Elmar 35mm & 50mm f3.5: An appreciation thread

[shirubadanieru]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

1 hour ago, Andy_Shields said:

That's the stuff right there.

Ahaha thank you, do you have one as well? Show it off

[Andy_Shields]

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!

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[shirubadanieru]

2 hours ago, Andy_Shields said:

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!

that looks great! & you also got the rare hood! the hood is harder to find than the actual lens but looks awesome. Great pics too!!

[Andy_Shields]

39 minutes ago, shirubadanieru said:

that looks great! & you also got the rare hood! the hood is harder to find than the actual lens but looks awesome. Great pics too!!

Thanks! I wish I had a nickel Elmar to "match" the hood. Hopefully someday. Thanks for getting this thread going.

[Rennrocky]

Elmar 3,5 cm Kodak Gold 200 Leica II Berlin City West

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!

[shirubadanieru]

56 minutes ago, Andy_Shields said:

Thanks! I wish I had a nickel Elmar to "match" the hood. Hopefully someday. Thanks for getting this thread going.

Me too especially since I use the DII in Nickel / Black paint...but, given the hood almost hides the lens completely is not that noticeable hehe
I've seen a few copies around but they cost double the chrome one and I have yet to find one without haze in it unfortunately. 

Thanks for posting, keep them coming, would love to see more!

[Ecar]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

M10P ASC + 1948 Elmar 35/3.5, wide open

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!

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Ecar said:

M10P ASC + 1948 Elmar 35/3.5, wide open

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!

Just amazing what a lens from 1948 can do on a modern digital M. 👏🏻

I have a 1958 35/3.5 Summaron LTM, which also performs great on my M10R and M10M. 

Would be interesting to know the main differences in rendering between the elmar and summaron.

[shirubadanieru]

40 minutes ago, mcpallesen said:

Just amazing what a lens from 1948 can do on a modern digital M. 👏🏻

I have a 1958 35/3.5 Summaron LTM, which also performs great on my M10R and M10M. 

Would be interesting to know the main differences in rendering between the elmar and summaron.

I actually never tried them side by side but I love the Summaron as well. The ltm version has such a great body design and feels quite special. I prefer the elmar mostly due to size and also because it was leicas first wide angle lens. Rendering is great on both Elmar and summaron but I’m sure summaron offers better corner performance etc. 

but yeah it’s amazing how leicas first lens design was so good that it still produces amazing results even today. Not only on digital but on film too. For example, I love the close up rendering of both elmars, this was shot on Portra with the 50mm wide open and to me it’s just lovely. 

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!

Edited February 15, 2023 by shirubadanieru

[Ecar]

26 minutes ago, mcpallesen said:

Would be interesting to know the main differences in rendering between the elmar and summaron.

In a nutshell (I never made a side-by-side comparison): the Summaron is optically the *better* lens, mostly in terms of resolution, sharpness across the frame (the edges are so-so with the Elmar, which is essentially a Tessar-like evolved triplet, with a 4th element added to the rear group) and flare resistance.

Conversely, the Elmar offers a more "vintage" look, with lower overall contrast - and more progressive tonal transitions.

Again, this is based on my general observations (and on the copies I have/had). Others who are more experienced may want to chime in.

[JMF]

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!

 

That 3 digit 1930 35mm Elmar was cla'd and RF adjusted  recently accurately down to 0,90m yet it  still is  missing an iris blade !

 

 

Close focus on SL 

 

Cheers

JM

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by JMF

[shirubadanieru]

11 minutes ago, JMF said:

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!

 

That 3 digit 1930 35mm Elmar was cla'd and RF adjusted  recently accurately down to 0,90m yet it  still is  missing an iris blade !

 

 

Close focus on SL 

 

Cheers

JM

 

 

 

howcome it's missing a blade? ahah

Also 308 wow! i didn't even know you could focus properly w/ the close focus elmars

Edited February 15, 2023 by shirubadanieru

[JMF]

Just now, shirubadanieru said:

howcome it's missing a blade? ahah

No idea! It's older than me 🤭🌞

[JMF]

6 minutes ago, shirubadanieru said:

howcome it's missing a blade? ahah

Also 308 wow! i didn't even know you could focus properly w/ the close focus elmars

Close focusing using live view .

Looking for a wrecked elmar or an iris blade 😉

Edited February 15, 2023 by JMF

[Guest]

4 hours ago, shirubadanieru said:

I actually never tried them side by side but I love the Summaron as well. The ltm version has such a great body design and feels quite special. I prefer the elmar mostly due to size and also because it was leicas first wide angle lens. Rendering is great on both Elmar and summaron but I’m sure summaron offers better corner performance etc. 

but yeah it’s amazing how leicas first lens design was so good that it still produces amazing results even today. Not only on digital but on film too. For example, I love the close up rendering of both elmars, this was shot on Portra with the 50mm wide open and to me it’s just lovely. 

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!

Yes, very nice rendering!

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Ecar said:

In a nutshell (I never made a side-by-side comparison): the Summaron is optically the *better* lens, mostly in terms of resolution, sharpness across the frame (the edges are so-so with the Elmar, which is essentially a Tessar-like evolved triplet, with a 4th element added to the rear group) and flare resistance.

Conversely, the Elmar offers a more "vintage" look, with lower overall contrast - and more progressive tonal transitions.

Again, this is based on my general observations (and on the copies I have/had). Others who are more experienced may want to chime in.

Makes sense. The 3.5/35 Summaron also gives quite a vintage look - especially on M10M, one can really create images of yester-year. 😊

 

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!

[Guest]

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!

[Guest]

Now I need to find one of the 3.5/35 Elmar lenses. They look great also. 👌🏻 Are they possibe to find without haze or other issues?

[lct]

24 minutes ago, mcpallesen said:

Now I need to find one of the 3.5/35 Elmar lenses. They look great also. 👌🏻 Are they possibe to find without haze or other issues?

Better choose a late version like this coated copy from 1948. Its IQ is more contrasty than early versions though.

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!

 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Ecar]

15 minutes ago, mcpallesen said:

Makes sense. The 3.5/35 Summaron also gives quite a vintage look - especially on M10M, one can really create images of yester-year. 😊

Absolutely. The differences that I found between the Elmar and the Summaron are mostly visible at the widest apertures, of course. And you have to look carefully to see them...

3 minutes ago, mcpallesen said:

Now I need to find one of the 3.5/35 Elmar lenses. They look great also. 👌🏻 Are they possibe to find without haze or other issues?

Yes, but it can take time, as always with older lenses. Finding a copy with all its aperture blades should be easy😉, as long as you don't want a very early/rare version. It's the glass condition that can be difficult to assess. Haze is almost never a problem, as it can be cleaned in most cases (I've had very hazy lenses that came back beautifully restored after a CLA). Fungus is more problematic, esp. if it has etched the glass, as it's also hard to see on such small elements (you might think it's just haze when it's actually fungus). If you don't want to go the trial-and-error route, they show up regularly at reputable dealers, who will be able to give you an honest opinion - if only because they would otherwise have the lens returned to them...