5 Rare Off-Brand Screw Mount Lenses for Classic Leicas
Everyone from major lens makers to adept machinists got into the act
When it comes to off-brand interchangeable lenses for rangefinder cameras, nothing can match the sheer number and staggering diversity of rangefinder-coupled lenses available in Leica screw (LTM) mount. Perhaps this shouldn’t be all that surprising since the classic “Barnack” rangefinder Leica was in production from 1932 (the first Leica II, Model D) until the last Leica IIIg was phased out in 1960. Yes, you can occasionally run across non-Nikon lenses in Nikon S mount and non-Zeiss lenses in Zeiss Contax rangefinder mount, but they are few and far between compared to independently made Leica screw mount lenses.
Of course, virtually all Leica screw mount lenses (with a few early and special purpose exceptions) are mutually interchangeable with those made for Canon screw-mount rangefinder cameras because Canon then used the same mount, flange focal distance, and basic rangefinder coupling system as the screw-mount Leica. And of course, during the ‘50s Nikon offered a series of outstanding Nikkor lenses in Leica screw mount ranging from the 25mm f/4 W-Nikkor C to the 135mm f/3.5 Nikkor-Q, including such standouts as the 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor-S C, the 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor-P C, and the unique 50mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor.
To give you a better idea of the ingenuity that other leading optical companies, and a coterie of talented machinists, put into designing and adapting lenses to work on the legendary screw-mount Leicas, here are 5 fascinating examples, 4 from Germany and one from the good ol’ U.S.A.
Very Rare Kodak Ektar 101mm f/4.5 Lens Rangefinder Coupled
So stated the listing on a leading auction site. The seller went on to describe the lens as, “converted to Leica M39, rangefinder coupled and calibrated.” For your “$475.00 or Best Offer” it also came with a genuine Leica M adapter, and with the assurance that it “will work nice on all Leica (rangefinder) cameras.”
What is it exactly? This lens is a post-WW II coated version of a Kodak Ektar lens originally designed for 2-1/4 x 3-1/4-inch-format press cameras such as the “baby” Speed Graphic or Crown Graphic. It’s a classic 4-element 3-group Tessar design updated with modern glass types and its performance is exceptional. What’s even more impressive than the lens itself is the masterful adaptation obviously done by a first-class machinist. He or she removed the optical cells of the lens, which were originally mounted in a Kodak Supermatic, Wollensak Rapax, or Compur shutter, and mounted them on a beautifully made focusing mount, probably one pirated from a high-end lens such as a rangefinder Canon lens of similar focal length. Of course, that focusing mount would already have a Leica screw mount and rangefinder coupling cam, which would have to be recalibrated to the Ektar. However the conversion was actually done, the craftsmanship is exquisite, and fully commensurate with the screw mount Leica it was intended to be mounted on.
Uncoated 50mm f1.5 Schneider Xenon in Leica screw mount (LTM)
105mm f3.5 Meyer Trioplan in Leica screw (LTM) mount
Rear view of 101mm f4.5 Kodak Ektar showing LTM mount ans brass rangefinder coupling cam
101mm f4.5 Kodak Ektar in Leica screw mount
Rear view of 50mm f1.5 Schneider Xenon showing screw (LTM) mount
50mm f2.8 Enna Haponar in Leica screw (LTM) mount
Rare uncoated 50mm f1.5 Schneider Xenon in Leica screw mount
35mm f2.8 Ridenstock Heligon in Leucascrew (LTM) moount
RARE Leica LTM SM Schneider-Kreuznach 5cm 50mm f/1.5 Xenon lens
Based on the serial number, this uncoated high-speed normal lens in Leica screw (LTM) mount was manufactured during WWII, probably sometime between late 1942 and early 1943, and was part of a group of rangefinder-coupled 50mm f/1.5 Xenons in screw mount produced from 1942-1947. It’s a 7-element, 5-group asymmetrical Double Gauss design that was the basis for the modified 50mm f/1.5 Leitz-Xenon lens produced by Schneider under Leitz patents, and the predecessor of the 50mm f/1.5 Leitz Summarit, a noticeably improved, coated version that employed the same formula that was used in the original version of the 50mm f/1.4 Leitz Summilux. This uncoated wartime version of the 50mm f1.5 Xenon is genuinely rare, has a distinctive “vintage” rendition that some find charming and it’s quite sharp when stopped down to f/5.6 and smaller apertures. Bottom line: it’s a captivating lens but only a diehard collector would pay anything close to the $6K to $8K asking prices currently posted on various auction sites.
