Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS Posted March 29, 2017 Share #1 Â Posted March 29, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) Question about Leica collapsible lenses............do they make any other focal length collapsible lenses apart from 50mm?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 29, 2017 Posted March 29, 2017 Hi Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS, Take a look here Leica collapsible lenses. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Abram Posted March 29, 2017 Share #2 Â Posted March 29, 2017 There is a 90mm the Macro-Elmar and a much older Collapsible 90mm Elmar from the M3 days as well. Â Maybe others? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwj Posted March 30, 2017 Share #3 Â Posted March 30, 2017 To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things: Firstly, space between the last element and the shutter, so there is little value if the rear of the optical cell goes into the body, as with most lenses with focal length shorter than 50mm. Therefore you don't see it happen with wide angles, which are more likely to be small anyway. Second, you want it to get small once it's collapsed. A 90mm lens will be able to get very small, but a 135mm lens will still stick out ~45mm more than a 90mm so a lot of the small advantage is lost. Remember that they were originally made for the screw mount cameras and so could be pocketable. So at one end (50mm) the optical cell is far enough from the shutter to make it worthwhile, and at the other end (135mm) the optical cell is too far forward to make it a very small package when collapsed (I suppose you could use a two tube telescoping system but it would not be as strong). As a result, you only see 50mm and 90mm collapsible lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS Posted March 30, 2017 Share #4 Â Posted March 30, 2017 To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things: Firstly, space between the last element and the shutter, so there is little value if the rear of the optical cell goes into the body, as with most lenses with focal length shorter than 50mm. Therefore you don't see it happen with wide angles, which are more likely to be small anyway. Second, you want it to get small once it's collapsed. A 90mm lens will be able to get very small, but a 135mm lens will still stick out ~45mm more than a 90mm so a lot of the small advantage is lost. Remember that they were originally made for the screw mount cameras and so could be pocketable. So at one end (50mm) the optical cell is far enough from the shutter to make it worthwhile, and at the other end (135mm) the optical cell is too far forward to make it a very small package when collapsed (I suppose you could use a two tube telescoping system but it would not be as strong). As a result, you only see 50mm and 90mm collapsible lenses. thank you for the explanation sir Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwj Posted March 30, 2017 Share #5 Â Posted March 30, 2017 thank you for the explanation sir No worries, but don't assume I'm an expert, it's just my thoughts on the matter! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS Posted March 30, 2017 Share #6  Posted March 30, 2017 No worries, but don't assume I'm an expert, it's just my thoughts on the matter! No worries, I was thinking about a 28mm but seeing as they are not available I will stick with what I already have Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 30, 2017 Share #7 Â Posted March 30, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things: Firstly, space between the last element and the shutter, so there is little value if the rear of the optical cell goes into the body, as with most lenses with focal length shorter than 50mm. Therefore you don't see it happen with wide angles, which are more likely to be small anyway. Second, you want it to get small once it's collapsed. A 90mm lens will be able to get very small, but a 135mm lens will still stick out ~45mm more than a 90mm so a lot of the small advantage is lost. Remember that they were originally made for the screw mount cameras and so could be pocketable. So at one end (50mm) the optical cell is far enough from the shutter to make it worthwhile, and at the other end (135mm) the optical cell is too far forward to make it a very small package when collapsed (I suppose you could use a two tube telescoping system but it would not be as strong). As a result, you only see 50mm and 90mm collapsible lenses. Still, the Leica C has a lens that collapses when switched off, yet it zooms to 200 mm equivalent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelwj Posted March 30, 2017 Share #8 Â Posted March 30, 2017 Still, the Leica C has a lens that collapses when switched off, yet it zooms to 200 mm equivalent. It is truely a masterpiece. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
friedeye Posted April 4, 2017 Share #9 Â Posted April 4, 2017 LTM Elmar 35 3.5. Â Great little lens that collapses flat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted April 4, 2017 Share #10 Â Posted April 4, 2017 To make a collapsible lens worth while you need a few things: [....] Â Thank you, Captain Obvious. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david strachan Posted April 4, 2017 Share #11  Posted April 4, 2017 LTM Elmar 35 50mm3.5.  Great little lens that collapses flat.  The 35mm f3.5 isn't collapsible. Perhaps a typo; think you mean the 50mm Elmar.  all best... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted April 4, 2017 Share #12  Posted April 4, 2017 No worries, I was thinking about a 28mm but seeing as they are not available I will stick with what I already have 28mm & collapsible?  The new/old Summaron is so dinky it does not need to collapse... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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