comments on summicron collapsible 50/2

[Vics]

Thanks to all of you for the thread! It makes me want to get my collapsible out again. I keep getting discouraged with it because I forget to protect it from flare, and some pictures get blown out. I go running to my DR for comfort, but I miss the tab focusing and the light weight/portability or the coll. I'm going to bookmark all the wonderful Flikr sites you put up. I need constant inspiration! Thanks again!
Vic

 

[planetjoe]

...

Summitar wide-open on the Canon P.

Yow. This is a very pretty image, Brian. Nice use of the Summitar, and a confirmation of why this is one of my favorite lenses.

To the OP: I normally shoot with both the coll. Summicron and my Summitar, and find their results to be similar for my purposes. The Summitar does have a more "old-fashioned" signature (if you buy that argument), especially with B&W film. The Summicron's sharpness is almost too much for certain contexts. I happen to love the compact travel options the coll. lenses give me, too.

I do find that the ergonomics are a bit fiddly, however; the focus collars are especially far to the rear (although I expect this is probably the case with many of the 1950's RF lenses with infinity locks). I'd probably go bananas if I got a chance to try a "modern" tabbed Summicron.

...which is why I've been avoiding them. Heh.


Cheers,
--joe.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

Here's one from my iiif, no hood...my lens looks like a skating rink, still pretty sharp...

 

[cjm]

It could probably use a good once over by a zamboni (CLA). 🙂

Here's one from my iiif, no hood...my lens looks like a skating rink, still pretty sharp...

 

[MichaelHarris]

I use a Summitar LTM on my M3 and it's very nice. I was lucky a year or so when I got mine, it looks brand new right out of the box. Whoever had it before me knew how to take care of a lens.

My only M mount lens are a CV 40 1.4 and a Leica 50 Elmar 3.5. I do have the 90 that was made for the CL also.

 

[ferider]

I have used both collapsible Summitar and Summicron, and even though
I understand the Summitar is kind of a cult lens, I way preferred the
Summicron.

All wide open "bokeh" Summitar shots show strong coma to my eyes,
which is practically not there in the Summicron.

Roland.

 

[raid]

This is not scientific evidence [of anything], but just a photo taken with the collapsible Summicron and a similar photo with the rigid Summicron wide open.:

1. Collapsible; http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297421

2. Rigid; http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297418



3. This photo was taken with the Summitar wide open:

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297449

4. Jupiter 3 wide open: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297425


5. Nikon 50mm/2 wide open;

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297453


6. Canon 50mm/1.5 at 2.0 ;
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297431



7. Canon 50mm/1.2 at 2.0: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297434


8. Zeiss Jena 5cm/2 LTM : http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297459

9. Canon 50mm/1.8 at 2.0; http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5297546



There can be variations in the quality of the vintage lenses, but you can see some general features here.

 

[iridium7777]

thank's for all the sample images and suggestions.

as random as this is, a friend yesterday pulled the lens out from a suitcase full of leica gear that his grandpa left him and lent it to me for the weekend.

i'm going to nyc and will try to run as much film through it as i can. a note though, holly crap is the lens tiny compared to my zeiss 35 with the shield on.

 

[Rob-F]

As you can see by my avatar, I have two of these, one in bayonet mount and one in screw mount. I use them along with my DR Summicron and my 11817 Summicron that superceeded those. The Collapsible has lower contrast than the 11817 and 11819, , which can be a help in filling in shadows, helping to avoid an inky blackness in those areas. The difference is subtle, but it's there.

The attached picture was taken with the Collapsible Summicron on my M2, Circa 1973 or so. Well the M5 had just come out, whenever that was. The film was Fujichrome 100. Aperture, about f/4, I think. The day was overcast and rainy, but the light from the store window was just right!

 

[Keith]

I've had a collapsable Summicron that came on an M3 I bought a couple of years ago that while being very original was in poor shape from the ravages of time ... the camera I mean. I have just had a look at the lens and realised it is a very early serial number as is my M3 ... both 1954.

It occurs to me that this lens was possibly supplied with the camera? I spent a fair bit of money getting the camera back to original and had thought about selling the lens until I just checked the serial number and realised it's age. It's a little hazy and subject to flare but will probabaly justify a CLA now that I have realised it's significance ... great thread. 🙂