Industar LTM Elmar versus Industar 10 - 50/3.5

Industar M39 lenses
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goamules

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As posted elsewhere, I recently found my first Leica for a reasonable price. It had a very nice condition Elmar 50/3.5 from about 1947, coated. It's my first Leica glass, I've been concentrating on Canon. But I also have a little Russian knockoff of the Elmar, an Industar-10 by Fed. OK, I'm impressed. The Elmar has much better sharpness and color. Both pics right out of the camera, no PhotoShop. First the Industar:

6363334925_9510db25f7_b.jpg


Elmar, and larger sizes:

6363339227_822c444825_b.jpg
 
The sharpness is the same but it looks like the industar picture was either slightly overexposed or a problem with flare. The later seems more likely is the industar coated or uncoated btw. did you use the industar on the leica?

Dominik
 
Shine a light through the rear element. You may see some problems. I've seen similar comparisons & they are almost identical.
 
The Industar is coated. But I see it needs cleaning, just dust, no haze. I agree the Industar looks flared, I beg to differ that they are both just as sharp. I shot both from a tripod on a G-1 at 1/60. If you compare the larger shots, you will see more contrast, but also more sharpness from the Elmar. The colors are also more saturated. Check out the blue circle "no CFCs" logo on the Lemon Pledge can. I will clean the lens and redo.

Industar large
Elmar large
 
goamules said:
The Industar is coated. But I see it needs cleaning, just dust, no haze. I agree the Industar looks flared, I beg to differ that they are both just as sharp. I shot both from a tripod on a G-1 at 1/60. If you compare the larger shots, you will see more contrast, but also more sharpness from the Elmar. The colors are also more saturated. Check out the blue circle "no CFCs" logo on the Lemon Pledge can. I will clean the lens and redo.

Industar large
Elmar large
Click to expand...

No doubt the elmar is a better lens but I've seen better results from other I-10's. Thats the problem with most soviet lenses, One isn't consistant from another but when you get a good working one it's a killer lens. Another thing you need to consider is the two lenses may not be of the same standard.
 
FED 50mm 3.5 'elmar' clone: How sharp?

FED 50mm 3.5 'elmar' clone: How sharp?

Are the FED 50mm 3.5 'elmar' clones as sharp as they say, anyone have and/or use one of these
 
I've had many examples of the lens over the years: many marked as FSU and some pretending to be Elmars. None of them produced results on par with a genuine Elmar that has more haze and fog than a fall morning. There may very well be sharp ones out there if one wants to search them out.
 
I have several Industar 22 lenses that are as sharp as my 50mm Elmar lens, one even tops it. The Fed ones, also known as the Industar 10 have been much less than spectacular in my sample range.

The problem with FSU lenses is you will have to go through many examples of the same type to find the keepers.
 
DoxLeica said:
I've had many examples of the lens over the years: many marked as FSU and some pretending to be Elmars. None of them produced results on par with a genuine Elmar that has more haze and fog than a fall morning. There may very well be sharp ones out there if one wants to search them out.
Click to expand...

interesting, l will see how it compares with my 'typical' hazy elmar example, thanks for the reply by the way:)
 
FED 50 3.5 might come uncoated with f18, or as Industar-10 with f16 and coated. I never used uncoated one, only I-10, it was inferior to I-22 for sharpness and flare resistance. I ordered KOMZ version of I-22 to try on M-E and M3. The only benefit of FED 50 (I-10) it is fully collapsible to Bessa R. I-22 is longer and I-50 even more longer.
 
xayraa33 said:
I have several Industar 22 lenses that are as sharp as my 50mm Elmar lens, one even tops it. The Fed ones, also known as the Industar 10 have been much less than spectacular in my sample range.

The problem with FSU lenses is you will have to go through many examples of the same type to find the keepers.
Click to expand...

than you for the reply, l wonder what the internal optical lay out difference is between the Elmar, the Industar 22 and Industar 10
 
Ko.Fe. said:
FED 50 3.5 might come uncoated with f18, or as Industar-10 with f16 and coated. I never used uncoated one, only I-10, it was inferior to I-22 for sharpness and flare resistance. I ordered KOMZ version of I-22 to try on M-E and M3. The only benefit of FED 50 (I-10) it is fully collapsible to Bessa R. I-22 is longer and I-50 even more longer.
Click to expand...

thank you for your input, this gives me a further valuable insight regarding this lens, the example heading my way is a 10, f16 coated, at £25 I thought it was worth a shot:)
 
I have just picked up an Industar 10, it will be interesting to see how it does compared to my 50mm Elmar
 
The Russian lenses have a Tessar optical layout, four elements in three groups. The Elmar is five elements in three groups. Aperture in front of rearmost group in both lenses.

An Industar-22 can be as sharp as a clean Elmar and the design isn't what limits sharpness, it's quality control. As others have pointed out, there are bad Industars and good ones out there and it's a gamble what you will get, unless you can test before purchase.
 
My Industar I 22 lenses were sharper than my Elmars. They also imaged pretty much like them, even though to my memory I think that the FSU lenses are actually Tessars? In any case you can't go wrong w/ either.

For that absolute Leica look though, go w/ the Elmar.
 
johannielscom said:
The Russian lenses have a Tessar optical layout, four elements in three groups. The Elmar is five elements in three groups. Aperture in front of rearmost group in both lenses.

An Industar-22 can be as sharp as a clean Elmar and the design isn't what limits sharpness, it's quality control. As others have pointed out, there are bad Industars and good ones out there and it's a gamble what you will get, unless you can test before purchase.
Click to expand...

very interesting, many thanks:)
 
Steve M. said:
My Industar I 22 lenses were sharper than my Elmars. They also imaged pretty much like them, even though to my memory I think that the FSU lenses are actually Tessars? In any case you can't go wrong w/ either.

For that absolute Leica look though, go w/ the Elmar.
Click to expand...


Many thanks, luckily l already have an Elmar, but could not resist the Industar 10
 
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