nitroplait Posted November 24 Share #1 Posted November 24 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have come across this little nickel 3.5cm Elmar which will be a good match on my Leica IID. A few observations that I notice difffers from the entry in the Forum Wiki: https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php?title=Elmar_f%3D_3.5_cm_1:3.5 Serial number is 225472 which would equal 1934 vintage and chrome finish. I don't have other references to consult, but I guess my sample's nickel finish could be attributed to the usual inconsistencies of the data? It appears to be coated, which must have been done post WWII I suppose. Is there any way to make a guess wether it may be a factory job? 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! 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/425622-elmar-35cm-f35-nickel-1934/?do=findComment&comment=5897913'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 24 Posted November 24 Hi nitroplait, Take a look here Elmar 3,5cm f/3.5 nickel 1934 . I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Hektor62 Posted November 24 Share #2 Posted November 24 (edited) You can send an email directly to Leica specifying the serial number and ask if the coating was done in the factory Edited November 24 by Hektor62 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Monochrom Posted November 24 Share #3 Posted November 24 (edited) Hello @nitroplait As @Hektor62 mentioned, I would email <customer.care@leica-camera.com> to get more answers. My two cents: Your lens has a pre-war continental sequence of 3.5, 4.5, 6.3, 9, 12.5, and 18 on the f-stop scale. The 3rd issue of Viewfinder 24 from 1991 has an article titled "LEITZ 35 cm ELMAR SUMMARON SM LENSES". The article mentioned a variant of the 3.5cm f/3.5 Elmar lens introduced in 1941. This variant introduced a routine antireflection coating (from factory), although the outdated pre-war f-stop sequence was retained for reasons unknown to the author. It is possible that this was due to a large stock of pre-war engraved f-stop rings with numbers mentioned in my previous point. If the serial number indeed belongs to this lens, then, together with the 7 o'clock position of the infinity lock, it suggests the most common version of the EKURZKUP (nickel version of the 3.5cm f/3.5 Elmar lens). This variant was introduced around serial number 182xxx, which matches yours. But again, serial numbers could be misleading at times, as you correctly indicated in your original post. Additional reading: (1991). LEITZ 35 cm ELMAR SUMMARON SM LENSES. Viewfinder, 24(3), 16-25. "35MM (3.5CM) F/3.5 ELMAR" section of Summichronica.com Edited November 24 by Dr Monochrom 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted November 24 Share #4 Posted November 24 1 hour ago, nitroplait said: I have come across this little nickel 3.5cm Elmar which will be a good match on my Leica IID. A few observations that I notice difffers from the entry in the Forum Wiki: https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php?title=Elmar_f%3D_3.5_cm_1:3.5 Serial number is 225472 which would equal 1934 vintage and chrome finish. I don't have other references to consult, but I guess my sample's nickel finish could be attributed to the usual inconsistencies of the data? It appears to be coated, which must have been done post WWII I suppose. Is there any way to make a guess wether it may be a factory job? 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! There are examples of nickel lenses in chrome batches and vice versa. Nickel plated lenses were still being produced in 1934. Any coating was probably done postwar. Queries to info@leica-camera.com , although they tend to have more information about the cameras than the lenses. I agree with the comments by 'Dr Monochrom' on the aperture scales. William 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrogallol Posted November 25 Share #5 Posted November 25 I have this 35mm Elmar that I am using at present. It is un-numbered, 11 o’ clock, no infinity catch, focussed down to about 18 inches and is nickel with a chrome focussing mount. 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! 2 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/425622-elmar-35cm-f35-nickel-1934/?do=findComment&comment=5898241'>More sharing options...
nitroplait Posted November 26 Author Share #6 Posted November 26 Good things come in pairs, it seems. Two days later, another nickel Elmar 3,5cm 3.5 landed in my lap. The two lenses are quite different. The latest arrival requires almost a full rotation from 1m to infinity and does not have a serial number - which puzzles me. On 11/25/2025 at 10:33 AM, Pyrogallol said: I have this 35mm Elmar that I am using at present. It is un-numbered... So not uncommon. Is there a logic to that? Would that put the unnumbered before the known serial number list? Latest acquisition to the right: 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! 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/425622-elmar-35cm-f35-nickel-1934/?do=findComment&comment=5898773'>More sharing options...
Hektor62 Posted November 26 Share #7 Posted November 26 Advertisement (gone after registration) Exactly. The first Leica lenses didn't have serial numbers. They were numbered around 1930. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitroplait Posted November 26 Author Share #8 Posted November 26 (edited) I suppose the almost full rotation would make the last acquisition a "11 o'clock" lens and thus more authentic match with my IID than the 1934 version. Is it possible that the older lens is not standardised? Edited November 26 by nitroplait Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted November 26 Share #9 Posted November 26 vor 56 Minuten schrieb nitroplait: Is it possible that the older lens is not standardised? I believe it is standartized and most probably coupled with rangefinder, mount is 11 oclock with infinity lock. There should be "0" engraved above the screw on DOF 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! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/425622-elmar-35cm-f35-nickel-1934/?do=findComment&comment=5898811'>More sharing options...
jerzy Posted November 26 Share #10 Posted November 26 (edited) vor 4 Minuten schrieb jerzy: most probably coupled with rangefinder yes, it is coupled, I did not look carefuly enough before. It is so called "heavy cam", cam is slopped. It is standartized. Edited November 26 by jerzy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitroplait Posted November 26 Author Share #11 Posted November 26 (edited) 8 minutes ago, jerzy said: There should be "0" engraved above the screw on DOF Oh, there it was. Thanks! and thanks for explaining the “heavy cam” part. Encountered the term but didn’t know what it referred to. Edited November 26 by nitroplait Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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