Rodenstock Heligon 35mm f/2.8 Lens in Leica LTM Mount
Rodenstock of Munich, Germany is a renowned maker of photographic lenses founded in 1877. They still make large format and special purpose lenses which are held in high esteem by discriminating pros, as well as high-quality eyeglass lenses, but they no longer offer lenses for small format applications. Kodak Retina rangefinder 35mm cameras sold in Europe were often fitted with 50mm f/2 Rodenstock Heligon lenses, which employ a 6-element 4-group formula and perform at least as well as the equivalent Schneider Xenons. This Heligon is a moderate wide angle 35mm f/2.8 that employs the same optical formula, and based on user reviews, it’s capable of capturing extremely sharp, detailed, high contrast images even at f/2.8, and its performance improves slightly on stopping down. For the record, based on the serial number, it dates from the early ‘50s, it’s finished in chrome, it’s single coated throughout, and it has a 10-bladed aperture that enhances its inherently attractive bokeh. Bottom line: It’s a great lens, but at the asking price of $1,099.00 or Best Offer, you may be better off forking over an additional $200-300 and opting for a 35mm f/2.8 Leitz Summaron in screw mount, or about $1K for one in M-mount.
Rare Enna Haponar 50mm f/2.8 lens in Leicas M39 mount
Enna of Munich was a German optical manufacturer active from 1920 to 1992. Enna made lenses for European camera manufacturers and retailers, including Alpa, Balda, and Photo Porst. The company still exists but they now manufacture plastic injection moulding equipment.
In the 1950s and 60s, Enna was quite innovative, producing the first German wide-angle lens of retrofocus design for 35 mm SLR cameras, the 4.5/35 Lithagon in 1953, and what was then the world’s fastest 35 mm wide-angle, the 1.9/35 Super-Lithagon, in 1958. This 50mm f/2.8 Enna Haponar was originally fitted as a fixed lens on a 35mm rangefinder camera such as a Balda (hence the Compur-Rapid shutter logo on the front plate) and modified by mating the optics to an existing screw-mount focusing barrel complete with a (subsequently recalibrated) rangefinder coupling cam. Some internet posters assert that the Haponar is a 4-element, 3-group Tessar design, but it’s not listed on the Enna site, so it could be a triplet. Bottom line: While the asking price of $375.00 or Best Offer doesn’t seem excessive, and the seller claims it has nice “swirly” bokeh, there are many better, more affordable choices for those seeking to capture “vintage look” images with a screw mount Leica. It may however appeal to Leica screw-mount-lens collectors seeking something truly unique.
Rare Meyer Triplan 105mm f/3.8 lens in M39 mount, coupled
Meyer-Optik of Görlitz, Germany was founded in 1896 and the reconstituted company still offers a number of fascinating and unique lenses. Just before and after World War II, Meyer famously made lenses in Exakta bayonet and Praktica (M-42) screw mounts for 35mm SLRs as well as large quantities of lenses built into East German scale focusing and fixed lens rangefinder 35s. One of their most enduring designs is the Meyer Trioplan, a well-made Cooke triplet (3-element, 3-group) design offered in a variety of focal lengths, most notably 50mm, 100mm, and 105mm. This nicely adapted example appears to be a pre-WWII uncoated version nicely mounted in a focusing helical complete with (recalibrated) rangefinder coupling cam. It has a 12-bladed diaphragm that enhances its inherently smooth, natural bokeh. Bottom line: Because so many photographers are now seeking to capture the “vintage look,” prices for the humble Meyer Trioplan are now pretty steep, and there are many more affordable triplet-design lenses available that perform quite similarly. The asking price for this one was $515.00 or Best Offer. Sage advice: with any auction listing that includes a Best Offer option, it almost always pays to offer less.