Coated Summar Photos from 1972

[doubs43]

Here are a few pictures I took in 1972 using my Leica IIIb and a 5cm coated Summar. The film was FP-4 developed in D-76 straight. These are all full-frame shots.

Walker

 

[erudolph]

Beautiful shots, Walker.... 🙂

Ed

 

[doubs43]

Thanks Ed and Daniel. Here's another one taken against the light and clearly showing the "bokeh" of the dog-leg iris blades.

Walker

 

[drmatthes]

Two questions:

1) Who's the boy, YOU?

2) What was inside in the safe? Leica gear?

Jesko

 

[doubs43]

Two questions: 1) Who's the boy, YOU? 2) What was inside in the safe? Leica gear? Jesko

1.) I took the pictures. That's my oldest son, now 37 and an MBA graduate of Notre Dame University.

2.) I have no idea if the safe contained anything at all. They were tearing down a large building nearby and the safe was placed on the vacant lot by the demolition workers. At the moment I have a smaller version of a similar safe that belonged to my great grandfather and I have several Leicas and lenses for them in it. I seriously doubt that my son could open it if he had the combination! 🙂

Walker

 

[raid]

I like the "Summar Effects" in your photos posted here. Hopefully soon will my Summar arrive at the doorsteps. I am waiting for the mail. It seems to be a lens that many like and some dislike.

 

[payasam]

In the first shot, the slight vignetting typical of this lens. Was it coated by Leitz or elsewhere? To my knowledge, Summars left the factory with no coating. Certainly the later Summitars did, until WW2 ended.

 

[doubs43]

In the first shot, the slight vignetting typical of this lens. Was it coated by Leitz or elsewhere? To my knowledge, Summars left the factory with no coating. Certainly the later Summitars did, until WW2 ended.

To the best of my knowledge, all Summar 5cm lenses were uncoated at time of manufacture. Judging from the color of the coating when compared to a 1946 Hektor, it was factory coated by Leitz at some point. It came attached to my IIIb (shown in the books to have been 1938/1939 manufacture) that I purchased in 1972. I've read that Summars coated by Leitz at a later date are not common and bring a premiun price.

Leitz did coat some military optics and those lenses found with a war-time serial number that are coated were likely military issue. I suppose it's possible that my Summar was coated for the German Military but I'd never claim that it was as I do not know.

I recently purchased a 1939 Summitar believing it to be uncoated. I was very surprised to find that it has been coated with a much lighter blue than my Summar and Hektor. It looks more like the coating on late 1950's and 1960's Leitz lenses. Again, I have no idea when it was coated but it certainly doesn't appear to have been a war-time coating unless Leitz had different coating for different purposes.

Walker

 

[doubs43]

I like the "Summar Effects" in your photos posted here. Hopefully soon will my Summar arrive at the doorsteps. I am waiting for the mail. It seems to be a lens that many like and some dislike.

Raid, they made a ton of the Summars (approx. 123,000) and IMO they are underrated whether coated or not. I'd really like to see some pictures taken with yours when you get it.

Walker

 

[telenous]

Beautiful pictures Walker. I love the Summar bokeh. I bought one for a song the other day. It arrived and sure enough it was hazed and it even had a tiny speck of funghus. I shot three-four frames and to my astonishment they came out absolutely fine. Need to test some more, if I get any interesting shots I will post.

 

[doubs43]

Beautiful pictures Walker. I love the Summar bokeh. I bought one for a song the other day. It arrived and sure enough it was hazed and it even had a tiny speck of funghus. I shot three-four frames and to my astonishment they came out absolutely fine. Need to test some more, if I get any interesting shots I will post.

They're easy to clean and if you search the forum for Summars you should find pretty detailed instructions. The fungus needs to be removed if nothing else. I'd like to see your results.

Walker

 

[John Shriver]

My Summitar (s/n 589XXX, 1942) is factory coated. (That block is noted as being factory coated in Puts' lens book.) Purple coating is primary, although there are some peach reflections deeper in.

 

[doubs43]

My Summitar (s/n 589XXX, 1942) is factory coated. (That block is noted as being factory coated in Puts' lens book.) Purple coating is primary, although there are some peach reflections deeper in.

John, if you have Puts' book, please see what he says about Summitars in the 5281xx block. The coating reflects different colors from the elements inside and the deepness of the outside coating depends upon the brightness of the light source being reflected. There's no question that the coating is not as dark as the Summar and Hektor.

Walker