Hi all Leica friends, I had an oppotunity to get an old 50/3.5 screw mount. This time I only use an M6 body. How compatible the lens to the M-body (I will attach it via lens adapter); will the focusing cam work, and how about metering? Have been read almost 90% of all threads here...This is a great site!

-- Andy Wijono (andywijono@hotmail.com), October 26, 2001

Answers

I regularly use a red scale 3.5/50mm Elmar on my M6 via an IRZOO/14097 adapter with no restrictions. Generic adapters are also available.

Cheers

MCG

-- Michael Goldman (mgoldman12@home.com), October 27, 2001.

Not only does it work, but on a black M6 it makes the most beautiful Leica since the Standard!

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), October 27, 2001.

Its not only fully compatible, but its a VERY desirable lens to have with any Leica M. With the Elmar mounted, I can slip my M6 into a pocket, or into a P&S pouch. I can't imagine not having one.

Joe

-- Joe Buechler (jbuechler@toad.net), October 27, 2001.

Compatible with screw to M adapter, yes and Yes!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), October 27, 2001.

I use one on an M3 and even on my Minolta CLE. I'm sure when the 3.5 Elmar was designed no one ever imagined it would have still been used 50 years later in front of an electronic controlled shutter! The only drawback to that lens is the clumsy way the aperture size has be controlled right around the front element. I have used the Valoo hood which makes setting the apereture easier, but then the lens isn't so compact anymore. Make sure to carfefully check for fog in the lens by shining a flashlight into it, and also for an overly scratched up front element, which is not repairable. A few light cleaning marks are no big deal, but many Elmars I've examined have hundreds of fine cleaning scratches.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), October 27, 2001.

I use an Hektor 28 (year 1939)on an M6 titanium, and it works wery well! One drawback to that lens is the clumsy way the aperture size has be controlled right around the front element; the other are the internal reflections (the lens is not coated). The great advantages are compactness, and sharpness, and...... curiosity of Leica's fans that i meet

-- Marco Battelli (mbattelli@libero.it), October 27, 2001.

Thank you for all your suggestions! I am trying to check the lens now. Happy shooting..!

-- Andy Wijono (andywijono@hotmail.com), October 27, 2001.

Guess which camera works best with my 50/3.5 Elmar? My Hexar RF. Changing f-stops is not only clumsy but it is hard to get the exact exposure with a manual camera since you are matching weird old f stops to modern speeds. But with the stepless automatic Hexar shutter it is a breeze. Yes, who would've thought--

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4u.or.jp), October 29, 2001.