aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Share #1 Posted January 13, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi! I want to by a present for a person who loves photography and good design. He owns a Sony NEX 5. He favors vintage leica lenses, so i decided to buy one for him. He takes pictures of landscape, architecture, maybe indoor and street photography as well. No macro. My budget is max. around 300 euros (without adapter) and i found those 2 lenses in a local shop: 5cm elmar from 1939 for EUR 330,– 35 mm elmar from 1937 for EUR 330,– Now my question is: Does anyone of you have experience with those lenses on a Sony NEX? Which one do you think is better suitable? Do you maybe know of a vintage wide angle lense within this budget? Or could you recommend a zoom lens that has the same quality? He owns all the lenses he needs, so this would just be a "luxury" present. Sorry for asking so many questions, but since i don´t know enough and this topic is so huge, i would be delighted to get infos or tips from you. Thank you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 13, 2011 Posted January 13, 2011 Hi aaastrid, Take a look here Which vintage leica lens for a sony nex 5?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
greyelm Posted January 13, 2011 Share #2 Posted January 13, 2011 I have used Elmar 5.0cm on my Lumix G1 and found that the adapter didn't allow the infinity lock to engage as it caught on the adapter. However as these lenses can sometimes focus beyond infinity it may not be a problem when stopped down. I would suggest a try before you buy to see if it suits the Nex. I expect the adapter could be filed to allow the lock to set in place. On the G1 the Elmar mustn't be collapsed incase it touches the sensor so it must be secured with an elastic band round the barrel beforehand. Optically a good clean lens (free of mist) gives reasonable results. I prefer my 1942 uncoated Summitar, which after I cleaned it produces excellent results with a very characteristic bokeh. Don't forget that the equivalent "focal length" will be greater on the Nex, on micro 4/3 it is double I.e. 10.0cm but this will be less on the Nex due to the larger sensor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted January 13, 2011 Hi, ok, then i think a 5cm might have too many potential issues … i can not test the lens since i live in a different country than the presentee. i already wondered if the whole elmar could collapse inside the camera, or if it could lead to problems. the vendor said it will work when the adapter is on, but i don´t want to risk problems with that. thank you very much for your helpful answer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidStone Posted January 13, 2011 Share #4 Posted January 13, 2011 I've used a 5cm 1938 Summar on a Panasonic GF1. Results were fine. The sensors in most modern cameras , however - apart from the Leica M8/M9 - are not designed for older lenses, and the wider-angle lenses are not satisfactory on the type of camera that you are inquiring about. Anything wider than about 40mm will tend to go progressively out of focus towards the edges. Remember also that it will be necessary to focus manually, which can be difficult if the user is not accustomed to this. The 5cm Elmar is an excellent lens, if it's in good condition, and as long as it's not collapsed - this might be OK, but I would be reluctant to try it. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share #5 Posted January 13, 2011 Hi David, thank you for your answer. You say: Anything wider than about 40mm will tend to go progressively out of focus So the 35mm might have blury corners? Do i understand that right? Best, Astrid Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidStone Posted January 13, 2011 Share #6 Posted January 13, 2011 Hi David, thank you for your answer. You say: Anything wider than about 40mm will tend to go progressively out of focus So the 35mm might have blury corners? Do i understand that right? Best, Astrid Yes, that could be the case, Astrid. I'm not familiar with the nex 5, but this is certainly true for the micro 4/3rds cameras, which have a slightly smaller sensor, I believe. I've tried a 35 on the GF1, and it wasn't as good at the edges as I would have liked. Leica, in collaboration with Kodak, has used specially-designed sensors for the M8/M9, which, together with some software tricks, can use all the current and older Leica lenses without problems. With the 5cm lenses, you should be OK. And it's certainly true that they will produce a type of result that's distinctly different from any lens that's normally fitted to a Nex. One other thing. The older lenses, especially those from the 1930s, will almost certainly be uncoated. A good lenshood is necessary to avoid serious flare, preferably one that's longer than that originally supplied for the lens you have, due to the effectively longer focal length. So good luck, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyelm Posted January 13, 2011 Share #7 Posted January 13, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) This is test shot with 5cm Elmar @f/3.5 on a G1 This is Summitar @f/2.0 And this is a Summar @f/2.0 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 13, 2011 Share #8 Posted January 13, 2011 Alternatively how about one of these? Lensbaby - Lensbaby SLR Camera Lenses I wouldn't buy one myself, but I'd be happy to play with one if I received it as a gift. If you do go for a vintage Leica lens, the 3.5 5cm Elmar or an 5cm Summar would be my preference. However, you must make sure that you're buying a good clean example, which is the biggest challenge. Avoid e bay and buy from a reputable dealer (yes I know some dealers sell via e bay too). