How sharp/soft is you 5cm Summarit 1.5

[carlprad]

Hello

I recently purchased a 5cm Summarit 1.5 to use with my M8.

However, It is extremely soft, almost fuzzy when shooting it wide open at f/1.5.

Does anyone have a different experience with this lens wide-open? Is there any way for me to compare my Summarit performance and see if I got a bad copy of this lens?

Thanks

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Summarit is prone to internal haze. Shine a light through the lens, see if that is the culprit.

This is from a freshly CLA'd Summarit, wide-open on the M3.:

 

[Ronald M]

It is not sharp like a modern lens, but does provide a beautiful image with wonderful bokeh if:

1. There is no internal haze and the front is not full of scratches.

2. You add the proper lens shade which is a clamp -on rectangular and sells today for $150.

The coatings are the softest of any lens I have ever seen. Clean it properly starting with a blower so you do not drag dust across the surface. Then put a E43 filter on it so you need not do it ever again.

Stopped to 2.8 it gives a special image I like for people more than any other Leica lens and I have then all. For landscapes you get a lowish to normal contrast that is very pleasing.

 

[ed1234]

The picture attached is at 1.5. My Summarit have a lot of scratch on it.

I don't know the conditions of yours, few days ago I removed all the scratched coating, seems to be a bit better.

 

[AJS Lamb]

My Summarit is very soft wide open, considerably worse than Brian's seems to be. Closed down it is much better. Used with a traditional b/w film, like HP5 Plus, I think it can give some very nice results.

 

[Mcary]

Had to send my out for tighting/CLA about the same time I purchased my M8 so I haven't been able to use it with the M8 but I've used it a number of times at F 1.5-F 2.0 while shooting film and have been very pleased with the results.
Shot is from about a month ago.

 

[Haigh]

Summarit 50mm 1.5

Summarit 50mm 1.5

This is one of the few photos I took in Rome with it after the RFF members helped me out when i had a problem in Italy and I purchased this lens from a fine shop in Perugia ( forgotten the name but it is in a prominent position in that city).

I should add that the lens needs cleaning.

 

[Haigh]

I found one more image with that same lens.

 

[thompsonks]

IMO you're getting the results you should expect. I like old lenses & was going to buy a 1.5 Summarit, but looked at the threads on Flickr & decided against it. It just wasn't the vintage look that I admire. Too many shots seemed just plain soft, without 'glow.'

For that era, IMO 1.5 Sonnar images were/are more beautiful.

Kirk

 

[jcrutcher]

IIIf summarit 50/1.5. Tri400 @ 1000

http://url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/rootbeer2004/5095296972/] Molly Stone(IIIFT400 5015)-2 by rootbeer2004, on Flickr[/URL]

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Wide-Open, on the M8. In-camera B&W, as out of the camera JPEG.

100% crop:

At F4:

Appears to be some focus shift stopping down to F4,

Actual focus is a little behind, like on a Sonnar. Not seen unless you pixel-peep.

 

[maddoc]

Most of the Summarit lenses need service, especially cleaning from internal haze. Occasionally, somebody has swapped the front element or front group because of a to much scratched coating and the lens won't be 100% sharp again....

I like my copy of the lens (LTM version) but it only became usable again after Sherry Krauter serviced the lens.

 

[jaapv]

Hello

I recently purchased a 5cm Summarit 1.5 to use with my M8.

However, It is extremely soft, almost fuzzy when shooting it wide open at f/1.5.

Does anyone have a different experience with this lens wide-open? Is there any way for me to compare my Summarit performance and see if I got a bad copy of this lens?

Thanks

There is quite some sample variation between lenses, made worse by the years of accumulating haze. If you have it cleaned, you might get a pleasant surprise.

 

[michaelshane]

 

[helen.HH]

I'm Drooling Gabor...Just FANTASTIC Shots
Your summarit is a Gem
Lovely !!!!
Best-H

 

[kshapero]

 

[raid]

My Summarit is similar to a soft focus lens, but not really:

DAG suggested to me to keep the lens this way.

 

[Eastwestphoto]

Hello

I recently purchased a 5cm Summarit 1.5 to use with my M8.

However, It is extremely soft, almost fuzzy when shooting it wide open at f/1.5.

Does anyone have a different experience with this lens wide-open? Is there any way for me to compare my Summarit performance and see if I got a bad copy of this lens?

Thanks

Most all leica lenses are FAR better than there obsolete rangefinder focusing mechcanisms. All testing of leica lenses done by myself has revealed that the badly collimated levers and gears and reflective windows are giving out on m39 & L/M rangefinder cameras M series. That said, the lenses are simply great on Modern Mirrorless cameras; DSLM. From m4/3 rd's to APS-C to Sony Full frame A7 series, the lenses draw blood when focused at 7x magnified focus. There is NO system as good as Mirrorless digital focusing using EVF eyepieces, period! Nikon & Canon both know this and Nikon latest DSLR use the Sony FF chip, so what does that tell you? As for the Summarit 5cm F:1.5 which is nothing more than a coated Xenon in 5cm, USE a lens shade! Myself I have discovered that a polarizer & rubber collapsible sunshade to be the best combination on a Sony DSLM camera. Lens flare is reduced greatly and the polarizer helps reduce the chromatic abberation the early design of the lens may have have. A 40.5mm polarizer and rubber shade is the answer and a God send! Otherwise a stupid photographer using any leica Rangefinder camera & any older fast lens (F:1.5 or <) wide open with No lens shade is an idiot and should never be allowed to post there result or comments.

Leica lens in the 1950's used air spaces between elements, no balsam glue! Leica was NOT the only manufacturer to do this. Unfortunately time and high humidty climates have played havoc with these lenses. There almost always humidty hazed and need to be taken apart and cleaned. Sometimes this is easy, sometimes its not! If your buying the lens from any coastal area of high temperature and humidty, like the gulf coast USA be warned that online sellers are liars; they know the lens is hazed, BUT they rarely check it with a good strong backlighted flashlight. Anyway there not likely to tell the truth, so you better darn well ask? In a yard sale, auction, or camera show; its easy to see, you dont want to buy that lens! Watch out for Florida to Texas gulf coast lenses and cameras, my experience is too stay away, or get it dirt cheap! A cleaned Summarit 5cm F:1.5 is an excellent lens on a recently serviced Leica m39 or L/M mount rangefinder camera, if used with a sunshade! On a DSLM camera with a Polarizer & Rubber Sunshade its shockingly GREAT! Regards, Don@Eastwestphoto

 

[jc48375]

Took this image with Summarit M-mount @ f/1.5 mounted on a Sony a7II..

 

[IdealCamera]

My experience with my 1954 Summarit is that it's very sharp, albeit low contrast wide open (not so stopped down, where contrast is higher). Very faithful color reproduction. Some glow wide open, in color. Very impressed with the lens. Now want a Xenon to go with it.


SF_121414_134.jpg by -IdealCamera-


Sonoma_052515_097.jpg by -IdealCamera-