Elmar vs Summitar

[Erik van Straten]

Never noticed any. Any examples?

Here you go. Pincushion distortion. (Summitar version: uncoated and 10-blades)

Erik.

 

[HuubL]

And....the Summitar has that boké with highlights I don't like that much. Impossible for use between trees and leaves against a backlit background.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Leica I, Elmar 50mm f/3.5 uncoated, 400-2TMY.

Erik.

 

[Dralowid]

When I really must go back to two lenses, it would be a Summaron 35mm f/2.8 and a Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5, both LTM. The Elmar-M is a beautiful lens, but the retraction/extension is not very user friendly.

Erik.

I have put a small rubber band around the Elmar M's barrel just thick enough to help get the lens out when a hood is not fitted.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Thanks a lot guys, you are true enablers.
I have a good coated Elmar that I really like on the Standard and I am partial to that camera a majority of the time, for its pocket-ability, ease of use, and its images .
I just pulled the trigger on a '51 Summitar for the '48 IIIc.
I like the look of the images that I've seen, I hope the one I got lives up to that look.

 

[splitimageview]

Excellent choice!

Check the thread here, 'Summitar the Star'

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Oh yes, I looked at all the pics there. There seems to be some variation in how individual lenses paint, but the lens wide open is its most striking feature.

 

[Steve M.]

It's funny isn't it? Even though the Industar is a Tessar design, it images almost exactly like an Elmar, as you noticed. If you want to see any noticeable difference in images, not better, just different, put a collapsible Summicron on it. Great lenses. But the Elmar or Industar will do the job just fine too. The problem w/ the Elmar is that fiddely aperture setting and the need to work around that w/ your hood, but they're such tiny little gems it's worth it. I owned several Summitars (get ready to pay a lot for filters) and thought they were not the equal of a Summmicron, especially in bokeh.

 

[Jerevan]

It's funny isn't it? Even though the Industar is a Tessar design, it images almost exactly like an Elmar, as you noticed.

Yeah, because they both are Tessar derivatives. 😀

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Dennis Taylor and the Cooke's Triplet come into it somewhere, I think you'll find...

Regards, David

 

[David Hughes]

Talking of Elmars and so on reminded me that I had a series of grab shots involving a Zorki 1 and Industar-22, and a Leica Digilux 2 on smugmug. Anyway, FWIW, here's an Industar-22 shot.

I was on the way to Wales when I stopped for tea here and this was in the car park. I had the Zorki and my Digilux 2 in the car and grabbed them to take a series of shots. I used the funny 16 rule for the Zorki shots; only I don't call it that because I learnt it a long, long time ago and start with 100th at f/8...

Regards, David

PS The entire sequence was taken in a hurry and is here:- https://idrh.smugmug.com/Trains/Moving-The-City-of-Truro/i-HmCZLFx

I didn't take all the photo's as my wife was also shooting away and the sequence is a combination of two photographers and four cameras and film and digital.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Great group of pictures David. I assume it was being moved to Sodor.

 

[Kent]

And....the Summitar has that boké with highlights I don't like that much. Impossible for use between trees and leaves against a backlit background.

Or... you want exactly that. 😉

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I have my first rangefinder, Zorki-Zorki w/ I-22.
I'm not using it now, but I don't think I will sell it, since it is an excellent example.

 

[bakemono]

Summitar's bokeh is pretty unique. No other lens has the same look, yes, there are other 'swirlers' and 'bubblers' but I haven't seen one that has that distinct summitar look.
I guess you either love it or hate it. I'm not sure which one is it for me. Depends on the mood I guess 🙂

Here's wide open.

 

[David Hughes]

Great group of pictures David. I assume it was being moved to Sodor.

Hi,

Even better than that, she's now retired to the National Railway Museum. FWIW, she was the first to exceed 100mph in 1903 or 1904 but it was kept quiet for a long time as they didn't want to frighten people!

Regards, David

PS Rail enthusiasts who want a feel good story should look up the "Barry Scrapyard" and get a nice warm feeling...

PPS So what lens have you decided to get?

 

[Whateverist]

I had a post-war Elmar and added a pre-war, uncoated Summitar. The key reason was the higher speed and the flexibility it gives in low light. Having a full-size aperture ring is also a huge improvement over the Elmar's tiny little one, especially with a filter mounted.

One thing I hadn't counted on is that it only closes to 12,5, so bright daylight is sometimes an issue.

 

[mcfingon]

Summitar's bokeh is pretty unique. No other lens has the same look, yes, there are other 'swirlers' and 'bubblers' but I haven't seen one that has that distinct summitar look.
I guess you either love it or hate it. I'm not sure which one is it for me. Depends on the mood I guess 🙂

Here's wide open.

That Summitar looks very good to me, particularly the backlit one. Lovely photos. The one I had was much more flare-prone. I've now settled for the more "neutral" look of the Elmar.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Hi,

PPS So what lens have you decided to get?

A 1951 Summitar, in feet, & not in my hands yet, and missing the cap.
I figure I bought a cleaner looking lens at a slightly lower price but will have to spend money ( or something ) to get a proper cap.

If anyone has a cap laying around not being used, I would welcome a shout.

 

[Hatchetman]

I use a yellow filter as a "cap"