Leica Basics: In Need of Some Leica Education

[arealitystudios]

Hello All

So I’m relatively new to the wonderful wide world of Leica mount rangefinders and I swear it’s like being a kid in the candy store again. There are just soooo many goodies out there on the used market and though I’m not the kind of photographer that just hoards all sorts of lenses and finders, it’s still fun to shop around and browse on KEH and Ebay and such, especially when I’m hiding in my cubicle and avoiding work. 

My questions is, does anyone know of any good websites that give a breakdown or explain the difference between all the Leica M and Screwmount lenses? Whenever I’m looking around I see names like Noctilux, Summilux, Summarit, Summicron, Elmar, etc. etc, some made in Canada, some made in Germany, all with huge variations in price. It’s rather mind boggling. When you add in all the other brands that make Screwmount and M mount lenses it gets even worse! Hahaha.

Anyway, if anyone has a recommendation for me I would really appreciate it.

[raizans]

cameraquest.com explains evvvvverything.

[cmo]

www.rangefinderforum.com - there are many, many experts.

[Pinholemaster]

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/

[rjr]

In short, the lens names state the speed of the lens, the maximum aperture. A Summicron is always a lens with f2, a Summilux has f1,4 etc.pp.

Erwin Puts used to host a free (and limited) copy of his Leica Lens Compendium:
http://www.amazon.com/Leica-Lens-Com.../dp/189780217X

He removed it while he is working on a new edition, but Archive.org has it archived:
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://.../llcforweb.pdf

It will help you a bit with your endavour.

[Paolita]

A very interesting French site
/www.summilux.net, with a lot of infos, PDF files of brochures and manuals for almost all LEICA models

[Xmas]

Well It is a lot cheaper getting a Canon P and the equivalent Canon lenses.

Unless you swap lenses more then you use film the P is a lot faster then any leica M body, and I dont count the M8 - nasty digital rubbish.

Noel

P.S. I do have an M or two...

[Tim Gray]

I second the Cameraquest pages for screw mount and M mount lens info.
LTM
M

[arealitystudios]

oh thank you everyone. More reading material than I could have hoped for!

[luvcameras]

Leica M Lens Price & Info Guide = http://antiquecameras.net/leicamlenses.html

Leica M Camera Price & Info Guide = http://antiquecameras.net/leicamcameras.html

Leica Screw Camera Price & Info Guide = http://antiquecameras.net/leicascrewcameras.html

Leica Screw Lens Price & Info Guide = http://antiquecameras.net/leicascrewlenses.html