50mm summicron VS 50mm Elmar

fredus

fredus

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Hi there,

I own a current 50mm summicron. I'm very happy with it ... I'm looking at the 50mm elmar pretty much because it seems smaller and I kind of like the collapsible factor ... How does it compare with the summicron ? Is anybody using the elmar ? Could you tell me good things about it ? Is it worth having both the cron and the elmar ?

Thanks !

fred
 
See here:

http://www.nemeng.com/leica/012b.shtml

I have them both and like them both. And while I prefer the feel and overall look of the 'cron (I have the DR, BTW) there's something about the Elmar's look that is just distinctive enough that I cannot seem to sell it off. Two examples taken with the 50/2.8 Elmar (M-mount, one generation back, not the latest) attached.
 
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I have both the current Cron and Elmar. I normally use the Elmar unless I anticipate needing the extra stop of the Cron. I could make do with either of these two lenses alone. However, the Elmar seems to have a certain clarity and brilliance which I associate with other fine Tessars, whereas the Cron produces images with a slightly smoother, more refined look.
 
I use the current Elmar-M alongside an early lux (E43) and find it's qualities the perfect too in certain situations. Can email/post examples should you wish.
 
I dallied with the Elmar for a brief time. It's lighter than the Summicron for sure, but only much shorter without the shade and a filter, which since the shade screws on it's a chore to take it off and on just to reduce the collapsed length. I settled back on my 1969-type Cron, until I picked up an E43 Lux, which has become my preferred 50. I do have a collapsible Cron, in LTM, and a collapsible 3.5 Elmar. The 2.8 Elmar is about the size of the Cron, the 3.5 Elmar, now there's a pancake lens for you!
 
I think since you already have a 'cron the next logical 50 would be a Summilux. As others have mentioned, the Elmar isn't that much smaller than the cron esp. with the hood. On the other hand, the 'lux is much larger but you are getting something special in the look and the extra stop. Like Ben Z., I haven't used my Summicron since I got my lux.
 
There are several threads on this comparison here I believe, also many on photo.net. I've had two current Summicrons and now have a current Elmar-M and a 43mm Summilux which make an excellent pair as noted above.

Apart from size, the Elmar-M definitely gives a different look. It is warmer than the Summicron and a little less sharp but not much. Quite contrasty too, it is an underrated but quite excellent lens.

 
Shaaktiman and Fredus i'll post some tomorrow as i've post my upload limit for today!
Please bear in mind my shots with this are more "expressive" than about technical abilities but its a very fast lens to focus and therefore capable of some great moments. (not to mention the fact that at the time my rangefinder was slightly misaligned! - now fixed in HK for less than £30 -imagine that sort of service from Lecia UK?)
Also for me as i have the early lux which only focusses down to 0.9, the Elmar goes to 0.7 which makes close shots a bit more practical.
Simon
 
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Thanks Matti
Sometimes when you get to the stage of making prints especially when Lith Printing the signatures differences of certain lenses does get a bit lost but having what you feel is the right lens in the first place makes all the difference to me! However it's not so much what equipment you shoot with it's what you see in the viewfinder and the moment you click the shutter that really counts....

OT a bit but can somebody please expain to me what a "GAS attack" is? Reading the posts and trying to put it in a context i'm understanding it to mean something along the lines "Lens/Camera Lust"? but i may be wrong!

Simon
 
Simon, quite moving photography ! When watching them I forgot about the elmar and the cron ...

Thank you for sharing !

Fred
 
Thanks Frank and Fred
when i've got more images scanned on my current project i'll share them here on the RFF site.
As for making real prints in my darkroom back in the UK, that's a few months off.....

Simon
 
Simon, GAS is Gear Aquisition Syndrom. It's a hazard around here.

BTW, that is very nice work, thank you for taking the time to share it.

William
 
Gear Aquisition Syndrom
Thanks William
think i'm suffering from that now looking at the S-mount 50mm 3.5 Heliar for the Nikon RF....
to shoot wide open alongside the Elmar.
Is there any form of help available for this syndrom? it certainly uses up too much energy when not shooting!

Simon
 
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