Hi guys, I recently traded in a BUMPY (pls read my thread and Sait's thread on Streaks on M3) M3 for a DR and elmar 3.5 LTM. This is the first time Im using both lenses.

The DR is brilliant. Positively glowing and sharp. Although heavy, it is a joy to see the results.

BUT the ELMAR 3,5 is undoubtedly the closest to a Leica Glow I'd ever imagined of getting.

It , at mid apertures, produces prints better looking than the asph 35 cron that I have.

No light fall off, no flare . Lightest changeable lens I've used.

I know many have used this lens, and I think everyone should have one.

It is not staggeringly sharp like the asph cron 35. It is not even contrasty in comparison. But the GLOW and Roundness it gives cannot be understated. The later lenses do not have this in my experience.

In low light, the asph cron is the one to go for. But in normal use, I think this is as good as it can get.

Shot with Bessar R.

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002

Answers

And the DR 50 with Fuji color 400.

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Travis -

I like the pix you got w/o the streaks much more than the others. :)

/r

-- Randy Samos (samos@lensman.net), May 11, 2002.

This is the Elmar 3,5 photo.

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Randy...yea..I know;)

sucks doesn't it??;)

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Realy enjoy both of your pics Travis, first thing to do when my labīs ready will be a test on my several 50 mm lens, I like, them all, and Iīm constantly change my opinion on "THE BEST ONE", every one has itīs unique caracteristics, we tend to have the latest in order to be safe and contrasty wide open, but we can add a lot in mid apertures glow with older lenses. Specialy this two.

On the other side there is not enough time to know all the posibilities and make your pictures at the same time, thatīs because information from users here is so precious to me.

Thankīs Travis

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Maybe I looked too long at the streaked picture but the color one at the top still seems to have them, and in the same place. Anyone else see them?

-- Jim Shields (jim.shields@tasis.ch), May 11, 2002.

Jim, YES the streaks are there in the color pic. That was the last time I used the Bumpy M3. I used it to test the DR 50 before letting it go. That M3 has a very very soft shutter release, but sigh, too bad I guess.

Anyway, the elmar pic was shot using Bessar R. NO STREAKS!.

-- Travis (teckyy@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

Yeah, the streaks are there, particularly the color shot. It's not the lens, but either the scanner, if a flatbed, or the inkjet. Doesn't distract from the photo though.

-- Patrick (pg@patrickgarner.com), May 11, 2002.