Leotax LTM Leotax T2 with Topcor-S 1.8/50.

Leotax M39 screw mount bodies
newst

newst

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Well, that's not what the listing said on eBay last night. I was idly perusing the eBay offerings of 'lesser known' LTM rangefinders and came across a listing for a T2 with the standard Topcor-S 2/50. I was idly scrolling through the listing, I wasn't seriously shopping as I had purchased a Leotax Merite with that 2/50 Topcor lens just six months ago. I did a double-take on the photographs though. The beauty ring on the lens said Topcor-S 1.8/50, a lens that is seemingly imaginary. I could find no record on eBay of any past listing for that lens.

I couldn't help myself, I really have no control when I come upon situations like this. At least I contacted the seller, who confirmed that the listing incorrectly described the lens as the f/2 version. With that confirmation in my email first thing this morning I quickly hit the buy it now button, and $301.00 USD for the camera, lens, taxes, and DHL shipping dropped out of my Paypal account. I just need to be patient for the next week to ten days.

I cannot find anything informative about this lens online. Even the Topcon club is limited to describing it as a double-gauss replacement for Topcon's 2/50, to be sold with the ill-fated Leotax-G rangefinder. So, if anyone out there has one of these I would love to hear what you think of it.
 
Lucky you...I’ve been looking myself after finally acquiring a Leotax G body after many, many yrs of looking. I don’t think it is a whole lot different than the 5cm/F2 version in construction, other than having a somewhat larger front element, to accommodate the slightly faster F/1.8 aperture. They are certainly much rarer than the ubiquitous F/2, which at anytime is available from a multitude of sources on EBay. It obviously is a mismatch on a T2 body as it came along probably when the G model was being developed as Leotax’s last hurrah. You certainly had an eagle eye on that find.
 
hilltime said:
Lucky you...I’ve been looking myself after finally acquiring a Leotax G body after many, many yrs of looking. I don’t think it is a whole lot different than the 5cm/F2 version in construction, other than having a somewhat larger front element, to accommodate the slightly faster F/1.8 aperture. They are certainly much rarer than the ubiquitous F/2, which at anytime is available from a multitude of sources on EBay. It obviously is a mismatch on a T2 body as it came along probably when the G model was being developed as Leotax’s last hurrah. You certainly had an eagle eye on that find.
Click to expand...

Just dumb luck actually. I was playing the dangerous game, killing boredom by wandering through eBay. Suddenly there it was, fat, dumb, and happy. The funny part is that there were about 19 watchers for the auction. I have to wonder whether any of them took the time to look at the photos.
 
It has arrived and it is incredible. There is some minor physical damage to the coating on the rear element but I can't see any impact on image quality (yet). I have taken two rolls with it that are on their way to the Darkroom now.

When I first opened the box I put the lens on the A7II, turned around, and took a shot of my Husky. That's when I knew that I had a winner. Wide open at f/1.8.

2022-07-08 Trooper A7II Topcor 50-18 DSC09764 (2) by newst54, on Flickr
 
I believe you said you also have the Topcor 5cm/F2.8 LTM lens, which I do have also. How would you compare the F/1.8 version to the images you have from it?
I guess my only desire for the F/1.8 lens is it is more period correct for the Leo G body. Having a F/2 Topcor, a F/2.8 Topcor, a F/2 Leonon, and a F/2 Fuji, realistically
I should not have any potential need for another 5cm lens. It is just GAS.......
 
From what I have seen so far, I wouldn't buy the 1.8 expecting it to be better than the 2.8, but the reverse is also true. They are both excellent performers and to my amateur eye, the differences between the images they produce are subtle and subjective. The 1.8 gives you more leeway in low light, while the 2.8 is appreciably smaller and lighter. While I am happy to own them both but I never set out to do so.

I now own the Topcor 3.5/50, 2.8/50, 2/50, and 1.8/50 and am happy to do so. The build and optical quality of each of them rival even Leica's lenses (OK, the 3.5/50 is a bit funky, but so is the Elmar.
 
If the 1.8 version is just equal to the f2 version you will have a sure winner. I've had the Topcor f2 (late black version) for about a year and it has become one of the top 2 or 3 50s I've ever used. It is sharper in the center wide open than the DR/Rigid Summicron, and has a similar beautiful tonality in B/W (a bit higher contrast though). Great on color slide film too--I might even prefer it to the Summicron.

