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Most compact leica lens made...


techpan

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It's not the most compact, but my newly acquired 35/2 which turned out to be a II not a III (no problem for me since it uses the same 39mm filters, no weird series stuff) is absolutely fantastic. The II is nice in that even though it's a few mm longer than the IV the front element is inset about 3-4mm, so it doesn't really need a shade. I do have a rectangular shade which I'll use indoors when an IR filter is necessary. This thing is a gem. I was shooting it outside today, afternoon light among buildings and it was rolling off the shoulder seemingly endlessly - without a hint of flare. I really had to work to make anything show overexposure on the info display. Not bad for a 1970 lens! Color palette is all Leica, smooth tonal scale, lovely focus transitions. Clear but neither harsh or flat. Plenty sharp on the M8 at f4. Love it and would recommend it to anyone without hesitation! :D

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Well the 40mm f2.8 Elmarit-C arrived from Germany today.

 

A couple of reactions: This lens is really small - I mean really. The standard back cap doubles the size of the package. No apparent linear distortion. Contrast and sharpness improve as its stopped down. I'll post images after I walk around with it for a few days. Build quality is fine but a tad below M standards - the fstops are painted on rather than engraved.

 

I managed to run off a dozen or so IRs (its getting dark here so I ran out of time). It looks like this lens does an outstanding job for this purpose. Infinity focus is correct when the focus ring reads 10m, which is about what you would expect under the 300x focal length rule of thumb. I may end up keeping it in my bag with an IR filter on.

 

The 39mm filter ring has a slightly different thread than normal, but it's possible to screw the filter in one turn or so so it stays on. The small central protrusion interferes with the back of the filter glass so you need to use an empty 39mm filter ring as a spacer.

 

An issue: the wrong frame lines (75 mm) come up. The 50mm frame lines are about perfect at infinity - of course they will be too tight at close focus.

 

I believe that I could have the lens altered to bring up the correct frame lines. Is this a good idea given that this lens is valued as is by collectors?

 

I'd be interested in reactions of those of you who have the more commonly available 40mm f2.0.

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how much did you pay for this little sucker?

 

this lens is rare because of an error in its design (the movement of the aperture ring lever obstructed the viewfinder). and the leitz was forced to cease production and substitute it with the 40/2.0 C

 

this lens was never put on the market and maybe only 400 units were ever made.

 

To reduce costs the lens elements were made in Germany but was assembled in Romania, which may explain the lesser build quality you noticed.

 

I'm not sure if "C" is meant for 'compact' or "cheap" :rolleyes:

 

but, hey the lens should perform ok. its a 4 lens element design in 3 groups. can you post some pics to show us how this lens draws. interestingly enough this lens is 10g heavier than the 40/2.0C. One would think it was lighter being a stop slower

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The 39mm filter ring has a slightly different thread than normal, but it's possible to screw the filter in one turn or so so it stays on. The small central protrusion interferes with the back of the filter glass so you need to use an empty 39mm filter ring as a spacer.

Congrats Woody!

I guess the filter thread is the same as that of the Summicron-C 40/2 (0.75 instead of 0.5 for M lenses) and its diameter is 39mm as well. If so, you just need a series 5.5 filter like the one you can view on the left of a regular Leica 39mm below if you can find out a 40/2 rubber hood. This hood's serial number is 12518. You might also wish to try my little tip here: http://tinyurl.com/2qjd5w if you don't mind to grind the filter housing of the hood.

An issue: the wrong frame lines (75 mm) come up. The 50mm frame lines are about perfect at infinity - of course they will be too tight at close focus.

I don't own a digital M yet so i don't know how the M8 works with the 40/2 or 40/2.8. My film Ms have no 75mm framelines and bring up the 50mm ones with the 40/2. Quite easy to bring up the 35mm ones instead if you prefer them. Just about one millimeter to file in the flange... and one thousand euros to loose in the move :D unless you file a 40/2 flange if you can fit it on your little beauty. For more details, see http://tinyurl.com/92tcw.

 

DSC00807-afcropweb.jpg

 

4002flangeweb.jpg

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...the fstops are painted on rather than engraved...

Did you check with a loupe? Engravings were not deep at that time, even with M lenses like Summicrons 50 or 35.

(Sorry i don't recall if this pic is from yours. If you mind my posting it here i'll remove it right now of course.)

 

LeicaCL_4028_03_denum.jpg

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  • 1 year later...

lct,

 

Unless you do side by side tests using multiple lenses there is no point in putting up an image to 'prove' the crappy bokeh of lens X. I have seen crappy bokeh from everything under the sun and railings, like the ones shown, can be merciless, especially against the light (looks like minimum focus distance too). We also have no idea of post processing etc. A lens might have great bokeh apart from at certain aperture-distance combos. However, from the vast majority of images I have seen on the web from the 35 2.5, bokeh looks broadly fine. You can't argue with the fact that in Sean's test on a M8 the little CV did astoundingly well and did outresolve the Leicas. The bokeh in his test is very pleasant! I have also seen no nasty bokeh from my CV 21-P, although I far prefer the ZM in all respects.

 

Leica make some wonderful products, but a large proportion of the cost is in QC. Slower designs by other manufacturers are easier to make well and in many cases perform very well. I hear so much BS about the inherent superiority of leica bokeh (some even say their asph lenses have creaminess and 'Leica glow' which is farcical). Leica lenses are generally predictably fantastic in all or most regards, hence the price.

 

I use both ZM and Leica lenses with one CV and can honestly say that the bokeh from my 21,28,35 and 50(planar) ZMs is very pleasant indeed. To hear people bashing the 35 f2 Zm for harsh bokeh makes me chuckle (the 28 is very creamy as is the 50). It is almost always coming from a dyed in the wool Leicaphile who will not be convinced no matter what (or tested it quickly under crappy conditions (without any direct comparison) and then asserts to everyone they meet that it is rubbish. The leicas I have used or owned are great, but the competition are darned good too in many cases.

 

Even some lenses famour for bokeh have produced some ugly results. without comparison (a la Sean, Guy manusco etc) bokeh bashing is a waste of time.

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I may need to use a loupe or compare pics side by side in some cases but i don't need reviews or comparos to dislike those bokehs for instance.

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40/2.0 Summicron C. This is a VERY compact lens. I don't have it to hand to measure the length. It weighs only 130g. It is probably the lightest f2.0 lens in the entire leica M line up.

 

The Cron-C 40/2 is 35mm long, filter and rubber hood collapsed included. You just feel the weight of the body when using it.

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WHAT IS THAT? Is it an Elmar-C 90/4 or a Summicron-C 40/2? Or is it something I've never heard about?

Elmarit-C 40/2.8:

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I've browsed the Internet a little and discovered the Elmarit-C 40/2.8 is quite a rare lens, sometimes even sold at auctions at Christies and at prices from 1500 to 3000 euros and sometimes more in the case of prototypes. Just amazing...

Would like to see some pictures as well.

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