Does Anyone Know About This Lens

[Silverwood]

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I have an old Leica that belonged to my father. I have checked the serial number and identified it as a iiif, circa 1950/51. The lens on it, a Leitz Elmar F=50cm 1:35, has the ability to move, so the lens stays parallel with the film but shifts the image to the left or right, up or down, depending on how you mount the lens. I have never seen a lens like this on a small camera, and have searched the web to see if I can find any more information. Can anyone help?

[wda]

Silverwood, welcome to the forum! Why not post a picture of camera and lens to help identification? If it is a Leica M3 the image will appear to move in the combined view/rangefinder in order to counteract parallax errors at different distances. Perhaps that is what you observe. The model number should be engraved on the top plate if it is an M3.

[chris_livsey]

I have read of "home conversions" to a shift lens:

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51284

 

This does not meet your description. Serial numbers and pictures would help

[jc_braconi]

I have an old Leica that belonged to my father. I have checked the serial number and identified it as a iiif, circa 1950/51. The lens on it, a Leitz Elmar F=50cm 1:35, has the ability to move, so the lens stays parallel with the film but shifts the image to the left or right, up or down, depending on how you mount the lens. I have never seen a lens like this on a small camera, and have searched the web to see if I can find any more information. Can anyone help?

The Leitz Elmar 3.5/50 is usually a telescopic lens for reduce volume of the complete camera when not in use, SO when you want to take a pict you erect the lens the complete lenght and next your turn the head clock wise to LOCK IT in the use position. you understand what you have to do to turn back in non use position ?

[250swb]

I agree, it sounds like it's an ordinary collapsible Elmar that hasn't been locked into position, if the felt around the barrel is worn it will wobble about.

 

Steve

[Silverwood]

I have read of "home conversions" to a shift lens:

 

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51284

 

This does not meet your description. Serial numbers and pictures would help

 

Thank you for giving the most sensible reply and adding the useful link. I think that it might have been specially adapted. I can't find a serial number on the lens, only the camera which makes it a 1950/51 fiii Photos attached.

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[wda]

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Now that makes it much easier to help you Silverwood. An unusual non-factory modification I would think.

[jc_braconi]

Yes a really special lens mount ! certainly made for architectural picture...

And as everybody can see the serial number is on the black ring aperture setting

464 991 ? 1938 ??

also the little silver button on the camera under the lens mount is not usual and intriguing me

[jc_braconi]

Can you post a pict with this button visible,

I mean with the lens in profile position ?

Thank you

[sabears]

We need to see the lens dismounted, even the back side and the mounting ring.

I agree with JCBraconi, this may be a sort of tilt/shift lens for architectural pictures, even if extremely difficult to setup without direct vision or references.

Another option (?) I throw it there...stereo photo? I mean: 1 photo all left, another one all on the right (this is the reason why we need to see the lens dismounted, if there are internal masks).

Sure a customized lens... not from Leitz.

Best regards.

 

P.S.: the serial n. is on the front black ring around the lens

[chris_livsey]

I agree with JCBraconi, this may be a sort of tilt/shift lens for architectural pictures, even if extremely difficult to setup without direct vision or references.

 

This lens is never, ever, going to tilt

[sabears]

This lens is never, ever, going to tilt

 

You are right, this is possible only using a hammer (accessory not furnished )

[chris_livsey]

You are right, this is possible only using a hammer (accessory not furnished )

 

:D:D

[david werbeloff]

Hello, Silverwood , JC & All,

 

I agree that this lens has been adapted to be perspective correcting for architectural work.

The infinity lock to which JC refers appears to be the standard type but missing the little mushroom-shaped button with concentric circles which fits with a little spring into that ring which appears in the photos provided. Also, the infinity lock is usually at the "8 o'clock" position when mounted on the camera correctly. If it were - it appears to be about "5 o'clock" in the photos - then the milled slots to throw the lens off axis would run vertically so that one could correct the converging verticals of buildings that occurs when the camera is pointed upwards. I still can't imagine how one would know how much to adjust the lens in the slots for the appropriate amount of perspective correction with range finder camera... These lenses are usually used on an SLR, or, if one wanted to be a purist, in conjunction with a Visoflex;) Just surmising here... Best, David

[jaapv]

Not really on the Visoflex, the shortest focal length is 65 mm, a shift lens is not very effective over 50 mm. In fact even this Elmar @ 50 mm cannot work very well, normally 35 mm is the longest useful focal length. An interesting item and neatly made.

[250swb]

Much better being able to see it.

 

It can't see how it could be accurately set up to make any corrections to perspective. The stereo idea is best, take one photo then slide the lens across for the second picture. It would require the focus to be set so the lens slides horizontally, but on a tripod DOF could be used to correct imperfect focus. The only thing is that all 35mm stereo cameras I have seen the lenses have been much further apart than the movement possible here, so is this lens even meant for the camera, could it have been also used on a microscope for making stereo pictures of specimens?

 

Steve

[sabears]

Much better being able to see it.

 

It can't see how it could be accurately set up to make any corrections to perspective. The stereo idea is best, take one photo then slide the lens across for the second picture. It would require the focus to be set so the lens slides horizontally, but on a tripod DOF could be used to correct imperfect focus. The only thing is that all 35mm stereo cameras I have seen the lenses have been much further apart than the movement possible here, so is this lens even meant for the camera, could it have been also used on a microscope for making stereo pictures of specimens?

 

Steve

 

Excellent reasoning ... now we have to wait for more data from the owner.

 

cheers

[luigi bertolotti]

Me too think it's a stereo "home made" device.... back in the '50s there has been a (short) period of "stereo frenzy"... time ago I found an old US photo magazine of the era and there was an incredible number of advertisings for any sort of stereo gizmos...but don't remember to have seen an ad with "Make your Leica a Stereo Camera !!" .. this Elmar is intriguing and no badly made, but looks anyway a "one of a kind" modification.

I'm curios to see how the focusing is managed... very uneven that the RF is someway engaged... looks more a fixed focus solution... and the Elmar barrel doesn't look much retracted: could be made for stereo pics of flowers/insects.... .. small focusing distance can be in accord with the small lateral shift (iirc, in stereo you had lens shift=interpupillar distance for takings at infinity); I don't think is related to microscopy... where usually one doesn't mount a lens on the Leica, but mounts it directly to the optics of the device.

[duckrider]

... the little silver button on the camera under the lens mount is not usual and intriguing me

 

How to focus the lens?

I think the silver button is a elongation of the original focus konb.

 

Thought I'd know all of Leica:rolleyes:, but each day we learn new facts 'bout Leica!

 

Thomas

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[250swb]

How to focus the lens?

I think the silver button is a elongation of the original focus konb.

 

 

You can see where the original lock button has been removed, and in the top picture the focus scale, so focus still looks like it is possible.

 

I noted the position of the focus knob, put a lens cap on my Elmar lens with the writing at the same angle as the slide mechanism, and rotated the lens until the 'Leica' writing was horizontal, and the focus comes out at about 1.5 metres, or if the slide is supposed to be vertically aligned it is about 5 metres. In the focus throw of the Elmar these are the only two positions where the slide mechanism is 'square' to the body.

 

So modifying the idea about a microscope, perhaps it goes on something like a large copy stand for set distance stereo pictures if it is a working unit with the body and if the slide is supposed to be aligned square to the body?

 

Steve