50mm F2 Summaron R

[dave lackey]

In a couple of days, I will have traded some old gear for a 50mm F2 Summicron R for the Leica R4. This will get me through a photo shoot on Saturday and a couple of long term projects ahead.

Does anyone have any photos made with the 50mm Summicron? It would be helpful in my planning for the long term projects. Thanks in advance!🙂🙂

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

You mean Summicron? I don't think there has ever been a 50mm Summaron.

Here's a portrait I did of my son 10 yrs ago with a Leica R4 and 50mm Summicron R that I borrowed from a friend.

 

[taskoni]

Hey Dave. Do you mean Summicron-R?
I have a Summicron 50mm f/2 made in Canada and it is fantastic lens on a great price.
Very sharp @ 2.8 and sharp wide open. I use it more than my Summilux 50mm 1.4 - it is more compact and I just left it on the body.
Regards,
b.

Oops, you've got the answer while I was typing 🙂

P.S.
Great photo Chris!

 

[taskoni]

Here's the shot of my wife - she got that lens for me as a present. I had Ilford XP2 Super loaded but wanted so much to see how the lens perform I develop the roll in B&W process so it's a bit odd. I can not recall but it was shot @ f2 or 2.8...


Regards,
b.

 

[dave lackey]

Ah, great images! Just what I am looking for in a 50!

Yes, I meant Summicron, and edited my OP...😛

Chris, Bobby, that lens appears to be very sharp!🙂

 

[dave lackey]

You mean Summicron? I don't think there has ever been a 50mm Summaron.

Here's a portrait I did of my son 10 yrs ago with a Leica R4 and 50mm Summicron R that I borrowed from a friend.

Chris, that is the same setup for me, the R4 and hopefully, the Summicron 50 F2 to start with. Then, a longer zoom and an 80 Lux. And the wideangle...and...😱

Any tips you can give me on this rig would be appreciated.🙂

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Chris, that is the same setup for me, the R4 and hopefully, the Summicron 50 F2 to start with. Then, a longer zoom and an 80 Lux. And the wideangle...and...😱

Any tips you can give me on this rig would be appreciated.🙂

Dave,

The one I used had the common electronic failure on these cameras that makes them lock up sometimes when you push the shutter release. It would do it randomly, and would last for anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes before it would start working again. The friend who owned the camera was trying to sell it to me, and he failed to mention it had that problem. I gave it back and said, no thanks!

So, that's my biggest tip: check it THOROUGHLY and shoot a couple rolls of film THE FIRST DAY you have it so you can immediately return it if it does this. Later ones don't do it, the problem was corrected by Leica but I don't think parts are available to fix it now, and the repair was very expensive years ago when I checked into it.

Aside from that, its a neat little camera. Very small and feels very solidly made. Heavy for the small size! It has built in spotmetering and the finder is bright and easy to focus. I'd have bought it if it worked. Since then. I've decided to stick with my Olympus OM gear for SLR use. I like the OM-4T bodies I have and the lenses are great. I am more used to the OM system, having used it since childhood, so I can work faster with it than any other SLRs I have tried. If you get a good R4, it is a great camera though.

 

[dave lackey]

Dave,

The one I used had the common electronic failure on these cameras that makes them lock up sometimes when you push the shutter release. It would do it randomly, and would last for anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes before it would start working again. The friend who owned the camera was trying to sell it to me, and he failed to mention it had that problem. I gave it back and said, no thanks!

So, that's my biggest tip: check it THOROUGHLY and shoot a couple rolls of film THE FIRST DAY you have it so you can immediately return it if it does this. Later ones don't do it, the problem was corrected by Leica but I don't think parts are available to fix it now, and the repair was very expensive years ago when I checked into it.

Aside from that, its a neat little camera. Very small and feels very solidly made. Heavy for the small size! It has built in spotmetering and the finder is bright and easy to focus. I'd have bought it if it worked. Since then. I've decided to stick with my Olympus OM gear for SLR use. I like the OM-4T bodies I have and the lenses are great. I am more used to the OM system, having used it since childhood, so I can work faster with it than any other SLRs I have tried. If you get a good R4, it is a great camera though.

Thanks, Chris! Yep, got a later one, like new, from a huge estate sale (the old guy had more Leicas than Leica), and basically got it in trade for some consignment items. Been itching to run some film through it instead of dry firing! The cool thing now is that there are so many of them around for so little money, that if I ever have any problems, I can get another body for less than repair.😎

So, I have the R4 lined up with a series of projects locally and am looking forward to sharp black and white images with the Summicron 50 and 100 speed film. It should complement the softer images from the M3 with the Summarit and 400 film.

I am taking your suggestion to run a roll through it for a test on Friday. Check the results and then a band promo shoot on Saturday.

Gotta tell ya, I love the images from the 35 Lux and the 80 Lux!:angel: