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Elmarit-C 40/2.8: Novelty item or useful tool?

V

Vivek

Guest
Has anyone used this lens? User experience, samples would be greatly appreciated!
 

Brian S

New member
It was designed as a lower cost version of the Summicron 40/2. It is rare, thus the current prices.

As with any uncommon lens- if it works it is useful.

Optically, the Summicron-C 40/2 is superior and the cost of the lens is much less. It is a better choice for actual use. That does not stop a lens collector from buying and using the lens.

We should start a thread on uncommon lenses that are optically "passable", but not worth the money compared with alternatives. The Simlar 5cm F1.5 is my nomination.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Brian, I am not so sure that I would compare this to a catchy named one like Simlar.

The reason I look up the not so fast but incredibly compact lenses (the Elmar 3.5cm f/3.5, for example) is that they are far better (suspicion) than the newly fancied "super triplets" and the like. Compared to those prices, even the collector prices looks OK to me.
 

Brian S

New member
The 40/2.8 Elmarit was never in full production, and is expensive. It is not much smaller than the 40/2 Summicron.

Leica M 2,8/40mm Elmarit-C Pre-Serie boxed | eBay

*Rare Prototype* Leitz Leica ELMARIT-C 40mm f/2.8 + hood for Leica CL 500 piece | eBay

It even makes my Simlar look cheap. I picked up one of those with a Leotax D-IV (4 Digit SN) that had been in storage for 30 years. $600, also included a Canon 85/2 Serenar. I soaked the Simlar helical in Ronsonol for four days to free it up. It was the 10th one made with F16, found internal serial Numbers.

The 35/3.5 Elmar on the Leica Mini is quite good. Take it, and have reset in a 35mm thread mount lens.

The Nikkor 3.5cm F3.5- was probably Nikons worst lens. The 3.5cm F2.5 in Leica mount, far superior and smaller than a Summicron 40/2.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Brian, I know you have a lot of experience with many a old gems and a lot of the things you share from a wealth of experience and knowledge is greatly appreciated by one and all.

This isn't about Simlars and without having tried the Elmarit-C what you think about it is not exactly useful just like what I suspect this could be. I understand that it is very long to ask about the user experience here but I gave it a shot.

Also, the Elmar 3.5cm f/3.5 isn't the one in any plastic mini but a lens in LTM from the 1930s (either brass or nickel and absolutely no plastic stuff).
 

Brian S

New member
There are many uncommon and unusual lenses that are not very good. There are lenses that did not go into full production because the alternatives were superior. The Elmarit cost much more than the 40/2 Summicron today, was originally meant as the economy version. So why pay more for the economy version. For photography, the Summicron is better than the Elmarit. For a collector, the Elmarit is more desirable because the Summicron is common.

The Elmar 35/3.5 lens on the Plastic Leica Mini is quite good, much better than the Nikkor 3.5cm F3.5 which is a coated copy of the Elmar that you mention. Some companies in Japan have fashioned a small industry around converting some of these lenses to Leica mount. From reading up on the Elmarit-C, the lens from the Mini is better. What you expect from pushing a Tessar formula lens to F2.8, ie the Elmarit-C. The Nikkor 35/2.8 found in the original Nikon AF cameras is another that gets converted to Leica mount. It is 5 elements, like an F2.8 Schneider Xenar. I have a Wollensak 35/2 in Contax mount. Maybe the only one, and it was worth all of the $20 of it.

The thread seems to be about one particular lens that is rare, asks about if it is a useful tool. I can generalize this to many rare and uncommon lenses that become "Ervin Myths". Who is this Ervin, and why does he spread these myths! (quote, D.W. from Arthur) I saw a Konica Hexanon-UC 28/1.8 that sold for $900 on Ebay! Another one for the list. Nice, but the Nikkor 28/2 is far better and ~$200.

So some useful advice for everyone- lenses that are desirable and priced for collectors are typically not worth the money for photography. That includes the 5cm F1.5 Simlar found on the Leotax. And the Konica 28/1.8. How did I get so many of these Ervin Myth lenses. Don't waste your money on one, unless you find it cheap.

KEH has a BGN grade 40/2.8 Elmarit-C for under $1500.

http://www.keh.com/camera/Leica-M-Fixed-Focal-Length-Lenses/1/sku-LM069991209430?r=FE

If anyone buys it, post pictures back here. What I'd like to find is a bad-glass Summicron-C 40/2. Use it to mount and RF couple a 40/3.5 Tessar from the $15 Rollei that I found.
 
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