Crons???

[trev2401]

Greetings to all!

hellooooo...

hope everyone's doing well.

So, i've been lusting after Rangefinders since i picked up by first bessa R 5 years back (i think) and have since acquired an M6 .85 after selling most of my digital stuff. (yay!!)

I've been shooting with a lovely ultron 1.4 and a 15mm VG and love them to bits.

However, as GAS hits, i would love to have a summicron and thus need some help regarding the different versions.

I hope to buy one but am confused with the one that collapses, the one that says version 3, and the newer one with the 'built in hood'? All in all, i only know that they're 50mm F2s and am terribly confused with the different versions, improvements if any, and prices.

I do hope to spend around 800$ for hopefully a current version, but if thats too little, then i guess i'll have to settle for something else.


Thanks in advance for the help!

Take care and best regards from crowded Tokyo,
Trevor

 

[ray_g]

Trevor, this CQ page is very helpful. Scroll down about 2/3 of the page for the 50/2 versions. Really, they are all excellent and you would not go wrong with a good example of any version.

 

[BOSS65]

Antique Camera also provides good information. Here is the site for the crons http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/summicron.htm

 

[JNewell]

I've owned all of them and honestly there isn't a bad one in the bunch - including the original collapsible. The differences that, say, someone like Puts discerns are not easily visible in ordinary handheld photography of real world subjects.

 

[trev2401]

thanks guys!!!

really appreciate the quick response.

i'm still sadly a little confused about the version 3.
there's a version 3 in our classifieds for sale by john going for 625$. It's the third version. Is it safe to say that it's the DR? or do they have 3rd versions that are not DR?

thanks once again

 

[JNewell]

That's probably my fault. I was thinking collapsible = gen 1, DR/rigid = gen 2, then the 1969 version = gen 3. (The rigid and the DR are optically identical and both are in very substantial and heavy chromed brass mounts - a thing of beauty to be sure but very heavy.)

 

[palec]

Actually, Rigid and DR are both known as version 2.

 

[maddoc]

I have both, a Summicron 50mm Rigid (which I am going to sell, Classifieds) and a Summicron vs. 3 ("Rigid II"in black, collapsible hood, no "50" stamp mark on the barrel). As already mentioned above, it is diffccult to find any difference in the optical quality when shooting hand-held under real world conditions.

I am selling the Rigid because not being a big fan of the infinity lock and because the lens is a little on the heavy side. Here you can also find a informative comparison of the different Summicron versions.

 

[rover]

1) Collapsible
2) Rigid/DR both considered with same optical formula
3) Summer of '69 Black version
4) Tabbed
5) Built in Hood considered with same optical formula as 4

That is what my book reads. All are excellent. I currently have a collapsible and rigid, sold the DR and Tabbed for no good reason other than that I had 4. Rigid is my favorite of the bunch, best looking images to my eye and better ergonomics for my fingers than the DR.

 

[trev2401]

ahhhhh ic ic..


okok..


hmm, so basically... i guess i'm narrowing it down to the rigid version, or possibly the rigid version 2.

anybody have one up for sale?

maddoc, PMed you. 🙂

 

[Vics]

I have a collapsible (1) and a DR (2,same as rigid) and I think there is some difference in the flare. I LIKE some flare (Leica glow?) but it can be a bit much in the collapsible, but the V. 1 is lovely for portraits and 2. is great for sharpness and definition of what Puts calls the "fine details." Both are great lenses. I have no info on the other versions.
Vic

 

[rich815]

The DR is awesome. Especially if you like to shoot B&W with excellent sharpness but not too much contrast. Gorgeous look.

A few examples:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rich8155/174275789/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rich8155/171010241/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rich8155/742454500/

 

[JNewell]

I have one of the last run of DR lenses (high 2.3 million) and my only beef is that in the 20 years I've owned it I have had to have it cleaned repeatedly becaause it spontaneously fogs (develops haze) internally. No other lens made by Leica, Nikon or anyone else that I've ever owned has done this, and it's been cleaned by several different qualified people, so it's something about this lens. Reading post over the years at pnet, I gather mine is not the only one that does this.

 

[trev2401]

hmmm

the zeiss planar sounds tempting too.. will have to read up more on that. Anyone have any shots/views on that lens too?

ohhhhhhhh GAS!!!!!

:bang:

 

[ray_g]

Trevor, for sample photos of different lenses, I would recommend checking the Leica M mount group on flickr, set up by Honus, Magus and Alkis.

 

[trev2401]

Trevor, for sample photos of different lenses, I would recommend checking the Leica M mount group on flickr, set up by Honus, Magus and Alkis.

hi ray...

thanks!!!!

🙂

 

[MikeL]

Trevor, I hope your are treating my ex-M4-P well. I kinda miss it.
Mike

 

[trev2401]

ooo yes...

it's sitting at my desk right now... it's the permanent body to a 12mm 5.6 vg... and has seen me through my last years at Cal.

hope all's well with you. 🙂

 

[moonwrack]

I got a version 2. The infinity lock doesn't bother me. It's a wonderful lens, beautifully constructed. Check the glass for opacity due to old age before buying.

 

[cmogi10]

Trevor, I hope your are treating my ex-M4-P well. I kinda miss it.
Mike

Let's not talking about missing M4-P's, now that I don't rely on my in camera meter nearly as much as I used too I appreciate that camera a lot more then I used too.