[Leica] ELCAN lenses

[jeremy.kime@bbc.co.uk]

Tom,
Interesting to hear more about the use of these Elcans, so far I haven't   
heard of any more than these two variants. If the coverage is for 6x9,   
then it occurs to me that they may have been used for the IMAX lenses   
required for their longitudinal use of the 70mm film format.
The 2" (50mm) F2 Elcan presumably is not the lens about which you talk,   
as that was std. issue on those US Service M4s which has since become an   
extremely expensive collectors item.
Do you think the 6" Elcan was for the Vinten camera as well? The mounts   
look similar for the pair of lenses I've seen. Most likely this was the   
camera/s to which the lenses were mounted that Pascal saw?
Regarding the potential mounting of the 6" Elcan onto the Leicaflex, I   
found a Leitz focussing mount from an enlarger or copying device which if   
threaded internally would make a fine size fit for the rear thread on the   
aerial lens. From there its rear 39mm male thread offered easy/convoluted   
connection to the SL. But really I stopped short (of the full conversion)   
as the rest of the lens just does not make for easy ergonomics,   
especially the oversize, toothed aperture ring.
My adapted 180/2.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar gives me reasonable results until a   
proper Leitz reflex lens is available.
I have this 200mm F2.5 Hektor projection lens which fits onto the SL yet   
no-one so far has shed any light on the different performance it might   
offer compared to a 'proper' taking lens, any thoughts?

Jem