Four Summarits: a first look

[Roger Hicks]

Anyone considering a new Summarit may be interested in a new, free 'first look' at all four of them, including lots of pics taken with them (with the M8 only). A couple of pics were missing when it first went up but should be up shortly.

http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps firstlook summarit.html

Cheers,

Roger

 

[FPjohn]

Valuable and worth the visit.

Yours
Frank

 

[hans voralberg]

Very nice write up Rogers, tempted me to sign up to that photography class of your as well. Where about in France do you live ?

 

[walnut]

Roger, really enjoyed your review, it was a sane and good common sense,real photographers review that gets past the hipe and flash of new equipment. Thanks Dennis. Makes me want to try them out, PS also like the comments on the Zeiss 50mm 1.5 lens. You made it clear to me about the focus needs of that lens.

 

[JNewell]

Wonderful, thanks. (I, too, keep meaning to find time to do your course...someday...) Some lenses, like the 90/2.8, are going to be dropped, I would guess. I am wondering how sales of the Summicrons will fare.

 

[rpsawin]

Roger,

Thank you for that great article. It is refreshing to read a lens review from the perspective of a photographer (one who uses the lens).

Not to stir the pot but what are your thoughts comparing the 75mm Summarit with the CV 75mm Heliar?

Thanks, and best regards,

Bob

 

[FPjohn]

Used vs new

Used vs new

Hello all:

Does a used 75 Summilux cost more than a new 75 Summarit?

yours
Frank

 

[JNewell]

Probably 2x, give or take $1000.

 

[nzeeman]

i am a bit confused - when summarits were announced i thought that it will start a big talk on RFF, but nobody seems to care. why is that? is it possible that nobody have a GAS?

 

[Andrew Sowerby]

Reid Reviews has a general review of the Summarits and an in-depth review of the 35. It's pretty interesting reading.

 

[Philippe D.]

Hi Frank,

Does a used 75 Summilux cost more than a new 75 Summarit?

You could get, by chance, a Summilux 75 2.hand for about the same price as a new Summarit 75 with hood (that's 1330€), but without warranty.
I got mine at this price including service in Solms (brand new front lens + CLA + 6 bits code).

But, i would prefer to compare with an Apo-Summicron Asph 75mm (2395 €) still available as new.

BTW. When lens are tested, would it be not nice to have comparisons, side by side?
Such survey doesn't tell me anything at all. My Rokkor lenses made such pretty pictures too. 🙄

+++

(Edit): Guy Mancuso have done it, compare the 3 Leica 75mm lens together, Thank You Guy.
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=206

For me it's a clear choice, i keep my Lux.

 

[FPjohn]

Thanks for the link Phillippe.

yours
Frank

 

[shadowfox]

Roger, as usual RogerAndFrances reviews are practical, geared towards people who actually take pictures and plenty of illustration. Lovely locale also, btw. 🙂

In your opinion, how are these compared to the Elmar-M?

 

[Ben Z]

I had a chance to inspect the Summarits at a Leica Day a while ago but we weren't allowed to shoot through them (in fact they weren't even coded). Since I already own numerous older Leica lenses in 35, 50 and 90 I wouldn't consider buying the Summarits in those focal lengths. But the 75 (which is the closest to a 90 on the M8) caught my interest. In the interim I happened across a 75 Heliar for under $200 and bought it to try. Frankly the results are so good I can't imagine buying a Summarit, especially new and then on top have to buy the hood.

For people insistent on having gen-u-ine Leica lenses and buying brand-new but lacking a money tree in their backyard, the Summarits should go over big. For those, like me, unconcerned with the brand name and perfectly happy to buy used, not so much.

 

[CONNOR MJ]

Why buy a new Summarit when you can get an old one if you try hard enough.

 

[Roger Hicks]

In your opinion, how are these compared to the Elmar-M?

Dear Will,

I had a 90/4 Makro on long loan and used it a lot less than I expected; I'd find the 90/2.5 a more useful lens, despite the laclk of close-focus ability, though as I have an old, non-aspheric 90/2 (last version) the question doesn't really arise.

Next to the 50/2.8 I'd rather have the Summarit for the ergonomics and extra 1/3 stop, let alone what looks to me superior performance -- but I've not compared them side by side.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

i am a bit confused - when summarits were announced i thought that it will start a big talk on RFF, but nobody seems to care. why is that? is it possible that nobody have a GAS?

This surprised me too. I think it must be that these are not 'nerd' lenses, i.e. far too expensive for most people and unique in their class -- unlike, for example, the Noctilux or Tri-Elmar 16-18-21. In other words, people just buy them, or not, rather than agonizing or fantasizing about them.

Cheers,

R.

 

[hlockwood]

This surprised me too. I think it must be that these are not 'nerd' lenses, i.e. far too expensive for most people and unique in their class -- unlike, for example, the Noctilux or Tri-Elmar 16-18-21. In other words, people just buy them, or not, rather than agonizing or fantasizing about them.

Cheers,

R.

I've had the 75mm for couple of weeks now but haven't exercised it much, partly due to the weather. I'm also waiting for the hood to arrive. For the hell of it, I did shoot the 1951 USAF target with the lens wide open. The finest lines on my target are 1-mm wide and are separated by 0.5 mm. At 4 feet shooting distance, the lines and spaces are crisply resolvable; this was no challenge whatsoever. Just for fun, I'll do it again with a more challenging angular separation.

I did take a few shots outdoors, and the negatives (XP2 @ 320) appear sharp and contrasty. More to come, with scans.

Harry

 

[KoNickon]

I very much enjoyed Roger and Frances's writeup also. But the reason there isn't more buzz on RFF is pretty plain to see, I think -- these are expensive lenses. There is no getting away from that fact. Maybe five years from now there'll be a fair amount of discussion here, along the lines of "I have an opportunity to get a used __mm Summarit for a good price -- or should I get an older Summicron for $X more?"

 

[FPjohn]

optimal?

optimal?

Hello:

Is there any indication that the Summarits are optimized for the digital sensor vs film or that film and ccd performance are much the same? Perhaps they outperform the senior lenses?

yours
Frank