Also the glass and coatings are hard and durable and you rarely see them with heavy cleaning marks; any internal haze or fungus is also easy to remove without damaging the coatings.
 
bluesun267 said:
If the 1.8 version is just equal to the f2 version you will have a sure winner. I've had the Topcor f2 (late black version) for about a year and it has become one of the top 2 or 3 50s I've ever used. It is sharper in the center wide open than the DR/Rigid Summicron, and has a similar beautiful tonality in B/W (a bit higher contrast though). Great on color slide film too--I might even prefer it to the Summicron.

Also the glass and coatings are hard and durable and you rarely see them with heavy cleaning marks; any internal haze or fungus is also easy to remove without damaging the coatings.
Click to expand...

To be honest, every one of my LTM Topcor lenses is a winner. I actually rate the performance of the 2.8/50 better than the 2/50. I will need to use the 1.8/50 for a while before I can decide if it is better than the 2.8/50. They are very close.
 
Coldkennels said:
Out of interest, how does your Leonon perform wide open? Mine is fantastic to f/2.8 and then becomes a glowy and blurry mess at f/2: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/node/4790538
Click to expand...

I have never used my Leonon that much, but do find much more softness at F/2 than the other apertures and comparing it with the Topcor-S F/2, later Black version, remarkably so.
The other apertures from F2.8-16 are progressively better with the best around F8-11, as to be expected. My Leonon is of the S series with ser.# 340xxx.

First image is Leonon @ F2. Second image is the Leonon @ F/11 and third image is the Topcor @ F2. Not the end all of scientific tests as my digital capabilities are reliant on a 4/3rds
Olympus E-PL3 with M39 adapter, so super accurate focusing is somewhat difficult, especially when shooting a lens wide open, but I think the results speak for themselves.


P7190088 (2).jpg P7190092.jpg P7190081.jpg
 
hilltime said:
I have never used my Leonon that much, but do find much more softness at F/2 than the other apertures and comparing it with the Topcor-S F/2, later Black version, remarkably so.
The other apertures from F2.8-16 are progressively better with the best around F8-11, as to be expected. My Leonon is of the S series with ser.# 340xxx.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that tracks with mine (serial 230xxx, so much earlier). It's almost hilarious how different things are from f/2 to f/2.8. At f/2 it's almost like having a built-in soft filter for portraits:

filedata/fetch?filedataid=116994

And then it sharpens up quickly at f/2.8:

Leonon - Faris Stairs - f2.8.jpg

(Both of these were taken with an X-Pro 2)

As a "special effect" lens, I don't mind it. I just have to remember not to shoot at f/2 unless I specifically want that look.

Your Topcor, in comparison, looks much cleaner at f/2. Somewhat nicer colour rendition, too. I find the Leonon somewhat "pastelly" in the few colour photos I've taken with it. Again, not bad, just... something you definitely have to know you want before you pick it up and use it.
 
Lightning striking twice.

In the last six months I have made two Leotax/Topcor camera/lens combo purchases. The first, in January, was a TV2 with the Topcor 2/50. The second was a Leotax T2 with a Topcor 1.8/50.

Each sale was for just under $300. I consider myself very lucky.

This post is to show the Topcor LTM 1.8/50 on film.

The Monochrome photos were taken with the Leotax T2 that I purchased with the camera, using Eastman 5222 (XX), while the color photos were taken using a Sears Tower 3S (Nicca 3S) and Kodak Proimage 100 film.



2022-07-10 Stage Leotax T2 Topcor 50-18 Eastman XX 3755500024 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-10 Stage Leotax T2 Topcor 50-18 Eastman XX 3755500020 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-10 Stage Leotax T2 Topcor 50-18 Eastman XX 3755500015 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-10 Stage Leotax T2 Topcor 50-18 Eastman XX 3755500002 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-09 Firefighters Nicca 3s Topcor 50-18 Proimage 100 376690035 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-09 Firefighters Nicca 3s Topcor 50-18 Proimage 100 376690031 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-09 Firefighters Nicca 3s Topcor 50-18 Proimage 100 376690030 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-09 Firefighters Nicca 3s Topcor 50-18 Proimage 100 376690023 (2) by newst54, on Flickr

2022-07-09 Firefighters Nicca 3s Topcor 50-18 Proimage 100 376690009 (2) by newst54, on Flickr
 
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