W-Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 LTM

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hrryxgg

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i have a 50mm and a 28mm; would the addition of a 35mm be silly?

i am tempted by this W-Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 LTM lens.

any thoughts on this?

thank you
 
Fantastic lens. If you can spare the cash to buy one, go for it! My favorite "classic" 35mm lens by far. It would be nice if it focused closer, but its not a deal breaker for me.

Miyazaki-san has converted two 2005 reissue S-mount W-Nikkor 35/1.8 lenses to M-mount for me. Minimum focus is unchanged (for an S-mount lens) at 0.9m.

I don't recommend the conversion though, because the lens focuses in the Nikon direction rather than the Leica direction (which will annoy some people) and more importantly the conversion is irreversible. I also had to spend a lot of time reworking the handmade plastic focus cams to fix severe back focusing, and what a tedious process that was...
 
You're better off pick up broken Konica Hexar af camera and having the lens converted to M mount (via MS optical). A lot less expensive, closer focus (then the ltm) and modern lens coating

jonmanjiro said:
Miyazaki-san has converted two 2005 reissue S-mount W-Nikkor 35/1.8 lenses to M-mount for me. Minimum focus is unchanged (for an S-mount lens) at 0.9m. I don't recommend the conversion though, because the lens focuses in the Nikon direction rather than the Leica direction (which will annoy some people) and more importantly the conversion is irreversible. I also had to spend a lot of time reworking the handmade plastic focus cams to fix severe back focusing, and what a tedious process that was...
Click to expand...
 
I find this lens to work very well with my M9.

After%20the%20Rain%20May%202014%20%20%206-L.jpg
 
The 35/1.8 LTM is kinda rare, but the cost is a lot less than a good/clean 35 Cron V1. This is why I bought the lens because I was considering getting the V1 Cron for my retro 35.

The glass is slightly radioactive, and on my sample the glass is a little yellow, and the effect is like having a very mild yellow filter built into the lens.

At F1.8 there is some veiling flare (glow). On my Monochrom it is a match made in heaven, while not as sharp as a modern Leica ASPH 35 is still very detailed. On my Monochrom I get mucho mids.

I love the compact size and that the distance scale is in feet only for an uncluttered look.

Cal
 
What is the difference between.....!

What is the difference between.....!

What is the difference between the W-Nikkor-C 35/1.8 LTM and the W-Nikkor 35/1.8 LTM? Someone is selling me one without the "C" for a lot more than the one with "C". It is in excellent condition. The reason he sells it for more is because of the 1,500 made in LSM, only few were without the "C". He said both are coated with Nikkon special formula. Any one has some light on this?
 
pepeguitarra said:
What is the difference between the W-Nikkor-C 35/1.8 LTM and the W-Nikkor 35/1.8 LTM?
Click to expand...

The red "C" engraving - that is the only difference. It was just a marketing gimmick. The red "C" was dropped from later production Nikon S-mount lenses as well. I don't see any reason to pay more for one without the red "C".

jonmanjiro said:
The red "C" indicates "coated" and was dropped toward the end of the Nikon RF era (1956-57?) because all manufacturers were coating lens by then anyway, and there was no longer any point in advertising the fact that Nikkors were coated (Nikkors were always coated). Curious to know why you specifically want one without the red "C"? :)

I don't remember ever seeing one sans the red "C" personally, but there's one shown on this website (link) so there must be more out there. They must make up a very small percentage of those 1,500 or so LTM lenses though.
Click to expand...
 
Red c

Red c

Nikon eliminated the red c in the late 1950's .
Lenses introduced in 1959 never had a red c
Both lenses marked c and those not marked as such are coated optics .
I've noticed that the later lenses , had coatings of different color
Than the earlier ones .
The optical formula for the lens remained the same .
I think the production total for all types nikkor 3.5cm f1.8 in Leica screwmount is ~ 1500 total .
In nikon rf mount 6900 were made .
The Nikon type will not fit on Leica in a rf coupled adapter as the rear rim
Hits the rf roller on a Leica rf cam . On the screwmount type nikon used a very thin metal rim/ band to clear this .
If you have a nikon lens adapted in Japan they turn down the thicker rim to clear .
 
