'Cleaning marks' - how much effect on pix?

[mr roberts]

Thanks Rover. I'm debating the purchase with myself because it's more money than a new CV 35/1.7 right off the bat and the CLA will add another~$100.

All of these Summicrons seem to be going for >$800 on *bay and the other auction sites. In some cases well over, particularly for the v4 model. This one with a CLA will run close to that and I wonder if it's worth the money. I've let so many of them go in auctions and shops because the price just got out of hand that I hate to miss this one as well.

Do the 6 element versions produce the same sharpness and bokeh of the famed 7 element models? Is there a significant enough difference in performance and build quality to justify 70% again the cost of the Ultron?

 

[back alley]

Is there a significant enough difference in performance and build quality to justify 70% again the cost of the Ultron?

unlikely!

with leica glass it's as much about emotion as it is intellect.
most people will never be able to tell the difference between good glass and leica glass, especially at smaller apertures.
we do what makes us happy in the end.
how else could i use only canon lenses on only canon bodies? it makes me happy.

joe

 

[rover]

I don't know about the different versions of the Summicrons. I have a 4th generation and it is great. I bought it though because I got a very very favorable deal on it. The way it worked out I sold my Ultron and that $ paid for the Summicron. Having had the Ultron, I would say that if not for such a great deal, I would not own the Summicron and would be very happy. That is not a knock on the Summicron, it is wonderful, but the Ultron is real excellent too.

 

[mr roberts]

I originally was interested as it's listed at just about half the weight of the Ultron and only half a stop slower. This is travel kit for me so light is good...light and fast is better.

Well, I suppose I'll see how it plays out when I receive it next week. I can always have it CLA'd and list it in the classifieds.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[tedwhite]

I borrowed a friend's M2 today (very worn, black paint almost all gone) with 21/4.0 Super Angulon. Oh Boy! I thought. An actual Leica in my hands- gonna put the rest of my stuff to shame.

Shot down at the San Pedro River in early morning. Also used my Pentax Spotmatics. The closest I could come to the Super Angulon from that kit was a 28/3.5. Took rolls from both cameras to the local Target (they use a Fuji processing machine and the film was Fuji Superia ISO 400).

The Super Takumar lens blew the Super Angulon out of the water. Images from the Leitz lens were, well, listless, not contrasty, no punch, and darkness on both lower corners. The Takumar images were "Tak" sharp from edge to edge. I examined the Angulon and it seemed clear and scratch free, but I didn't do the flashlight test.

Maybe the Super Angulon is just worn out? But what's with the darkness at the edges. I didn't use a lens hood and was very careful about angling it into (or even near) the sun.

Oh, wait. The point. I bought a Vivitar Series 1 28/1.8 and learned from a friend that the seller had "neglected" to mention some "cleaning marks." As I've got a Vivitar Series 1 28/2.5 I will compare the two lenses to see if there's any difference in image quality and report back.

Ted

 

[peter_n]

Tak sharp eh? I like it! 😉 Well first, having owned a Spotmatic/Takumars in a previous life I know the Takumars are truly excellent lenses. The dark edges are probably vignetting (heck even the CV 21/4 vignettes) and the 21/4 was not designed by Leitz but by Schneider-Kreuznach to specs supplied by Leitz. So maybe not such a surprise... OTOH I've read that the current Leica 21/2.8 is a cracker!

 

[tedwhite]

Thanks, Peter.

All I know is what it says on the lens: "Leitz Wetzlar" #1714920.

Other lenses in his kit I didn't get around to using: 50/2.0 Summicron, 90/2.8 Elmarit. Both, of course, say "Leitz Wetzlar" also. I'll try those in the next few days, My plan was to shoot one roll using each lens.

Ted