Best Leica as a pocket camera

[marco_grande]

I've been carrying a Ricoh R1 around as a pocket camera, but am considering using one of my Leicas. The choice basically boils down to a IIIa with 5cm/3.5 Elmar versus a CL with 3.5cm/3.5 Elmar (the 40 Summicron is just too thick (35mm extending beyond flange vs. 16mm for the Elmar, both with caps) for comfort. The Elmar is a noce clear coated postwar version. Of course changing aperture is a pain. Using fast chromogenic film will ease the pain.

 

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I favor the CL, it's a bit smaller, lighter and I see better at 35mm.

Any comments?

[adam_lang1]

An even smaller lens would be a 25mm/f4 Nikkor-C, but you would need

a separate finder and it has become an expensive lens! Why wouldnt

you consider the 5cm ELmar on the CL?

[marco_grande]

Cannot fully collapse the 5cm Elmar without hitting the meter.

[al_henry4]

Think 35@ 1.4 or 2 pre asph.on your CL don"t get ant better.

[geddert]

get bigger pockets - like Cargo pants - and use the M you already

own... with an old leice you will alos need to carry a light meter

(at least most people would), and then the size of the light meter

with the old body wouldn't be much smaller then new M with a 50

elmarit.

[marco_grande]

The CL has a meter.

 

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Can't wear cargo pants at the office. The various pre-Aspheric 35

Crons, and 40 Cron-C are just too tall, makes an embarassing lump!

 

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I know the 35 Elmar is slow, but I've got a frozen stash of PJM

Ektapress Multispeed which is quite nice and fast.

 

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Has anyone out there actually USED the old 3.5/3.5 Elmar?

[al_henry3]

Go find yourself a little Olympus pen E poor mans Leica.

[roger_michel]

cle with voigtlander 35mm pancake lens.

[marco_grande]

How far does the Voigtlander pancake extend beyond the flange?

[tim_gee]

Rollei 35 SE = mini Leica 40mm 2.8 Zeiss glass..brilliant!....and

here we go again folks! ;)

[tom_bryant]

When I pocket a Leica, it's an M3 with a 50mm f/1.9 Canon Serenar

collapsible on it. Decent lens. If I'm feeling that I need more

speed or quality, its the M3 with a body cap, my Summilux 50 in

another pocket, and if I'm indoors, a Gossen Luna Pro in a third. All

of these combinations are pocketable, with increasing difficulty of

use and pocketability and quality.

 

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"If your camera isn't as fast as a point & shoot, you need more

practice"

[jay_.]

Yes I have, and have used a 3.5cm Elmar, a 1956 version. Nice little

lens, from f/5.6 very decent performance. Not comparing it to a 35

Cron, but darn good considering its age.

[andrew_schank]

Stick with the Ricoh or get a Contax T3. Seriously, a IIIa & lens in

your pocket all day? Even the CL is better in a belt pack than in a

pocket.

[david_killick]

Well, the smallest Leica is undeniably the Leica mini 3, which nobody

takes seriously yet takes good pictures and has an excellent lens -

the German Fotomagazin rated it slightly ahead of the Yashica T5,

which is another good choice. I have a IIIa too. It's a lovely camera,

but I wouldn't want to keep it in a pocket all day eithe - it wouldn't

like it! The CL is taller and possibly heavier than the IIIa.

[john_tobias]

(OK, Engage Flame retardant shield)

 

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All leicas are a bit heavy for trouser pockets, I carry my M6 most

everywhere but if I have to be super discrete and quality doesn't

matter that much, (parties, etc) I find an ixusII (my wifes') pretty

tiny

 

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Just because we are all leica nuts doesn't mean we have to ignore

some obvious solutions to problems such as these presented

by "other" manufacturers

 

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Mind you , my 14522 belt case takes an M6 and 35 'cron very nicely

 

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Cheers

 

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John

[steve_barnett2]

Use a body cap and rear lens cap to split your chosen body and lens

into two pockets. No unsightly bulges, and you can use 'regular'

sized lenses without struggling with collapsible Elmar's.

[andrew10]

Why, the Minilux of course. (though your coat pocket might be

somewhat strained from the weight.)

[MTC Photography]

Minox GT-E with sharp 35mm/f2.8 lens, aperture priority

<p> shutter speed from 1/500 sec to several minutes

<p> Only 7 oz

[michael_b.1]

Hi Marco,

 

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The Voigtlander 35/2.5 'pancake' extend 23mm at infinity position.

[pcg]

Like Jay, I use the Elmar on a regular basis. It's coupled to a IIIc I've owned for a decade. Great

little lens & I've never felt bad about image quality. Negatives? Not multi-coated, so shooting

into the sun is not suggested. Use a hood. Otherwise, the combo of an old III & an old Elmar

works well. And forget the problem of a meter. Just shoot 400 ISO film at 250 & almost all

shots will clock between f8 & f16. No one takes you seriously, which is all great for street work...

[pcg]

Also, of interest, see: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/pocket_35.htm

for reviews of two pocket cameras!

[MTC Photography]

For ultimate pocket camera, nothing beats

 

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Minox TLX or CLX, genuine "Made in Germnay" camera. Shutter to

1/2000, parallex corrected viewfinder, build in UV, ND filters

super sharp lens. Only 4 oz.

[lux]

Rollei Prego 30. Superb lens. 2.5 inches long.

[jerry_pfile]

Olympus XA.

 

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Jerry

[MTC Photography]

Olympus XA, Rollei 35, Rollei 35E are all good cameras. However, if

you may consider buy two of each type instead of one, because parts

for these camera are not made any more. If camera fails, service

is hard to come by, or rather expensive.

<p> That is why I bought a Rollei35 in addition to Rollei 35S.

<p> The only manual pocket 35mm camera still in production with

plenty of spare parts is Minox GT-E.