Leica f3.5 Elmar 50 LTM best image quality serial numbers

Assuming you have several f3.5 Elmar 50 LTM lenses in comparable condition, is it possible to see any real difference in image quality regardless of the lens age? If it is possible, in what serial number series will you find the best overall image quality?

They're all old enough now the latest/last ones are almost old enough to start collecting Social Security and could be inferior to one 30 years older due to internal fogging and/or misuse by a prior owner.

 

Leica-made screw mount lenses, any of them, are best bought today looking for the best possible condition they're in and if they've been serviced the past decade, not the year in which they were made.

 

50mm f3.5 Elmars are fairly simple in design. I have seem some outstanding images captured by users over at rangefinderforum.com using 80 year-old, uncoated Elmars with the older aperture-progression scale. Logic would say later, coated versions like the "red scale" 50mm f3.5 would be the goal, but in this instance and looking at some of the images posted in the link below that might not be the case at all.

 

Of course, just recording the image on film today and getting a roll processed and printed right is not the end of the process since you also need to be able to then convert the negative to a digital form if you want to share it with others online and that can be a complicated/frustrating process all by itself.

 

Look up images posted by the member Erik van Straten in particular, who does a TON of shooting with fixed 50mm f3.5 Elmars on some of the oldest Leica I cameras from the 1920's. His images are simply first-rate.

 

show your Elmar 5cm 3.5 shots - Rangefinderforum.com

 

Many of those users if you read enough of the various posts on that site have taken their lenses apart and cleaned the fog out and brought the lenses back to their best possible state.

Edited November 23, 2020 by Greg M

In line with what Greg says: When looking at a lens of this vintage, “version” is irrelevant. If “best quality”, as in sharpness and resolution, is your goal, I suggest you reconsider looking for vintage LTM and go for something modern -like something newer LTM from Voigtländer.

If you are looking for something with loads of character, the question is subjective and only you can answer it.

Thanks for the comments. In the past I had Sherry Krauter rebuild a IIIg. Prior to his retirement, John Van Stelten restored both an 50 Elmar f2.8 and 50 Summarit f1.5, which are used on the IIIg. Both lenses now give wonderful results, especially the Summarit which had its front element scratches polished out and the element re-coated. As a hobbyist still shooting film, I enjoy using the very small Elmar 3.5 and having several unrestored versions of ages from 1946 to 1957, all of which should be CLA'd. I thought I'd restore the one held in highest regard. Niel's comment is relevant. Being very familiar with 50 Elmar f3.5 family photos dating back to the 1930's, my goal is to emulate the Elmar image as best I can starting with a clean lens. However my skills do not rise to the lovely level of Erik Van Straten's, they are stunning.

Of course lenses and cameras have improved with new technology, such as lens coatings.

 

But sample variation (possibly less these days?) would make comparison by serial number of practically zero value even without considering wear and tear on older lenses.

The "Red Scale" Elmar 50/3.5 has a recomputed optical formula and uses newer type glass. SN 905000 onwards,1951, are the improved type.

 

I've shot my late 1940s coated Elmar, perfect glass, against a collapsible Industar-50. The Industar-50 is a fine performer, and costs about 1/10th the price that these lenses go for today.

 

No complaints on my Black-Scale coated Elmar. I got it in a $50 brown grab bag with a Leica IIIf (A converted post-war IIIc) at a camera store. Perfect glass, I found that Argus C-3 filters fit it. The manager wanted to have some fun. Any of the employees could have bought it. When I did, they told me- 'you are not leaving until you open it'. Too funny.

Thanks Brian. I have an Elmar with a SN above 905000 which I will have CLA'd. I'm fortunate to have a full set of Elmar filters.Good story on the IIIc/IIIf.

Early on, around 1931, I believe, the 50/3.5 Elmar was redesigned with a less curved front element. (from around #100.000)

In the 1940s coating was added.

 

Overall performance is good on all versions

 

In Dennis Laney's words "The performance did not change from 1926 to 1951, excluding the application of coating. The red scale version uses different glass types, but performance is hardly improved"

 

Optimal apertures are f/8 and f/11

I have an Elmar about 1931 (I think) which fully seats in a Zorki e body and an Industry 50 which stops about 1/2 turn from fully seating in the same body. The threads look OK to the naked eye. Can anyone explain?

I have read on line that the Industar 50 is Tessar glass in a Leica mount. Any comments?

Thanks

It should screw down fully, though I've read about there being a slightly different pitch between the Leica and the Soviet screw mount.

My Jupiter-3 was really tight to fully screw down on a Leica first time I mounted it. The focus indicator does turn slightly beyond the 12 o'clock position.

 

Also keep in mind that the Industar-50 is calibrated for a slightly different lens-to-film distance.