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyelm Posted January 13, 2011 Share #9 Posted January 13, 2011 I'm reluctant to mention this in a Leica forum but many of the former Soviet LTM lenses produce excellent results and are relatively cheap at around 25 euros. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted January 13, 2011 Wow, so many answers, thank you! So much info But i think i have a trustworthy dealer, it is a leica vintage shop, which is part of a leica store here. I can see and touch (carefully of course) every lens before i buy it. They have dozens, which is why i got so insecure … The vendor mentioned that the lenses for 330 EUR are not as clean as the expensive ones, but he said the result will be reasonably good. Of course, if i could i would like to spend 1200 EUR … but already 300 is a lot for me And even if some of you might kill me, i think some effects can have a charming look. i also have the right to give the lens back after 2 weeks, if we are not satisfied with the result. Anyhow i tend to buy the 35mm because he likes to take pictures of architecture, and it might be better with a 35mm lens. The borders will be blury, but if he wants sharp and straight stuff, he can use his other lenses or is that stupid to say and blury borders in that sense always a sign of bad qualty? greyelm, thank you for the nice tipp. those lenses seem very interesting too. but i think it must be a lens from leica even though the lensbaby is very tempting, earleygallery! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 13, 2011 Share #11 Posted January 13, 2011 I think your 35mm Elmar would be a good choice. Allowing for the crop sensor of your friends camera the edges shouldn't be a problem, and complete sharpness isn't the point here anyway, as you say. By the way, I wish I had a friend like you Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidStone Posted January 13, 2011 Share #12 Posted January 13, 2011 If you decide on the 35, the results, especially with architecture, will almost certainly be better if the lens is used at a relatively small aperture - f/8 or smaller. This will improve the corner definition. And I agree that perfection is not essential. As I said before, this lens will undoubtedly be different from anything made now. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyelm Posted January 13, 2011 Share #13 Posted January 13, 2011 When checking a lens shine a LED torch/flashlight through and look for cloudiness. The odd fleck of dust or the odd light scratch don't matter but cloudiness does soften and reduces contrast. However on the Summar and Summitar the front lens unit unscrews and can be carefully cleaned with a made for purpose cleaner such as Zeiss, I have done this myself to the lenses I used for the test shots above. Incidentally all of my Leica lenses cost me between £45 and £100 from eBay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted January 13, 2011 thank you all! you really helped me a lot. are you interested to hear how the lens worked in a couple of weeks? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 13, 2011 Share #15 Posted January 13, 2011 Yes, get your friend to post an image or two from it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share #16 Posted January 13, 2011 hi greyelm, wow this is quite a difference. is 330 a normal price for an elmar 35mm from 1939 or 1937? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyelm Posted January 13, 2011 Share #17 Posted January 13, 2011 I got the Summar for £42, it was listed as "old Leica lens" and had an insurance number and original owner's name professionally engraved around the mount. I gave it a clean (10minutes) and now get the results as shown. I have a number of Barnack Leicas so this lens will get used for film too. The Elmars that I have came bundled with a couple of cameras and contributed to less than £100 of the cost. The Summitar cost less than £100 on it's own. All within the last 12 months, although I notice that prices have risen possibly due to the popularity of micro 4/3 and the Nex. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share #18 Posted January 13, 2011 this is kind of the stuff i looked at https://www.leicashop.com/vintage/leica-screw-lenses-elmar-chrome-3535-c-1000_1002_100209.html just in an actual shop (not online) … so you´re telling me i should rather buy on ebay to save (lots of) money? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyelm Posted January 13, 2011 Share #19 Posted January 13, 2011 Buying on eBay will always be more risky than buying from a shop, where you can try the lens for a couple of weeks. For 300 euros I would expect it to produce good results without having to be cleaned. Don't forget that lens caps can cost 30 euros so if the lens you are interested in includes one then that is a bonus. Original lens hoods can be expensive so google for cheaper alternatives. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaastrid Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share #20 Posted January 13, 2011 yes, the vendor even showed me 2 original lens caps, i could choose the one i like best on one lens the backside cap was black, and he promised to get me an original silver one if i wanted to buy that one … still i think that this is a huge price difference, 300 EUR vs. 100 £. not that i want to save money on presents, but i think it should be a reasonable deal for me. i guess the vendor won´t bargain with me Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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