M3 with Long Lens

[lmans]

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I have a 1962 M3 with the standard 50mm lens.... I would like to shoot some nature with a longer lens...up to 300mm or 400 if possible. Any suggestions? What brand of lens might work and would I need some adapter to fit my camera? Much appreciated.... jim 

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[Pyrogallol]

You would need a Visoflex adaptor and various other bits and pieces to use a lens longer than 135mm on an M3. Interesting and fun to acquire, but not ideal.

See if a 135mm will suit what you want, if not a conventional film SLR would be more practical to use or a digital camera that lets you view the image through the lens.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Pyrogallol

[lmans]

16 minutes ago, Pyrogallol said:

You would need a Visoflex adaptor and various other bits and pieces to use a lens longer than 135mm on an M3. Interesting and fun to acquire, but not ideal.

See if a 135mm will suit what you want, if not a conventional film SLR would be more practical to use or a digital camera that lets you view the image through the lens.

Thanks....Yes...135 tops for the camera w/o adaptors etc...but doable.  Is there a  difference between the Tele-Elmar and just Elmar 135mm.? There are several on Ebay and will take a look. Fairly  in-expensive to pick up and would be a challenge for sure, ....jim

Edited April 15, 2020 by lmans

[jankap]

Must it be film? Would a Leica CL (with a crop sensor) not be better? You could still use M-lenses (with an adapter). Your 50mm lens - for instance - would serve as a 75mm (eq).

[lmans]

Probably work better but I have my old M3 ...want to use this. It would be a challenge but more a composition challenge as I want to shoot wildlife. not so much as getting up close and personal as we do now with digital wildlife photography but more , habitat, general lay of land....bird within image and central but more 1940's style images...and yes, film and all I have at the moment is BW but can always purchase color but I like the idea of artfully done BW. I am burnt out on anything digital...

Edited April 15, 2020 by lmans

[jaapv]

Any lens on the Visoflex3. I have used the Noflexar-T 400 in Visosflex mount /Pigriff with good success, but both Telyt-V 400 and 560 are excellent options. If you are looking at the Telyt-V 280, make sure you get version 3, it is better optically. easiest to focus using a Televit quick-focus mount. I was less impressed with the Telyt-V 200.

 

Noflexar-T 400 on M8:

 

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[Lmax]

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You asked: The Elmar 4/135 (1960-1965) was a good lens, the Tele-Elmar 4/135 (1965-1985 and 1992-1998, only differing in barrel-design) was a really superb lens.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Lmax

[TomB_tx]

Agree with Lmax - the Tele-Elmar 135 is an excellent lens, and quite usable on the M3 without any adapters.

[Pyrogallol]

4 hours ago, lmans said:

Thanks....Yes...135 tops for the camera w/o adaptors etc...but doable.  Is there a  difference between the Tele-Elmar and just Elmar 135mm.? There are several on Ebay and will take a look. Fairly  in-expensive to pick up and would be a challenge for sure, ....jim

The use of the term “Tele” in a lens name indicates that the lens is physically shorter than its given length, as a result of the optical design. In the old days a 135mm lens would be around 135mm long and should really be called a “long focus” lens. But these days people call any lens longer than the standard a “Tele” or “telephoto” lens, but modern lenses are probably all actually shorter than their nominal length, so “Tele” is probably right anyway.

With Leica lenses “Tele” does indicate a shorter length than the older non “Tele” versions.

[spydrxx]

The 135 Tele-Elmar (early version) is a superb lens, originally designed for use by the US Navy for reconnaissance work, before being made available to the public. Some people find it difficult to focus on M2-3-4 bodies, but I've used one for many years with no trouble. Other feature is the head is removable for use on the Visoflex (or some other cameras), turning it into a SLR lens. Later version, although sharper doesn't have a removable head. If you're really into nature (like birds and small mammals), the Telyt 400/6.8 used in conjunction with a Visoflex on your M3 is the ticket...nice and sharp in the center fading sharpness as you move away from center. If you're really cheap (frugal) an old Spiratone 400/6.3 can be cut down and fitted with an M fitting for use on the Visoflex & M3 as well, and delivers just about as well as the equivalent Telyt...especially stopped down 1 notch to f/8.

[J.Nordvik]

1970 Tele-Elmar

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[J.Nordvik]

1970 Tele-Elmar

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[J.Nordvik]

"The 135 Tele-Elmar (early version) is a superb lens, originally designed for use by the US Navy for reconnaissance work" 

That sounds like the APO-Telyt R 3,4/180mm.

[jankap]

Something like this:

https://frankencamera.wordpress.com/2020/01/27/leica-m3-digital-conversion-kit/

This does not solve any of the problems using a rangefinder camera with long lenses. But is not it interesting?

Edited April 16, 2020 by jankap