The LLL Elcan for scenery, in Tucson Arizona, this is an approaching Spring rainstorm near Sunset. The center is sharper and then it softens moving outward. The effect is nicely gradual and blends colors, the terrain and foliage softness toward the sides brings the eye to the center. I like this effect and much as the Greenland imaging for some subjects and some kinds of light as different as these are the LLL Elcan is an interesting lens for scenery, I am becoming fond of it.
Approaching rainstorm in Catalina Mountains
Approaching rainstorm in Catalina Mountains, Tucson
EMH2025 wrote:
I recently picked up one of last LLL Elcans from Popflash in black. I was heading off to Greenland and it being mil spec clone of being useful with gloves and temperature extremes called to me for imaging. Using it I discovered I am quite fond its rendition of scenery. The center sharpness blending off to less sharp sides is how I see the world unaided by optics. These two images show this effect and centering the eye on scenery center with the softness bringing the center forward. Both images were captured off Ilulissat on the west coast of Greenland well above the arctic circle. This place is famous for the Jacobshavn glacier, that calves huge icebergs, one of which was suspected to have collided with the Titanic. The Elcan clone was adapted to a Nikon Z7II.
I have not seen a lot of use of this lens for scenery but it has some potential, back in Arizona I have been using it on the scene out my front door and in the right light I am quite pleased with it. I am going to have to take it on the road again and try some other locale and lighting....Show more →
Beautiful location and great usage of the lens' character.
The Elcan can be really great at environmental portrait I believe.
I’m still debating how much the LLL 50mm f2 Rigid Summicron replica could be of use to me owning already the Elcan and the Panchro. I kinda want it but I don’t know what it would bring to the table.
The first image in particular, although the woman in the center is more in the background the nature of the Elcan brings her forward (an image "funnel") with the other closer people drawing the eye toward that centered woman. Nice ! The LLL M mount lenses play nice with Nikon and critical focus is easy. I ordered a 1966, I think like the Elcan it is one of the few left, at least the last one on Popflash this date. I want to see if I can get the 1960s scenery look out of it like seen in National Geographic images of the era, maybe with film emulation as well. I can compare the 1966 to a modern Noct with a Voitlander F1 it will be interesting comparison.
Sonnar-7 wrote:
Some photos from a few months ago.
The Elcan can be really great at environmental portrait I believe.
I’m still debating how much the LLL 50mm f2 Rigid Summicron replica could be of use to me owning already the Elcan and the Panchro. I kinda want it but I don’t know what it would bring to the table.
I have a LLL rigid in hand this weekend and compared to the elcan I already have. It is more of a normal corner to corner lens. The resolution and color is great, tiny as it is, it gives a different perspective to the center sharp elcan. It is easy to see why the elcan is used by people (or pet) photographers to center the sharpness on a singular subject, similarly I have been experimenting with for landscape to bring the eye to a focus point, but that makes it a more specialized and useful tool. The rigid is in contrast a much more normal lens. I am using it with a Voigt close in adapter and it is wonderfully sharp close in, while not macro it is close enough for most of what I want to capture. I am going to keep it after testing it this past weekend. The elcan is so small it is easy to carry for the just in case circumstance, but the rigid or my FunleaderM mount adaptation of contax G 45/2 will be used more frequently as a normal 50 (45)/2.
It turns out the LLL 8E I bought from popflash last month is front focusing wide open. Bummer. I sent them an email this morning so hoping to get that fixed under the warranty. Although I'm afraid that the tariff BS with China might complicate things.
On a related note, I'm debating about whether to pick up a LLL Rigid or a Leica one. I'm leaning more towards Leica because it's not that much more expensive and it seems like the replica is slightly not as good? (The Leica is a bit sharper at corners wide open and has more muted colors wide open). I'm curious if anyone has both or either and their thoughts. It would be my first real vintage lens.
I purchased a LLL 50 rigid new as well a few months ago and also had to return it. The 2 barrel halves had some back and forth play and there was focus ring stiction with small focus adjustments. Pictures seemed sharp though so no issues with the optics. I would say. The LLL 35 8 element I got was fine. It seems there is more variability in build consistency so make sure to check the lens thoroughly when you purchase it, the materials were otherwise very nice.
Sonnar-7 wrote:
Some photos from a few months ago.
The Elcan can be really great at environmental portrait I believe.
I’m still debating how much the LLL 50mm f2 Rigid Summicron replica could be of use to me owning already the Elcan and the Panchro. I kinda want it but I don’t know what it would bring to the table.
LLL Elcan 50mm f2 & Nikon Zf
I like the colors here but wonder why these shots don't show real sharpness. Is it just the reduce web resolution?
gammarART wrote:
I like the colors here but wonder why these shots don't show real sharpness. Is it just the reduce web resolution?
They were all taken at f2 so wide open and a few might not be perfectly in focus, still the original versions are indeed a bit sharper on my screen, maybe enough to make a difference to my taste.
I removed the built-in UV filter of my Speed Panchro II on a whim and I don’t know if it’s wishful thinking but I feel the flares are prettier than before, more artefact like and less veil-ish.
Now I’m looking for a good 43mm UV filter, they are scarce.
Sonnar-7 wrote:
I removed the built-in UV filter of my Speed Panchro II on a whim and I don’t know if it’s wishful thinking but I feel the flares are prettier than before, more artefact like and less veil-ish.
