G
Guest
As I have owned this and the current version of the 35mm Elmarit R, I thought my experiences would be of use to other users.
Many of the Elmarit R lenses are relative bargins by Leica standards, and the first version 35mm is no exception. I purchased a mint ex&le for 250.00 USD.
At full aperture the lens has medium contrast and a soft rendition of details. Field curvature is pronounced, with the plane of focus extending away from the shooter at the edge of the image. I found the flare resistance to be average for older Leica lenses.
To get really modern looking performance out to the edges you must stop down to f4.5 or smaller. From this point however, the lens is quite excellent. It has very high resolution and good contrast rendition. I found no noticable distortion when shooting subjects with straight lines at the edge of the frame.
For new Leica users who don't want to drop a load of money to try out the brand, this lens can be a good starter. Stopped down it's performance is excellent. If you are a critical user, or prefer slower films, the full aperture performance is very 'old fashioned', and could dissappoint.
Best wishes
Dan States
Grand Forks ND
Many of the Elmarit R lenses are relative bargins by Leica standards, and the first version 35mm is no exception. I purchased a mint ex&le for 250.00 USD.
At full aperture the lens has medium contrast and a soft rendition of details. Field curvature is pronounced, with the plane of focus extending away from the shooter at the edge of the image. I found the flare resistance to be average for older Leica lenses.
To get really modern looking performance out to the edges you must stop down to f4.5 or smaller. From this point however, the lens is quite excellent. It has very high resolution and good contrast rendition. I found no noticable distortion when shooting subjects with straight lines at the edge of the frame.
For new Leica users who don't want to drop a load of money to try out the brand, this lens can be a good starter. Stopped down it's performance is excellent. If you are a critical user, or prefer slower films, the full aperture performance is very 'old fashioned', and could dissappoint.
Best wishes
Dan States
Grand Forks ND