and my shutter is still A-OK. Templates and I seemed destined to part company or always be in the wrong bag, so I was delighted to come across an alternative.

 

Wilson

[pxlpal2]

Hi Wilson,

That sounds like a great idea. I'll try an old library card that sounds like your National Trust card. I too lost a real ABLON a number of years ago so when I heard about the Chinese copies on " the bay", I bought one and it is as good as the original. Can't hurt to know the other method, though. Thanks for the tip.

 

Regards,

 

Frank M

[gogopix]

I wonder if it is in the spirit of this thread to take LTM to mean the lenses as well. The 'life' in these can be amazing, and very few are aware of the special place of LTM visoflex lenses in medium format application.

I tried this in the Digital forum with 'ho hum' reaction (which I could expect here if this is 'old hat' to some of you) but LTM Viso telyt lenses have a large film to flange distance, so large that hasselblad and even Contax 645 cameras, with the right adapters, can use them

 

More amazing is that the image circle is 6x6.

 

Here is a setup with fotodiox LTM to Hasselblad, and Hassey to Contax 645. To see the quality, check out the 100% crop.

 

Maybe others in this collector forum will know whether the M viso lenses also have large image circles (before I pay to have a custom M viso to Contax adapter made!)

 

The application to wildlife, where fast Medium format long lenses either do not exist or are outrageous in price would benefit greatly. Here is a P45 set up

The images full and crop first, then the setup and the lens. These were monopod shots not tripod, but same idea (difficult to take setup monmopod shots if you are not a juggler :-)

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[gdmiv]

For a couple of years I have been using a IIIf with an Abrahamsson Barnack rapid winder (which makes a huge improvement in ease and speed of operation).

A 50 mm Summitar plus more recently a CV 21 and 75 lenses.

It is really enjoyable to watch all the movement of dials when advancing the

rapidwinder. A marvelous machine ! And great results after a CLA.

 

Last week I picked up a Komura 2x extender that mounts to a LTM body and accepts M-mount lenses - so I can put my 90 mm ApoA on it as a 180 mm. The balance is pretty wacky compared to the body plus a 21 or 50 mm. I have not gotten the test pics back yet.

 

Doug

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Hallo,

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[hektor]

I wonder if it is in the spirit of this thread to take LTM to mean the lenses as well. More amazing is that the image circle is 6x6.

.

.

Dear Victor,

 

Thanks for the tip. I didn't know the image circle was that size. The quality from a 1956 lens is stunning.

 

Justin