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My new lens: 1936 Leitz Elmar f= 9cm 1:4
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 4:45 pm    Post subject: My new lens: 1936 Leitz Elmar f= 9cm 1:4 Reply with quote
I could not resist bidding (and winning) on a 1936 9cm Elmar offered locally....

Condition was a bit of a gamble, but even if it's not really usable, it would make a sweet display-item, for the money I paid.

I received it yesterday, and the condition is much better than the ad-pics led me to expect. Focus is a bit stiff but RF-coupling seems to work well. It' allegedly cleaned (due to fungus) some time ago; in any case, the glass looks perfectly acceptable.

A few testshots, no interesting content:
#1: @ f/5.6, TTL-flash



#2: gloomy wheather @ f/9:



#3: crappy snap of how it looks mounted; the lens actually looks better than on this pics:



PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
https://cameraderie.org/threads/what-do-you-look-for-in-your-gear.47454/page-2#post-336760

I picked up a post-war coated Elmar for $43 off Ebay, and one with coating marks for $20 at a camera show. The post-war lenses came apart for me, the pre-war lens- not sure, but I think the elements were Stamped into place. Some internal haze on the pre-war lens makes it a bit too-low contrast for the M Monochrom, but gives a "Kodachrome" character on the M9.

Look for a Yellow or Orange 34mm filter for use on the M Monochrom.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I agree the contrast is not super-high, but enough to be adjusted to taste. My copy was cleaned, and I see no haze.

It accepts the filters from my Summaron 3.5cm f/3.5, for which I have an orange filter.

Since it's uncoated, a hood is a higher priority at this moment Smile The hood from the Summaron is really too small for this one for general use.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Walz made a beautiful hood for this lens. I lucked into one at a camera show-

The haze in mine is not bad, visible with a strong light through the lens. But enough to lower contrast from when the lens was new. It irritates me that I can't get to the surface that needs cleaning.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Friday I made a few portraits with it, the somewhat low contrast is really no issue. A matter of adjusting levels in post, and from there on set contrast to taste. Besides, the gentle rendering is a good starting point. It is noticeably soft wide open, so soft that I can even notice it on the crappy LCD of the Monochrom Laughing

After the Triotar-experience, I also checked my Elmar with a stronger flashlight; no haze, just many dust-specks.

Last edited by Sjak on Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:51 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2018 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Like 1 small Like 1 small Like 1 small


PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have the helicoids for a 9cm and a 13.5cm I guess someone took out the optics for some reason and forgot to replace them, I've been trying to keep an eye out for the optical blocks, no luck so far.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 8:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lightshow wrote:
I have the helicoids for a 9cm and a 13.5cm I guess someone took out the optics for some reason and forgot to replace them, I've been trying to keep an eye out for the optical blocks, no luck so far.
Maybe those were spare parts? Or maybe the glass itself was beyond cleaning (in the perception of the owner)? Old Leitz glass is sometimes very prone to scratching etc. The little mysteries of old lenses Smile


PostPosted: Tue Dec 18, 2018 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lightshow wrote:
I have the helicoids for a 9cm and a 13.5cm I guess someone took out the optics for some reason and forgot to replace them, I've been trying to keep an eye out for the optical blocks, no luck so far.

Sjak wrote:
Maybe those were spare parts? Or maybe the glass itself was beyond cleaning (in the perception of the owner)? Old Leitz glass is sometimes very prone to scratching etc. The little mysteries of old lenses Smile


I rather suspect that the lens heads removed for the use with the 16464K helicoid to minimize the MFD. I barely use my lenses with the original helicoids.

BTW, I have the optics from a 1958 9cm Elmar in almost pristine condition (still in parts from an unsuccessful CLA-attempt) but it's not worth the effort to send it to Calgary. Those lenses are very cheap and the postage would be far too expensive.
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