I found a good Summicron!

[matti]

So, having lusted since winter... I found a Summcron 50 from 1991 for $540 second hand. It arrived today and was perfect! I only saw some very small marks in the paint where the hood goes. It included hood, caps, leather case, leitz uv-filter and original box.

It will be a perfect match for my Summicron 35. And I hope it will give me the smooth transitions from sharp to unsharp background that the 35 does wide open.

I have one question about handling, though. The only way the front cap goes on is when the hood is mounted backwards. I like to carry the camera with the cap on and not having to turn the hood before I take a picture. Any ideas?

/matti


... so now what? A Jupiter-9?

 

[raid]

Congratulation, Matti. Of course, here in the USA the price of an older type Summicron may be lower than what you paid, but you will enjoy this lens. Maybe you need another lens hood. This will solve your problem. I don't have any Leitz hood that must have the lens cover mounted backwards.

Regards,
Raid

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

I have one question about handling, though. The only way the front cap goes on is when the hood is mounted backwards. I like to carry the camera with the cap on and not having to turn the hood before I take a picture. Any ideas?

/matti

Matti,

Congratulations, the tabbed 50/cron is one of my favorite lenses. And if I may speak heretically, I think the late 50/crons are the Kings of Bokeh. But you shall see soon enough 😉

On the hood issue, just purchase a 52mm regular lens cap, and it will fit the front of the hood perfectly 😎

 

[matti]

Hi, thanks,
I'll try that!

/matti

Matti,
On the hood issue, just purchase a 52mm regular lens cap, and it will fit the front of the hood perfectly 😎

 

[matti]

Hi Raid,
I didn't know prices were lower in the US. Here in Sweden the lowest prices from the shops for this kind of lens would be about $800. And I am pretty sure that would leave you without a hood/uv-filter.

/matti

Congratulation, Matti. Of course, here in the USA the price of an older type Summicron may be lower than what you paid, but you will enjoy this lens. Maybe you need another lens hood. This will solve your problem. I don't have any Leitz hood that must have the lens cover mounted backwards.

Regards,
Raid

 

[Photar]

Matti: This is indeed a very good price for the tabbed Summicron with hood and box. I recently got the chrome version of this lens (11825) and like it a lot. I much prefer it over the current Summicron with bulit-in hood.

 

[ChrisN]

Matti - congratulations on finding our lens!

JoNL - what is it that you prefer about your version over the latest version?

 

[Photar]

Chris: I like the separate hood which should be more effective than the built-in hood and the focusing tab. Apart from theses real advantages I must admit that I also prefer its shape/ looks which is closer to the rigid 'cron of the 50s.

 

[ChrisN]

Thanks JoNL; I have only one lens with a built-in hood, an old 90/2 Summicron, and I find that very good and never left behind! I must look into the Summicron 50s and learn more about them.

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[peterm1]

Matti

Congratulations. About 8 years ago I found a wonderful Late 50s Summi DR in a flea market shop in an Eastern European city would you believe and it was perfect. I could not believe my luck the moreso as the price was reasonable and the seller was a legit camera seller not a 'fence" or anything like that and had his own record of purchase. Still have it, still love it. As to the lens hood and lens cap.

As far as I know the contemporary lens hood / cap works as you describe and you have a choice to leave the hood on in its proper position without a cap or reverse it and fit the cap - or of course remove the hood altogether. None are ideal.

But the later summicron lens hood, (dating from the 1970s onwards I think) can be mounted front ways and take a (black plastic) lens cap which is larger than the typical 42mm to accomodate the size of the front opening of the hood. The hood is a different style than the earlier ones. Whereas the earlier hoods typically have straight sides which flare out at an angle, the later ones flare out and then back inwards a bit to create a kind of light trap. They also have cut outs around the rim for visibility thru the VF. The only disadvantages I note is that this is may not be correct for your period lens (if this worries you- I am not absilutely sure when these hoods became standard) and to be honest the way the cap fits it is hard to get off the hood as it sort of clips inside the front of the hood and has no projecting overhangs. So you need good fingernails to flip the cap off of the hood when mounted properly. This is a bugger when you are in a hurry to take a shot.

My soultion is leave the hood in the bag except when I think I need to use it (sunny conditions near the frame of the shot) and to only fit a cap to protect the lens when I am carrying the camera in the bag. My lens always wears a UV filter so I am not worried about scratching the front element. Often when I am carrying the camera on a strap around my neck I just place my hand in a position to shade the front of the lens to avoid the risk of shutter burn. (I have not been able to find a cheap plastic non Leica cap in the right size and too many people lose their nice original metal Leica ones which are a slip fit and expensive to replace - you do not want that.)

None of there are really ideal I am afraid.

 

[Peter Klein]

Matti: Instead of a lens cap, try a "Hood Hat." You can get them here:
http://www.optechusa.com/product/detail/?PRODUCT_ID=16

I use the "Mini" version on my 50 Summicron with detachable hood. I just leave the hood on all the time, and cover it with the Hood Hat when not in use. The Hood Hat is also very fast to pull off the hood and stuff into your pocket when a quick shot appears. And since you can see it through the viewfinder, it's less likely that you'll leave it on accidentally while shooting.

Hope this helps!
--Peter

 

[matti]

Thank you Peter. This looks exactly what I need. It looks like it will cover the openings in the hood somewhat as well, to keep the dust away.

After shooting some Swedish midsummer party tonight I must say I really, really, really like this lens. It is even handier than my Summicron 35 and Color skopar 35 to use. The throw of the focusing is just right. Now I can't wait to process the first film, efke 100 in Pyrocat-hd and some Tri-x.

/matti

 

[Dfin]

Matti, congrats on the lens purchase, you`ll Love it ! If can, try shooting some dusk/twilight shots,with Kodachrome, if you can still get it, and you`ll see what I mean! Beautifull subtle colours. Remember this is The Lens tha All other lenses are judge against. Sorry can`t help with the hood/cap problem, mine is the same pain in the bum,so I just leave the hood on all the time when shooting. I just got my DR 50`cron back from o`haul and recoating, looking forward to shooting some trannys to see how it compares. Anyway, good luck and happy shooting.