michaelbrenner Posted February 18, 2015 Share #1 Â Posted February 18, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) What's your favorite vintage Leica lens? I've been having a great time using a Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm on my M240. Amazing versatility being able to do close focus and far and sharp, very sharp. Only bummer, as it's an R lens being used with an adapter for the M, is that I can't use the rangefinder with it and must instead use the EVF, which is *much* slower to use than the rangefinder but is invaluable for close up work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 18, 2015 Posted February 18, 2015 Hi michaelbrenner, Take a look here Favorite vintage lens on an M240?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
farnz Posted February 18, 2015 Share #2 Â Posted February 18, 2015 My favourite vintage Leica lens is the 50/3.5 Elmar but my favourite of any vintage lens is either the Carl Zeiss Jena 50/2 Sonnar or the Carl Zeiss Jena 85/2 Sonnar. Â Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelbrenner Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share #3 Â Posted February 18, 2015 What is it about those lenses that puts them at the top of your list? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 18, 2015 Share #4 Â Posted February 18, 2015 What is it about those lenses that puts them at the top of your list? The Elmar: lightness and compactness combined with low-contrast but sharp images. The Sonnars: the lovely rending of out of focus areas, the 'Sonnar' colours, flare resistance, and low contrast images. Â Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelbrenner Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share #5 Â Posted February 18, 2015 I love how, on some of the vintage lenses, the OOF areas almost look like brushstrokes on an oil painting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted February 18, 2015 Share #6 Â Posted February 18, 2015 How old must the lens be? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelbrenner Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share #7 Â Posted February 18, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) As old as you like, just not in current production, meaning the lens cannot be bought new (older versions or models of a lens still in production are also considered vintage and are very welcome to discussion). Just as long as you can't run out to B&H and buy a new one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted February 18, 2015 Share #8  Posted February 18, 2015 Thank you Michael so it will be my favorite 50 for good light (besides the 50/2 apo perhaps) the Elmar-M 50/2.8 v2. 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! LeicaM_5028_11831_tech.pdf Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! LeicaM_5028_11831_tech.pdf ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/241228-favorite-vintage-lens-on-an-m240/?do=findComment&comment=2766911'>More sharing options...
dugby Posted February 19, 2015 Share #9  Posted February 19, 2015 Well it would have to be my silver (heavy!!) LHSA Summilux-M 50mm ASPH 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/241228-favorite-vintage-lens-on-an-m240/?do=findComment&comment=2767107'>More sharing options...
michaelbrenner Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share #10  Posted February 19, 2015 I have a Summarit-M 5cm/50mm f/1.5 (1956), which I also quite enjoy. It had a bit of haze when I got it and so I had it CLA'd (many thanks to Youxin Ye for the quick turn around). It is prone to flare and has a tendency to make subjects appear to glow, but I find this characteristic makes a very pleasing portrait lens. The OOF areas, especially at f/1.5 almost look like brush strokes on an oil painting.  First capture is actually first shot taken with the lens, before the CLA, on an X-Pro1 with adapter.  Second capture is taken after the CLA, with a Leica M240. I think it cleaned up pretty well. 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/241228-favorite-vintage-lens-on-an-m240/?do=findComment&comment=2767169'>More sharing options...
farnz Posted February 19, 2015 Share #11 Â Posted February 19, 2015 The cleaning has made a difference but so has the light: flat, low-contrast, diffuse light in your first picture compared with high-contrast, direct bright sunlight in the second. Â Your model displayed remarkable patience in standing in the same spot waiting while you sent your Summarit to Youxin for cleaning, acquired an M and then took the second shot. Â Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rirakuma Posted February 19, 2015 Share #12  Posted February 19, 2015 My fav vintage lens at the moment is the v1 35 cron, it has this gentle but strong character and handles very nicely. The bokeh is like as if the noctilux mated with a rigid, sounds weird but it can be very smooth or wild. Here is one wild and one smooth example, I can't wait to put it to more use 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! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/241228-favorite-vintage-lens-on-an-m240/?do=findComment&comment=2767220'>More sharing options...
ayewing Posted February 19, 2015 Share #13 Â Posted February 19, 2015 Probably my most used older lens is my 35mm Summicron v3. My other older favourit is my Tele Elmarit M -the thin version. It is small and light for its focal length and while maybe not as sharp as recent versions is good for portraits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted February 19, 2015 Share #14 Â Posted February 19, 2015 The Thambar, without hesitation. Controlling its softness and the image highlights predictably is extremely difficult without immediate digital feedback, ideally the M240's live view. My hope is that with sufficient digital experience, my results will improve when using this lens with film! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelbrenner Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share #15  Posted February 19, 2015 I had to look this one up. Additional Thambar info can be found at:  leica.overgaard.dk - Thorsten Overgaard's Leica Pages - The Legendary Leica 90mm Thambar f/2.2 Portrait Lens Samples and Article  and  thambar | eBay  That looks like one wild lens... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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