industar 3.5 on Lieca IIIg /

[lawnpotter]

Is it safe to put an industar 3.5 50mm elmar copy lens on a Lieca screw mount specifically theIIIg? I read somewhere that some russian lenses wont fit well. is this true ? Thanks

[Brian Sweeney]

Is it a Rigid lens or collapsible?

The focus lever on the collapsible lens is longer than the Elmar. Screw the lens in at Minimum Focus, not infinity. Otherwise, my experience is that it hits the slow-speed dial.

[xwhatsit]

Would be probably safe, but the theory goes that the Russian 39mm RF lenses were made for a slightly different lens register, and thus tend to have some focussing error, especially used wide-open.

Correct me if I'm wrong -- but I think, on a 50mm lens (where the RF cam and helicoid movement is 1:1), it's possible to shim the lens to give perfect focus wide-open, near and infinity. On the longer lenses like the nice Jupiter 9, because the RF cam moves at a different rate compared to the helicoid, you can shim it so it focusses at near-focus, or focusses at infinity (but not both).

In practice, something like a 50/3.5 Elmar clone would probably work great. Try it, see if you like the results.

[lawnpotter]

Thanks for the replies. i am talking the collapsible. I can buy a real Elmar for $200.00 plus shipping or the fake russian one for $50.00 plus shipping from fedka.

[Brian Legge]

I've used one on a Leica IIIc. The focus is slightly off but not too bad as the f/3.5 hides a lot -

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5081/5242938671_c924083554_z.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5242938671/

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5243535112_708a795ef0_z.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5243535112/

...and closed down to around f/5.6 or so:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5243535002_1ab4cf6f8b_z.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5243535002/

[lawnpotter]

Your pictures look good but maybe more contrasty than a real elmar judging by Flickr, that could be your film though eh?

[Brian Legge]

So I also have an Elmar though it has a fair amount of dust inside compared to the Industar. Here are a few shots from it (to reduce the bias inherent in my process)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5368977843_05b206ef06_z.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5368977843/

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5370602848_e7a242283e_z.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5370602848/

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5203/5369995945_45fae7c3c8_z.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5369995945

The processing wasn't identical (and may have been pushed with the Industar as it was a darker day). Gut feel though, I think you are right - that Industar is rather contrasty.

The 'glow' in the shot of the dog is the haze in the lens. ;)

[Brian Sweeney]

If you go with the Industar- it might do better if shimmed for the Leica.

Industar-50, shimmed for Leica.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89934&highlight=industar

FSU lenses can be hit and miss on a Leica, the "misses" can usually be brought into much better alignment. Sometimes they can be a can of worms.

[aoresteen]

I've had two Industar lenses in LTM.

The first was a 52mm f/2.8 in 'chrome' aluminum

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5/aoresteen/Leica%20Cameras/Industar52mmb.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5/aoresteen/Leica%20Cameras/Industra52mma.jpg

I bought my 52mm Industar in 2005 and out of the box it was dead on in my Leica IIIf

http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00CMhb

I sold all my Leica 50mm lenses to help finance a ZM 50mm f/2 Planar and let the Industar go.

Later on I pickup this Industar:

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5/aoresteen/Leica%20Cameras/industar55mmb.jpg
(no scratch it's just a flash refection)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5/aoresteen/Leica%20Cameras/Industar55a.jpg

It was gummed up when I got it so I set it asside. I just had it fixed by DAG.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103300

I plan on keeping this one for a long time!

Properly adjusted the Industars are good lenses and don't cost a lot. By all means give them a shot.