Hi Paul ... Agreed about the pre-M Leicas being nice. They'll take modern screw mount lenses as well, such as those made by C/V. I prefer the M-bodied Leicas when it comes to fitting lenses, for they can use the earlier screw mount lenses from many sources as well as the newer glass. BTW, I just picked up a pre-1934 Elmar and am waiting for an adapter so i can put it to good use ;-)) Also grabbed a $6.00 Russian 55/2.8 in screw mount as well. There are plenty of $10.00 lenses for the LTM all over eBay.
Good samples of the Elmar 3.5 are no longer "inexpensive." While looking for mine I found prices to be in the $150.00 - $450.00 range. Rarely saw anything worthwhile for less, although I lucked out and got mine for $70.00. Shel > [Original Message] > From: Paul Stenquist > You can also pick up a IIIC or IIIF screw mount Leica, with lens, for > $500 or less. These cameras are among the prettiest Leicas. The won't > take M lenses, but those early fifties LTM lenses will give you the > classic Leica look. Some M shooters prefer the old lenses for their > lower contrast, reduced saturation and mellow rendering. The Summicron > 50/2 collapsible, for example, is a masterful lens. The more common, > less expensive and more compact Elmar 50/3.5 is quite good as well.