Minimum focus is different between the two lenses.
ltm = 1m minimum.
S mount = 0.9m minimum.
 
enasniearth said:
Nikon eliminated the red c in the late 1950's .
Lenses introduced in 1959 never had a red c
Both lenses marked c and those not marked as such are coated optics .
I've noticed that the later lenses , had coatings of different color
Than the earlier ones .
The optical formula for the lens remained the same .
I think the production total for all types nikkor 3.5cm f1.8 in Leica screwmount is ~ 1500 total .
In nikon rf mount 6900 were made .
The Nikon type will not fit on Leica in a rf coupled adapter as the rear rim
Hits the rf roller on a Leica rf cam . On the screwmount type nikon used a very thin metal rim/ band to clear this .
If you have a nikon lens adapted in Japan they turn down the thicker rim to clear .
Click to expand...

Mucho thanks for the detailed information. I'll check my LTM 35/1.8 lens tonight.

Cal
 
enasniearth said:
The Nikon type will not fit on Leica in a rf coupled adapter as the rear rim
Hits the rf roller on a Leica rf cam . On the screwmount type nikon used a very thin metal rim/ band to clear this .
If you have a nikon lens adapted in Japan they turn down the thicker rim to clear.
Click to expand...

Just to add a little more detail on the S-mount to M-mount conversion done by Miyazaki-san - he actually removes the rear optical group from its original rim and remounts it in a thinner rim (extremely thin actually). Also, the spring loaded sleeve around the rear optics that locks into the focus helical on an S-mount camera for focus coupling is removed completely (and permanently) and replaced with a piece of plastic tubing which is filed down to become the M-mount focus cam. The conversion is irreversible.

The first two photos below show an S-mount 35/1.8 (2005 version) which has been converted to M-mount by Miyazaki-san (left side) next to an original unmodified S-mount 35/1.8 (2005 version) (right side). The third photo is an S-mount 35/1.8 (2005 version) next to an LTM 35/1.8.

16848986807_f185cf03e4_b.jpg


16433962904_cb1320eda1_b.jpg


22957671699_57d748d1b8_b.jpg
 
Here is the lens I purchased...>!

Here is the lens I purchased...>!

Thank you for the advice. I really like to have the "C" out to make the lens more unique, since less C-less lens were made in this model. I will be posting photos later on. The main difference between the LTM and the Nikon-S seems to be the scalloped focus ring, and the color black versus metal. I cannot mention the price, but it was close to my Summicron 35/2 V1.


WNikkor35mm-2R by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

WNikkor35mm-8 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
 
pepeguitarra said:
Thank you for the advice. I really like to have the "C" out to make the lens more unique, since less C-less lens were made in this model. I will be posting photos later on. The main difference between the LTM and the Nikon-S seems to be the scalloped focus ring, and the color black versus metal. I cannot mention the price, but it was close to my Summicron 35/2 V1.


WNikkor35mm-2R by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

WNikkor35mm-8 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Good luck.

The rendering is wonderful on my Monochrom. Check to see how yellow is your glass is from decades worth of nuclear hardening. Mine has about a half stop of yellow filter built in which is kinda ideal with my Monochrom for 10 zone histograms.

Cal
 
johannielscom said:
This is a lens that really shines on the digital Leicas for sharpness.
Click to expand...

Plus one. I love the perfect contrast on my Monochrom.

Also my LTM version sports the red "C." Because it likely is an older lens it features more yellowing due to the nuclear hardening effect. At this point it is about a half stop of yellow filter built into the lens.

Another bonus is that it is a very small lens.

Cal
 
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