Now I’m looking for a good 43mm UV filter, they are scarce.
Yeah that built in UV in the SPII is not great. Took mine out and never looked back. I'm using the Leica UV on my SPII because I already had it for another Leica lens that's since been sold. I also like the Zeiss UV filters. I know a lot of folks like the B+W, but I don't like their MRC Nano Clear filters. Their nano coating work really well at repelling water and cleans the easiest, but I've seen slight infinity corner sharpness reduction with them on some lenses (probably irrelevant on a vintage lens design like he SPII).
highdesertmesa wrote:
Yeah that built in UV in the SPII is not great. Took mine out and never looked back. I'm using the Leica UV on my SPII because I already had it for another Leica lens that's since been sold. I also like the Zeiss UV filters. I know a lot of folks like the B+W, but I don't like their MRC Nano Clear filters. Their nano coating work really well at repelling water and cleans the easiest, but I've seen slight infinity corner sharpness reduction with them on some lenses (probably irrelevant on a vintage lens design like he SPII).
I don't doubt what you're saying, but did you do a side by side comparison? Maybe one shot with the filter and one without? It's possible the filter that comes with the SPII is single coated.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I don't doubt what you're saying, but did you do a side by side comparison? Maybe one shot with the filter and one without? It's possible the filter that comes with the SPII is single coated.
I think the original LLL SPII elements are single coated, so it would make sense they wouldn't multi-coat the built-in filter. The SPII built-in filter is inset fairly far into the lens and is shielded a bit by the lens barrel, so it's less of an issue than it would be with the built-in filter of the 35 8-element collapsable where its right out at the edge. The Rigid version of the SPII is mulicoated, but it doesn't have the built-in filter.
Matt Osborne shot with a copy of the 8-element with and without the built-in filter (time stamp below shows both copies). Later in the video, he shows the flare from the one with the built-in filter and says the one without the filter doesn't flare as badly, but he doesn't show a side-by-side.
What I have tried is with/without is the screw-on UV filter that comes with the 35 8-element safari edition – not a formal test just reviewing the images at max magnification on the SL2-S in camera. Infinity IQ in the corners was slightly worse with the UV filter than without it.
I'll see if I can test the LLL UV filter on the 8-E on the M11M tomorrow more formally on a tripod for corner IQ and flare. But I might miss come of the flare just because I won't be able to see it as well in b&w. Currently without a color camera
I was fortunate enough to pick up a limited early release of the LLL 50mm f1.5 Z21 at a camera event in Japan today. This is my first lens from Light Lens Lab. My first impressions of the lens are that it is a lot lighter than I expected. Although it is a little front heavy mounted on my M9-P. The aperture ring is really smooth and the focus ring is a little bit more stiff compared to the aperture ring. Focusing is really easy and accurate with my M9. I know it’s not for everyone but I really like the character of this lense in the way it swirls. There is a bit of glow and purple fringing but I still really like it. The only thing I don’t like so far is the cap. It’s nice that it’s metal, but it’s a screw on type so it’s a pain to put on and take off.
I will attach a few photos I took around a park.
This is my first time uploading photos so I hope it works.
Excluding the first photo all of these are shot wide open at 1.5 with a Leica M9. JPEGs are SOOC.
highdesertmesa wrote:
Yeah that built in UV in the SPII is not great. Took mine out and never looked back. I'm using the Leica UV on my SPII because I already had it for another Leica lens that's since been sold. I also like the Zeiss UV filters. I know a lot of folks like the B+W, but I don't like their MRC Nano Clear filters. Their nano coating work really well at repelling water and cleans the easiest, but I've seen slight infinity corner sharpness reduction with them on some lenses (probably irrelevant on a vintage lens design like he SPII).
Most of the uv filters made even by big brands, are in super lightweight aluminium, slim and with knuckles and some green coating that cast some cold colors. I really don’t like those and it’s all I can usually find, it’s said to be to our benefit but the aluminium is unpleasant to the touch and scratch the threads, the knuckles are usually poorly thought out and prevent any bayonet accessory and when I use a vintage lens I prefer a warm cast. I don’t know, I miss old school filters.
I found a few brands like Nisi that make some brass more consistent uv filter with warm coating but they are not always easy to find here or some sizes are missing.
On another note, I’m pretty sure the LLL UV filter of the SPii is single coated if anything.
I’m not sure it improved to remove it, I didn’t tested enough by comparison but I felt it was better without.
mgibo wrote:
I was fortunate enough to pick up a limited early release of the LLL 50mm f1.5 Z21 at a camera event in Japan today. This is my first lens from Light Lens Lab. My first impressions of the lens are that it is a lot lighter than I expected. Although it is a little front heavy mounted on my M9-P. The aperture ring is really smooth and the focus ring is a little bit more stiff compared to the aperture ring. Focusing is really easy and accurate with my M9. I know it’s not for everyone but I really like the character of this lense in the way it swirls. There is a bit of glow and purple fringing but I still really like it. The only thing I don’t like so far is the cap. It’s nice that it’s metal, but it’s a screw on type so it’s a pain to put on and take off.
I will attach a few photos I took around a park.
This is my first time uploading photos so I hope it works.
Excluding the first photo all of these are shot wide open at 1.5 with a Leica M9. JPEGs are SOOC.
