Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I was given a couple of Steinheil-Culminar 135/f4 LTM lenses, and since they don't sell for doodly on *YOU KNOW WHERE*, I decided to see if I could clean one and see what it might do. I disassembled the 'head, cleaned the glass and the aperture blades and tried it out. I was pretty surprised at the images I got- not half bad, and nearly as good as those I get from a Hektor 135. Has anyone else used this optic? It has an aluminium barrel high reminiscent of the Russian 135 I used to have, and is not as sturdy as the Hektor, but surprisingly sharp. I also picked up a handy device that I had never seen before; it is a combination loupe and film marker. It is marked "E. Leitz -Wetzlar" has a nickel plated brass body, and a doublet that appears to have a PCX lens nearest the eye, and double concave lens in the adjustable barrel with a magnification of about 4x-5x. The front has a pair of grooves that hold the edge of a strip of negatives, and a small punch is mounted so that you can view a negative, and if you want, mark it with a little semi-circular 'bite' out of the edge of the strip. I haven't checked out the Laney book, but it is one of the most interesting bits of Leicana I've run across- and useful, as well!! Dan