Looking at all the dust, scratches, and haze in my LTM elmar 50/3.5 has given me a GAS attack. Loss of pocketability and $$$ keeps me from seriously considering a new screwmount summicron. I think the elmar is a great lens. What do you think about replacing it with a 50/2.8? Image quality vs. size and weight? I have a summitar, but I prefer the elmar. Thanks, Barnack fans.

-- John Fleetwood (johnfleetwood@hotmail.com), May 10, 2001

Answers

I think I'd just look for a cleaner coated 3.5 if you have been happy with yours. At any given time, it seems there are at least a few reputed to be in super clean shape on Ebay, and they don't go for a ton of cash. I've been tempted to pick one up myself and use it on my M3 for times when the ultra high sharpness and contrast of the Summicron is not needed.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 10, 2001.

From an inconoclastic Barnack user (III F): Have you given any thought to the Cosina lenses, especially the 50mm 1.5 Nokton or the 35mm 1.7 Ultron? I refer you to Erwin Putts review of those. The price/performance ratio is astounding. Granted, the construction may not be up to Leica standard, but, I use them on my LTM and the results compare extremely favorably with those from my M6 cum Summicron 35mm 2.0.

If one is on a tight budget,(as I am), those Cosinas are a godsend.

-- Jean-David Borges (jdborges@home.com), May 10, 2001.

Thanks for the Cosina info, but I'd rather have a collapsable lens, so I can carry my IIf in my pocket.

-- John Fleetwood (johnfleetwood@hotmail.com), May 10, 2001.

John, have you considered speaking to Jon Van Stelten at Focal Point in CO? He can do a CLA and, if necessary, re-coat the front element. The 3.5 Elmar's front element is very small and not cemented to another element, so the cost should not be exhorbitant.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), May 10, 2001.

The LTM 50/3.5 is my favorite Leica lens. The 50/2.8 Elmar is almost exactly the same weight as the Summitar, even though it has a rotating mount, and has the larger 39mm filter size. Collapsed it protrudes nearly as far as the Summitar, and extended it's even longer. It doesn't really offer any advantages over the 50/3.5, except 2/3 stop in speed, and I can't tell any difference in sharpness. I'd say either have your 50/3.5 refurbished (see Jay's post) or replace it with a clean used one.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), May 10, 2001.

just seconding jay. i'm using a first-version collapsible summicron that has had a compolete CLA by Van Stelten, including the front element polished and recoated. The cost was $175!............

-- david kelly (dmkedit@aol.com), May 10, 2001.

Van Stelten cannot recoat the 3.5 Elmar as the front element is too small.

-- John Galloway (jgall30125@aol.com), May 10, 2001.

Now look what you made me do--I just found a clean coated Elmar at a really good price and bought it. What size cap does it take, and was there ever a filter adapter that steped it up to 39mm?

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 11, 2001.

36mm clamp-on. But if you put a filter on it you won't be able to set the aperture.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), May 11, 2001.

Who needs a filter anyway. Anyone got a 36mm cap for sale?

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 11, 2001.

It is not Leitz but you can use a plastic soft drink tap Andrew, I usualy keep my original caps safe at home and use plastic taps that fit, and losse tons of them, and donīt care much.By the way changing apertures to an Elmar can be a pain in your nails, if you find a trick to that let us know.

-- R Watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), May 11, 2001.

How about that fancy hood they made that coupled with the aperture? I know, they probably are collectors items now and cost more than the lens. Maybe I'll just leave it set at 5.6 or 8.0.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 11, 2001.

It's a VALOO and they seem to go for about $40 on eBay, and work quite nicely (click stopped). You can clamp a 36mm filter over them also.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), May 12, 2001.

I believe that an Elmar 3.5/50 is a great lens and worth to be repolished and recoated. My uncoated nickel Elmar 3.5/50 (1934) have been repolished and fully multicoated. It works a little better than my 2.8/50 Elmar on M3, less flare, more contrast and sharpness. I use it on a pristine Leica III in black. My second chrome coated Elmar 3.5/50 on 11F is working almost likewise as recoated one.

-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), May 29, 2001.

victor: who multicoated your Elmar? Somebody earlier on this thread said van Stelten couldn't do it................

-- david kelly (dmkedit@aol.com), June 03, 2001.

The collapsible Summicron is a very respectable lens for image quality, though it doesn't collapse as flat as the 3.5 Elmar. The 2.8 Elmar doesn't, either.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), June 04, 2001.

the 50/3.5. may look like a body cap when collapsed; does any one know of itīs average price now?

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), June 04, 2001.

To David: My Elmar 3.5/50 was repolished and recoated at the works "Arsenal", Kiev, Ukraine, where such cameras as Salut, Kiev-88, Kiev-6c and others are made.

Victor

-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), June 25, 2001.