Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/11/21

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Subject: Re: portrait lens
From: Joe Berenbaum <joe-b@dircon.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 03:44:33 GMT

At 23:55 20/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
>   I'd like to get a lens for my M3 for taking portraits. IMHO, for this 
>application, the ultimate in sharpness and contrast is not always a virtue. 
>I've considered getting a pre-War 135mm f/4.5 Hektor and a screwmount to M 
>adaptor. The rationale would be that using it wide open and the lack of 
>coating would probably give a kind of softness to the image. In addition, by 
>getting it in LTM, I'll be able to use it when I get my IIIc. (Note I didn't 
>say "if." <g>)
>   Comments? Alternative suggestions?
>   Many thanks.
>   Howard Sanner

You could also consider the 90mm/f4 Elmar from the 30's. One of those would
give that effect also. You can find them quite cheaply- just make sure your
one (whichever of these you get) isn't one that is mechanically stiff in the
focusing or aperture ring. Some of these won't have been serviced; see if
you can find one that has been, so the lubricants are still lubricating and
not glueing.

Joe Berenbaum