$250 for Summarit ?

[former member]

My LTM and M-Mount Summarit both take 41mm filters. They also have that ridge on the outside. So it's for a Bayonet Mount Hood. Never knew that. Nikon did the same thing on the 10.5cm F2.5 Nikkor, first run. Then they dropped the bayonet lugs.

 

[FrankS]

That's correct Hektor. The Summarit will probably take 2 to 3 weeks to get to me from Australia. Here's a photo from the seller:

 

[Hektor]

Lots of time for research then, - you'll enjoy a summarit, they are an aquired taste, and give a unique look when opened up.

enjoy.............


edit: aahhh, the pics came up after i started writing, - looks like what they call a three-ring one, fairly late, nice coating, both threads and bayonet on the front, - you are a lucky fella, - probably the best sort of Summarit.......

 

[FrankS]

Unique look - that's just what I'm hoping for. I've got sharp covered with a modern-type Summicron, sharp with lower contrast covered with a collapsible Summicron, and interesting look covered by a Summitar and a Summarit. It will be interesting to see how the Summitar and Summarit differ. Anyone know?

 

[Hektor]

Well, IIRC, you might know the difference between a summicron and a summitar,........

the Summarit goes the same again when you open it up and a bit flatter contrast.....

Good at night, and great with fine grain film (100asa), very creamy, bokeh like through a net curtain..........

I'm rambling.......I'll shutup........... aahhhh - Summarits.......

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Frank,

NEED? Of course you need it.

Cut down on non-essentials like heat and electricity.

Ooops, forgot you live in the great frozen North, where it is reputed to be colder ;-)

 

[Hektor]

Err, Frank, you like 50's don't you ?...............

fancy a Noctilux ??????????...........

Er, Frank,....Frank ????.......you've gone all quiet Frank..........hello ???..........

 

[FrankS]

Hektor, not interested in a Nocktilux. Beyond my means and modest desires! I'm done, except for maybe a 35mm lens. But I already have a 40 Rokkor and J-12.

Tom, I am wearing lots of clothing in the house these days. Haven't turned on the furnace yet. My darkroom chemicals, even the Diafine, need hot water baths to warm up to a temp where they will be active!

 

[Graybeard]

I'm almost cured.

Is $250 for a really good Summarit a good price? Quick responses appreciated.

The Summarit, more than most Leitz optics, seems to accumulate muck on the interior lens elements. Unless you've been able to examine the lens youself with a flashlight, better budget for a lens servicing to get the best from a new Summarit.


I have a M-mount Summarit in really sweet condition; it arrived slightly fogged and Sherry Krauter cleaned it up for me.

I did some lens testing with it once cleaned, shooting newspaper targets with the camera on a tripod. It was on the soft side wide open but I think one would be hard pressed yto distinguish its performance from that of a Summicron at about f5.6 or greater f-stops. The sharpest fast lens wide open I've ever used is the Nokton 1.5/50mm - I include the 50mm Summilux and Summilux R in this comparison

This raises a point for discussion. Fast lenses like the Summarit are bought to be used in low light situations - wide open (very shallow depth of field) at slow shutter speeds (camera shake). In real-life use, I believe that apparent perfomance of a lens may be, in many cases, more a measure of the ability of the person holding the camera to focus accurately and hold the camera steady than it is the optical design.

 

[Stu W]

Frank, I have the original Summarit cast bronze 100+ dollar lens hood, but I never use it. Instead, I purchased a 40.5mm ventilated hood from American Eagle Camera for 8 bucks, and a chrome over brass 41mm Walz brand close-up lens at a camera show for a buck. I removed the glass, put a bit of epoxy on the lens hood threads, and screwed the hood into the filter ring. I now have a 9 dollar lens hood that really looks proper. Actually, the hood threaded into the filter ring quite nicely-the epoxy was just for security. And I won't have to file for bankruptcy if I lose it.

As far as filters go, the Summarits take either the dedicated bayonet filters or E41 threaded filters. The problem is with the bayonet filters you're obligated to use the $100+ lens hood, and the whole business-filter and hood-fall off quite easily. I have been slowly acquiring a set of E41 filters. Enjoy your new toy. Stu

 

[FrankS]

Great idea, Stu! Mind if I borrow it?

 

[dcsang]

Ya know.. looking at those photos makes me think that I should place WTB ads more often and just give up on the "browsing the bay" for gear 🙂

Dave

 

[Stu W]

Glad you like it. I put it on the scanner. It distorts the image, but you can get the idea. Stu