Cookies in the pocket-Leica Leica Elmar35 f/3.5
The designer of Leica elmar 35 f/3.5 is Max Berek, the father of Leica optics. The Elmar 35mm f/3.5 is Leica’s first wide-angle lens, using my favorite Elmar 50/3.5 Tessar lens design. It has many versions with a long history. There are coated, uncoated, chrome, nickel, etc.
Leica Elmar35 f/3.5 is less than Summaron 35 3.5, but the price is similar. If you can meet a good one, please take it immediately. Elmar35, like Elmar50, is an absolutely reliable lens.
Three incredible points of elmar35
- Small
Raising Elmar35, its eyes are very cute like three months of Teddy. This is a 35mm wide-angle lens, which is much smaller than summicron m35 2.8. Elmar35 with M2, M4 or M3 is very light and can be put in your pocket. Especially suitable for people like me who take street photography anytime and anywhere. So small, any street photographer will love it
- Real.
The photos taken by Elmar35 and summicron 35 f2 are not much different. Although the performance is not as good as summicron 35 f2, it is enough for street photography. The f/3.5 aperture is sharp enough, especially in the center of the photo. Shrink the aperture and the sharpness will continue to increase.
- Strong.
The design of the Tessar lens used by Elmar35 has a history of more than 80 years ago. Elmar35 is made of brass. After more than half a century, it still can perfectly accommodate modern digital cameras. Elmar35 is a lens that will never break.
Sharpness
Sharpness at aperture f/3.5 is still good. Shrinking the aperture can increase sharpness and also increase the depth of field. In actual use, I will use the yellow filter of leica A36. When the light is too strong, then reduce the aperture. The yellow filter is very friendly to black and white film photography.
Bokeh
Elmar35 has bokeh. A bit like the bokeh of summicron 35mm f2 v1, and a bit like the bokeh of summicron 35mm f2 v4, or a mixture of them. When shooting a character, deliberately deviating from the focus, you can get a special soft beauty.
Filter
Not many a36 series filters are used for uv filters. More are yellow filters, which can shoot healthier skin, and can also enhance the contrast between blue sky and white clouds. In black and white photography, it is still necessary to apply a yellow filter to elmar 35 3.5, you no longer need a lens cover.
Hood
Black paint hood FLQOO, I suggest to put one in your pocket. Bring it when you face the light at noon, because ELMAR35 has poor resistance to backlighting, especially in digital. However, more people are willing to collect this hood.
Glare
The glare of Elmar35 3.5 is very interesting, the light is evenly distributed to all around.
Digital performance
For such an old lens, it is really a challenge to use it in the digital M. However, ELMAR 35 3.5 conquered me with a steady performance. So that for a long time I was wearing leica M8 and 35 3.5 to take pictures.
With the Leica M9, the elmar 35 has more vivid colors. elmar35 3.5 even the 1930s design can still be used in digital cameras, and it is in Leica tones. Pay attention to the opposite light, after all, the coating of that era did not consider digital imaging.
Elmar’s relationship with Summaron
The early Leica lens glass came from ZEISS SCHOTT, and later Leica produced its own glass. Summaron is made with its own glass, and elmar is Zeiss glass.
Focus at two meters
Focusing on two meters with 35mm is very good, and you can take close shots at any time. I guess Dr. Berek chose f/3.5 aperture after strict consideration. The earliest Leica cameras did not have a rangefinder. The f/3.5 aperture focuses on two meters, which is a good benchmark.
Taking pictures indoors with an aperture of f/3.5 is a bit weird, because many people think that it is impossible to take a picture without f/1.4 indoors. In fact, the shutter speed of 1/8 second can be used with iso400 film in dark light. I was not disappointed even in the dark, Kodak TX400 can shoot night scenes.
When I wanted to create, I lost my creation. When I want to take a picture, I can’t take a picture. When you don’t want anything, the photos come out on their own. Elmar 35 hung around his neck, quickly photographed. I am not looking for photos, but photos come to me. Looking at elmar 35 and elmar 50, I fell asleep, tomorrow is a new day.
