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50mm 2.8 Elmar-m


nitrox1

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Got a brand new old stock black Elmar-m coming in from a dealer in Hong Kong. They had 3 but are down to only one left after I bought mine. Excited to get one of these again. Had one years ago and foolishly sold it. Looking forward to having that little mechanical wonder back. Really looking forward to trying it on my new m10. It’ll probably spend most of its time on my film MP though as my camping/backpacking setup. I have a summicron too so it’s kind of duplicitous, but I don’t care. This one isn’t getting sold, I learned my lesson. :)

 

 

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I g

 

Got a brand new old stock black Elmar-m coming in from a dealer in Hong Kong. They had 3 but are down to only one left after I bought mine. Excited to get one of these again. Had one years ago and foolishly sold it. Looking forward to having that little mechanical wonder back. Really looking forward to trying it on my new m10. It’ll probably spend most of its time on my film MP though as my camping/backpacking setup. I have a summicron too so it’s kind of duplicitous, but I don’t care. This one isn’t getting sold, I learned my lesson. :)


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I got my chrome version years ago and is still a little wonder as you said.

 

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I have a summicron too so it’s kind of duplicitous, but I don’t care.

I don’t think so. The Elmar-M 50 has much more clarity and seems a lot sharper to me than the Summicron. Congratulations! I’ve got one for at least 5 years now and this lens keeps surprising me.

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The 50mm Elmar M was the first Leica lens I bought.  The only fault I can find with mine is that the aperture ring doesn't have very positive detents and so it is easy to accidentaly change the setting without realising it. Other than that I've always been happy with the lens.  

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... that little mechanical wonder ...

 

Unfortunately the Elmar-M has the worst mechanics of all collapsible lenses Leica made. Unlike all others there is  no definite position to fix the extracted shaft. So it will happen that you can only see the aperture scale when you look from below, if you don't fix it in the right position. When I first had it, I thought mine was misadjusted by some imcompetent repairer - until I learned that all Elmar-Ms were like this. The mount also is not strong enough to prevent it getting wobbly - something which won't happen to other collapsible Leica lenses.

 

It was first introduced with the M6J in the mount it originally got when it was first built with M-bayonet. I havn't used such a version, though if this built equals the quality of the original M-Version it would be much preferable. I am also not sure whether the M6J-version has a straight-line mount  - the lens head not turning around when you focus it. This would be a big progress compared to the original version.

 

So since Leica started to "reissue" some old lens-designs, a 50mm  Elmar (preferably 1:3.5 with modern glass) with the old but straight-line mount of the bayonet-Elmar would be more appealing than what they have "reissued" so far.   

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I owned the M6J version first, before the black one I have now. Strange enough this M6J version didn't convince me at all IQ-wise, less sharp than Summicron 50 iv for instance. Perhaps one misfit or built in a hurry for collectors; the M6J was a collector's item anyway

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I recently got an Elmar-M, and while the mechanics may not be up to the original 2.8 Elmar, it has advantages. Optically it seems very good, but my copy has some front-focus, so images don't appear as sharp as they could. I don't know if the design allows for adjustment of focus, but if so I'll ask DAG to set it right, as otherwise it is a fine lens.

However, I think the Summarit 2.5 is it's equal, except possibly for flare. I can see why Leica felt the Summarit was a better choice in the lineup.

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I don't see significant differences re build quality between my 50/2.8 v1 (11112), v2 (11831) and M6J version (11824). The three copies are well built and the main differences of v2 and M6J vs v1 are rectilinear focusing mount, shorter focus throw and lack of infinity lock aside from IQ of course. The only one to wobble a bit is v1 but it is a lens from the sixties and my later v2 and M6J remain generally extended so my experience is not significant from this viewpoint. BTW the M6J version has not the same mount as v1 (pic) but its design is very close obviously. Both v1 and M6J have a focus knob contrary to v2 which has no focus aid. Great lenses indeed. V2 is my favorite 50 in good light but it's just me.

 

V1 and M6J:

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Summarit-M 50 is small lens. At least f2.5, even with hood . And it is close to Summicron optically.

Elmar-M... With filter and hood it was not compact lens on my M4-2 even collapsed. Not at all.

 

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It is not duplicate of any Summicron, because it is different lens optically. Very sharp and rich on micro-contrast, but it was too Tessarish, punchy for my taste on portraits.

 

Summicrons are different in rendering and my Cron 50 IV is not as sharp as my black Elmar-M was. And I don't think Elmar-M 50 2.8 has focus shifts, but any 50 Cron does have, more less.

 

The reasons why I sold it - f2.8, black version has flimsy feel on top, kind of vague on locking, no focus tab and not compact, but too long then extracted and with filter and hood.

 

Would I buy it again? I might. After trying many 50mm lenses on Leica, I'm not into this focal length anymore. This lens is good for having one and only 50mm true Leica lens, for just because.

 

 

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Agree 99% ;). Elmar 50/2.8 v2 (11831) is a bit taller than Summarit 50/2.5 indeed but it is the shorter M 50 otherwise. Here with Summicron 50/2 v4 which is itself the smaller 50/2 Leica IINW:

 

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Great lens, the level of a Summicron at one third of the price or less.

Maybe even sharper. The only weakness, at least on mine, is you can't lock it in collapsed position. 

Anyway it's a pleasure to use this little marvel. Got it years ago and is among the never-sell lenses.

 

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Latest 50mm Elmar-M is a great lens..

..word is..Leica discontinued it..because it was taking the thunder out of Summicron sales..

 

I have never heard of such an info or rumor, which does not mean that it does not exist of course. Would you have any evidence about it? Just curious.

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Has the M6J-version just one defined position where to fix it when it is extracted like the "old" versions?

 

Would you mind to elaborate about this defined position? I don't have them with me but i don't recall having noticed a special engraving on either version. Collapsing or extending those lenses have never been a problem for me though.

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... word is ... Leica discontinued it because it was taking the thunder out of Summicron sales.

The 50 mm Elmar and the 50 mm Summicron happily lived side by side in the Leitz, then Leica product line-up for ... um, more than half a century without one taking 'the thunder' out of the other.

 

No, it's the Summarit-M 50 mm 1:2.5 that killed the Elmar.

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