Collapsible Summicron. Opinions Please!

[Letien]

I always want to have a collapsible summicron because I think it is the best combination of cleaver mechanicle design and "modern" optical technology (in term of glass type and multiple coating). But I never find a right one (no scratch) at the right time (when I have $) until this week. I know this lens is evaluated as soft coating, prone to glare and low contrast but I still want to have one to see if it fit my expectation. The summitar was considered by most leica user to be mediocre but my experience with it turn out to be excellent. I hope I will be surprised again with this lens.
Please give me your opinions on this lens if you have been using it regularly or recently. What is the best condition or best film to use with this lens?
Sample pictures would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Calzone]

Consider a 50/2.8 Elmar collapsable. The slightly slower speed is the only downside; and, if you get the newest version it has been updated.

I was considering a 50/2.0 collaspable, but finding a clean one seemed like a hard find. Right now there is a $300.00 Leica rebate till the end of the year at some dealers. I essentually used this rebate as leverage on the purchase of a used lense that is like new, with box, papers, hood, caps, and case. I kinda got a new lense and save almost $500.00.

This lense has sharp vs soft focus though.

Cal

 

[Paul T.]

I sold my Elmar M to get the Summicron; the Elmar was great but surprisingly bulky; plus I sold the Elmar for $500, got the Summicron - with no coating marks etc - for $275, which seemed a bargain for an extra stop.

The Elmar is lovely, the Summicron has slightly more of a vintage look. I only ever use it with TriX and have never been disappointed with the results. Mine was a little jerky in operaiton at first, but over time the focusing has become much smoother.

 

[Letien]

Consider a 50/2.8 Elmar collapsable. The slightly slower speed is the only downside; and, if you get the newest version it has been updated.

I was considering a 50/2.0 collaspable, but finding a clean one seemed like a hard find. Right now there is a $300.00 Leica rebate till the end of the year at some dealers. I essentually used this rebate as leverage on the purchase of a used lense that is like new, with box, papers, hood, caps, and case. I kinda got a new lense and save almost $500.00.

This lense has sharp vs soft focus though.

Cal

Thanks Cal. I do have a 50/2.8 modern Elmar and I will never sell it but this is too " modern" in both optical performance, construction and the handling. I don't like the sound of its the click stops.

 

[Letien]

I sold my Elmar M to get the Summicron; the Elmar was great but surprisingly bulky; plus I sold the Elmar for $500, got the Summicron - with no coating marks etc - for $275, which seemed a bargain for an extra stop.

The Elmar is lovely, the Summicron has slightly more of a vintage look. I only ever use it with TriX and have never been disappointed with the results. Mine was a little jerky in operaiton at first, but over time the focusing has become much smoother.

Would you let me see some of your TriX+ Summicron combination?
I'm new to B&W and I don't get good results with Tmax.
Thanks

 

[Paul T.]

Sorry, this is nothing special, it was from my test roll...

 

[jja]

I have a coll. Summicron w/ no noticeable markings. I had it for sale, but had no takers. I have since sent if off for a full CLA an it has just returned. I'm still considering selling it b/c I have too many 50s. Here's a sample, before the CLA:

It's a very good lens, with the old-time Leica look and beautiful build.

 

[jja]

The lens can be very sharp stopped down. Opened up, it produces a dreamy look. I've only shot it bw:

 

[Letien]

The lens can be very sharp stopped down. Opened up, it produces a dreamy look. I've only shot it bw....

I'm surprised that you want to let go such a bautiful lens. I can see how excellent it is from your Flickr.
TFS.

 

[noah b]

Get a collapsible cron, it's my favorite Leica lens. I found one on ebay for 200 and grabbed it as soon as I saw it. I love the way it feels and operates. Mine has a tiny scratch on the front but it doesn't effect image quality at all.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

a favorite of mine that I let go with a Camera I sold, a few pics

Acros 100

Acros 100

Todd

 

[Pherdinand]

I have no aspherical four-digit leitz glass to compare, but I do like my coll. Summicron (m-mount).
Yeah, it has some 'cleaning marks', but it's not a real problem.

 

[ferider]

It's a cool lens, also for colour. Not a great photo, but you can see the signature:

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[Time Freeze]

Another in color. I've only had the a short time but I am pleased,

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=97964&ppuser=2957

 

[Rayt]

There was supposedly a "radioactive" LTM version. What's the story with that and is it a good shooter?

 

[Letien]

Todd: I love your shots at the lake. I will definitely try the Acros 100.
Roland: Thanks for joining. Your picture is about what i am looking for: a portrait at 2-3 meter to show a skin texture and sharness on clothing fabric. It's fabulous and the sharpness is exceed my expectation.
I'm convinced that this is a great lens. Let wait and see if mine can match any of these (it is on the way, thru the snow). For a lens that was produced more than half a century ago, the result always varies between samples especially in this case when collapsible Summicron has soft coating, easily scratched.
Thanks

 

[gdi]

There was supposedly a "radioactive" LTM version. What's the story with that and is it a good shooter?

I just sold a nice Lanthanum LTM version. It was very sharp even at 2.0 - supposedly a little sharper than the later versions without the radiactive glass. If you shoot color, the shots may be warm due to yellow discoloration from the decay.

Very nice lens...

 

[dreamsandart]

The collapsable Summicron is a fine lens for general use. At f2 its plenty sharp enough (in the central area) and gets better stopped down to f4-f5.6. Isn't one of the modern high contrast lenses so is especially nice with B&W if you like that 'classic' look with good smooth tonal range. My early M-mount has some yellowing so it is quite warm with color so I use it only with B&W film.

Hard to find one in really good A-1 condition, a few 'cleaning mark' won't make much [if any] difference, but there can be internal haze on many examples that sometime cleans up, and sometimes not, and the mount should be solid without any wobble (movement) when extended. The combination focus ring and locking tab is nice and easy to use, and the mount is 'parallel' designed so the lens element don't turn and you see the f-stops on top all the time unlike the tab only early 50 Elmar.

If you have that urge to to get one, it won't go away, prices can be a bargain sometimes, there are a lot of them out there, so you may as well so you may as well get one and have some fun with it.

 

[dreamsandart]

BTW; nothing wrong with the Summitar. If you have one and like it I don't think you'd see much difference. Also, the C. Summicron is not 'multi-coated', its the beautiful old style 'Leitz Blue'. The early lenses used the 'new' radio active lathanum glass - thus the 'yellowing' over time. Leitz changes the glass at some point a few years later.

 

[Tuolumne]

Beautiful set up in the previous post. Maybe I need a hammertone Leica, too!>

/T