39mm screw lenses

The 39mm screw mount was introduced by Leica with the model I (C), and used on all the Leica models until the IIIg. The mount was adopted on many Leica copies and other 35mm rangefinder cameras.

The mount is also called Leica Thread Mount (LTM), Leica Screw Mount (LSM), or M39. It is 39mm diameter and 26 threads per inch, with rangefinder coupling.

The most important bodies using the 39mm screw mount are:

• Leica I/II/III
• Canon rangefinders
• Voigtländer Bessa
• the Russian Fed, Zorki, Leningrad and Drug
• the British Corfield Periflex

Some makers made cameras and lenses with a 39mm screw mount completely incompatible with the Leica one, because the flange-to-film distance is different. Two such systems are:

• the Braun Paxette
• the Russian Zenit, first models

We can attempt to make a list of 39mm screw lenses from the most important makers.

Berthiot lenses

• 28/3.3 Angulor

Corfield lenses

Corfield sold a range of lenses with their Periflex 39mm mount bodies. The Periflex had no rangefinder but a periscopic through the lens focusing system, so it seems that none of the lenses was rangefinder coupled. Some lenses were made in collaboration with Enna, and the last ones were probably entirely made by Enna.

The known finishes were:

• type 0: all chrome, only on the first 50/3.5 Lumar
• type I: chrome and leatherette
• type II: black with wide chrome stripes (like the Enna lenses of the same period)
• type IIb: black with thin chrome stripes and one chrome ring

• 35/3.5 Retro-Lumax (I)
• 45/1.9 Lumax (I)
• 45/2.8 Lumax (I)
• 45/3.5 Lumax (I)
• 50/3.5 Lumar, 1953 (0)
• 50/3.5 Lumar-X, 1955 (I)
• 50/2.8 Lumax (II)
• 50/2.4 Lumax (II)
• 50/1.9 Lumax (II)
• 100/4 Lumar, 1957 (I)
• 135/3.5 Tele-Lumax (I)

Isco lenses

The Isco Westar 50mm f/3.5 was the standard lens mounted on the prototypes of the Recta, a rangefinder variant of the Rectaflex.

Leotax lenses

Showa Kogaku, better known as Leotax, apparently made their own lenses for their very first Leica copies, among which the rare Letana Anastigmat 50mm f/3.5 (see this Leotax page at cameraquest).

Meyer lenses

Meyer made some lenses in 39mm Leica screw mount. They made them very early, before and maybe during the war. Some of them are marked Hugo Meyer.

• 250/5.5 Tele-Megor, black with chrome rings, rangefinder coupled

Nikon lenses

• 25/4 W-Nikkor C, all chrome
• 28/3.5 W-Nikkor C, all chrome
• 35/1.8 W-Nikkor C, black and chrome
• 35/3.5 W-Nikkor C, all chrome
• 50/1.4 Nikkor-S
• 50/2 Nikkor-H C, all chrome or chrome with black front ring
• 50/2 Nikkor-H C (collapsible), all chrome
• 50/3.5 Nikkor-Q C (collapsible), all chrome
• 50/3.5 Micro-Nikkor, chrome and black
• 85/1.5 Nikkor-S C, black
• 85/2 Nikkor-P C, black or all chrome
• 105/2 Nikkor-P C, black
• 135/3.5 Nikkor-Q, black

Rodenstock lenses

• 35/2.8 Heligon, all chrome

Ross lenses

The British optical company Ross made some lenses in 39mm screw mount.

• 135/4.5 Xtralux, black and chrome, rangefinder coupled

Russian lenses

From FED or KMZ

Steinheil lenses

Steinheil made some lenses in M39 mount. It was essentially the optical range developed for their own Casca model. They were all in chrome finish.

• 35/4.5 Orthostigmat
• 85/2.8 Culminar
• 135/4.5 Culminar

Steinheil also made lenses for the Braun Paxette, with a 39mm diameter screw mount, not compatible with the Leica rangefinder because the flange to film distance and rangefinder coupling were different.

Topcon lenses

Tokyo Kogaku, better known as Topcon, made some lenses in 39mm Leica mount for some Japanese Leica copies, mainly the Leotax. All were all chrome unless noted. The chronological order is State - C Simlar - Simlar - Topcor - Topcor S.

• 35/2.8 Topcor, sold with a very big external finder
• 50/3.5 State (collapsible)
• 50/3.5 C Simlar (collapsible)
• 50/3.5 Simlar (collapsible)
• 50/3.5 Topcor (collapsible), diaphragm around the front lens then diaphragm on the barrel
• 50/3.5 Topcor (fixed), conical shape and knurled rings
• 50/2.8 Topcor, black and chrome finish
• 50/2 Topcor
• 50/2 Topcor S, chrome then black finish
• 50/1.8 Topcor S, black finish
• 50/1.5 Simlar
• 90/3.5 Topcor, aluminium barrel and knurled rings, sold with an external finder
• 135/3.5 Topcor, aluminium barrel, sold with an external finder

External link: 39mm lenses page of the Topcon club

Voigtländer lenses

Voigtländer Braunschweig

Voigtländer made some lenses in 39mm Leica mount. They are very rare and sought after.

• 50/1.5 Nokton, one of the lenses of the Prominent

Carl Zeiss Jena lenses

Carl Zeiss Jena made some of the Contax lenses developed for the Contax rangefinder camera in M39 mount. They were mostly sold during the war and are quite rare. All were in chrome finish, with a slim barrel and rangefinder coupled, unless noted.

• 50/1.5 Sonnar
• 50/2 Sonnar, chrome on brass finish, looks like a collapsible lens but fixed
• 75/1.5 Biotar

Some very rare lenses were probably made by Zeiss but with no Zeiss marking. There is a Sonnar or Leica-Sonnar 58/1.5, and a Sonnar 60/1.5.

Zunow lenses

Teikoku Kogaku, better known as Zunow, made some lenses in M39 mount. Some have impressive characteristics, and all are very rare.

• 50/1.1, all chrome