Compact 50: Summarit vs Elmar-M

[jmilkins]

Thanks for the comparison, John. It is extremely helpful!

I ended up choosing the Elmar-M 50/2.8 and have been using it for almost a year. I have to say with the hood on, there isn't much of a size advantage over the CV and Summarit, but I am pleasantly surprised that it is tack sharp across all apertures and has the option to be compact for storage/carry. When collapsed it is quite compact, probably second only to the Elmar 50/3.5. For travel I paired it with a Nokton 35/1.4 II for anything low light and I'm quite happy with the combo.

I think you made a fine choice Patrick, in both 50 and 35mm. Like others have mentioned, collapsing the Elmar-M on an M5 or digital Leica is not recommended so for those bodies I need to be vigilant. But it is one of my favorites too.

 

[Ronald M]

My two Elmar M are very nice optically and mechanically. Just because they collapse does not mean you need to do it after every image. Close for ride on public transit, beginning and end of day.

Not impressed by 50 V4 Summicron. APO 50 is lovely as is current 50 1.4.

Carry a fast and slow 50 and worry how small the slow one goes is silly. Take the fast one only.

 

[james.liam]

You've got to be a fan of Tessars to appreciate the 50 Elmar M.
My experience with the design came from the dainty Nikkor 45/2.8 AIS. Body-cap for my FM2-T and FM3a. It provided no critical sharpness anywhere at ƒ/2.8. Essentially an ƒ/5.6-11 lens.
Some wax poetic about the Elmar M. I love the collapsibility of it. I don't 'get' the purported 'special rendering' of the simple design. Tastes differ.

The CV 2/40 turned out to be a better choice is every respect. You may find the same outcome from the 50 Summarit or even a CV 2,5/50 or 3,5/50.

 

[Bingley]

The OP went with the Elmar-M. Congrats. I'm in the CV Skopar 50/2.5 group. I've had my sample for a number of years, and it has kept me from buying the Elmar-M.

At the Frick by bingley0522, on Flickr


Castle Rock Trail by bingley0522, on Flickr

 

[Erik van Straten]

The Elmar-M is mechanically nice and optically very sharp, but somehow the image lacks "body". This is how I feel it.

The Cosina Color Skopar produces a more solid image, with a lovely tonality a bit like the Summicron 50mm Rigid.

The Color Skopar is also much handier and faster in use and will also fit screw mount Leicas.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica M2/Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5/Tmax400/AdoxMCC110

Erik.

 

[noisycheese]

It depends on what you want in a small, light 50mm.

If you value nostalgia, get the 50mm Elmar M. If you value image quality, resolution and contrast, get the Summarit 50/2.4.

For use on a digital M camera, the Summarit 50/2.4 is the obvious choice IMHO. I had a chrome 50mm Elmar (no M) and traded it. I now have a Summarit 50/2.4 and it is a keeper.

The 50mm Elmar M would be a good choice for use on a film M, though for a vintage look.

 

[Mudman]

It depends on what you want in a small, light 50mm.

If you value nostalgia, get the 50mm Elmar M. If you value image quality, resolution and contrast, get the Summarit 50/2.4.

For use on a digital M camera, the Summarit 50/2.4 is the obvious choice IMHO. I had a chrome 50mm Elmar (no M) and traded it. I now have a Summarit 50/2.4 and it is a keeper.

The 50mm Elmar M would be a good choice for use on a film M, though for a vintage look.

Personally love my Elmar from the 50's on my digital M, and it's plenty sharp.

 

[Ronald M]

The Elmar M is one of the best rendering all-arounder lenses I own except for speed..it just has that certain "something"..that makes it a pleasure to use in either color or B&W..

Absolutely. Nice rendering. I can pair it with my 35V4
and 90 2.8 tele Elmar thin lat version. This is real Leica kit unless you like street photos at night.

 

[Ronald M]

This is a really great motto to live by!

To get to the point of the question the OP asked though, I would say that the Elmar M is a good choice if perhaps you want a small enough set-up to chuck into a small shoulder sling and still fit a bunch of other items with it.

The collapsing and extending become muscle memory after a week or so of shooting with it, and I find myself only needing to do the ritual when I take the camera out to shoot with, and it stays extended until the camera goes back in the bag.

Otherwise it comes down to whether you prefer a focus ring or a tab. I like a ring myself.

Most time I do not even collapse for storage.

 

[cboy]

Elmar M follows from line of Tessar lenes that Leica became known for. It shows how popular this line was. Super compact 50. If you want more smaller than try VM Heliar 50 f3.5 or f2.

 

[Ronald M]

My two elmar M are wonderful. Silver is 30% heavier. Neither wobbles and both lock up as well as the original 50 2.8 I have that is mint.

If you want wide open sharp, 50 APO is clear winner.

 

[Rob-F]

I'm sure I would rather have the Elmar-M after all that has been said about it.

Edit on August 6, 2021: I bought one. I got a good deal from a pawn shop that had it on eBay. I'll shoot with it in Silverton in a few weeks. I'll also be using my new Carl Zeiss 50mm Planar.

 

[f.hayek]

Curious discussion about two lenses long out of production.
The 50 Elmar M, probably because of threads like this, commands $1000+, whilst the CV 50 (variable QC on these earliest Cosina LTMs) is rarely, if ever seen.
For US$1000, a better bet might be a 50 Rigid for the extra stop and just dealing with the few additional grams and millimeters.
With Leica resuscitating the classics again (28 Sumnaron, 50 Noctilux 1.2 and 35 Summaron f/2.8), I’m certain that a refreshed Elmar-M that can be safely collapsed into a digital body would be wildly successful.

 

[105012]

Collapsible cron or Elmar 5/3.5. Longer focus throw allows easier and more rapid focus distance setting judging subject distance whilst raising the camera to the eye.

 

[Erik van Straten]

LeicaIII/ColorSkopar50mmf/2.5/TMY400/AdoxMCC110

Erik.

 

[Ronald M]

I would not own a silver and black Elmar M if they were not really nice.

 

[Rayt]

I just bought a used but like new 35mm f2.4 Summarit-M the newer version that takes 46mm filters. While the optical quality is great as one would expect from Leica the lens isn’t built very well. It is certainly better made than MS-Optical but it’s no Cosina or Hexanon-M, 40mm Rokkor, maybe on par with Fedka or Lomo though better calibrated. Since the 50mm f2.4 shares the same barrel I would handle one before purchase. The 50mm Elmar-M is built like a tank especially the silver version and is also reasonably priced. I used one for years when I was shooting mainly slow slide film and eventually replaced it with a Summicron.

 

[awilder]

I use to have the 50 Elmar-M and found it more flare resistant compared to the current 50 'cron due to 2 fewer air-glass surfaces and no multiple plano surfaces like the current 50 'cron. Sharpness at f/2.8 or f/4 was slightly better on the 'cron but not by that much. The oddest thing about the 50 Elmar-M was that the rear cemented group is uncoated. Seems weird that a modern optic has uncoated glass but it doesn't seem to create a flare issue.

 

[Erik van Straten]

silver gelatine print (elmar m 50mm f2.8) leica m3

Erik.