I'm already exited!

[raid]

I am expecting in the mail the Summicron 50/2 (rigid) and the Zeiss 5cm/2 in LTM after they have been cleaned and adjusted by DAG. Then I will do my test for eleven 50mm lenses. I will do the test once the two lenses above arrive.

Japan:
Canon 50/1.2 50/1.8 50/2.8
Nikon 50/2


FSU:
J-3 50/1.4 (adjusted by Brian)
J-8 50/2.0 (adjusted by Kim?)
I61L 50/2.8 (adjusted by Kim?)

Germany:
Leitz Summicron 50/2 (rigid) CLA by DAG
Leitz Summicron 50/2 (Collapsible)
Zeiss 5cm/2 in LTM CLA by DAG


A 36 exposure roll allows me three shots per lens. I will use a tripod and cable release cable and will also use a lens hood on each lens. I will make the informal test indoors and I will try to make the results more interesting than having an object and some light source in the background. I don't want to repeat what I have mentioned before on the RFF, but any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Graham Line]

You're a brave man, testing all those lenses. Ought to be an interesting exercise. Are you going to do test targets (ok, old newspapers) at different distances, or do you have something else in mind?

 

[raid]

You're a brave man, testing all those lenses. Ought to be an interesting exercise. Are you going to do test targets (ok, old newspapers) at different distances, or do you have something else in mind?

Joe,
I am more interested in trying to see which lens has a more pleasing look than which lens is sharper according to lpmm measurements. I may just get a nice-looking view of some sort and have window light. It is for me an exercise to check my lenses out. In my last test, I discovered unpleasant results with the Summicron and I had it CLA'd immediately. While at it, I also sent out the old Zeiss lens to get it also cleaned. I am now quite confident that 9 out of the 11 lenses are tested and cleaned, so my results should heopefully provide some useful information. I may include a shot per lens for bokeh or to see how the background looks like.

 

[Graham Line]

That ought to do it. I tend to take new lenses, films etc to places where I have shot quite a few pictures before and more or less know what to expect. Never got much practical data out of shooting test charts on my own, though the numbers in Pop Photo and Amateur Photographer can be pretty illuminating.

 

[FrankS]

Looking forward to it, Raid. I've got a Summar coming in LTM, and in Contax mount, a collapsible CZJ 50 f2. I will eventually do such a test too.

 

[jan normandale]

Raid .. it's clear to me you're "exited".. go take a few shots and compose yourself and some photos too. ;- )

 

[raid]

Frank: It would be great if a meeting could be arranged between people living within reasonable driving distance to have a lens comparison testing where we could try out other lenses and then report jointly the findings. I still don't have a Summar or Summarit ...

Jan: I will try to calm down and reduce my exitement level ... 🙂

 

[raid]

That ought to do it. I tend to take new lenses, films etc to places where I have shot quite a few pictures before and more or less know what to expect. Never got much practical data out of shooting test charts on my own, though the numbers in Pop Photo and Amateur Photographer can be pretty illuminating.

Joe: The more theory based tests are important to show us the theoretical limits for each test, and I appreciate them too, but I am unable to do such tests with what I have at home and it would not be a pleasant experience for me. What you use as your testing method most likely works best for you since you have the knowledge of what to expect in those scenes.

 

[raid]

I just realized that I have the Industrar I61 and the I61L. No clue whether this is just a different way of labeling the same lens or if the I61L has exotic material in its glass and the other does not.

 

[Gid]

I just realized that I have the Industrar I61 and the I61L. No clue whether this is just a different way of labeling the same lens or if the I61L has exotic material in its glass and the other does not.

This might help:

......... My one complaint about the FED 3 type b is that it lost its strap lugs!
Type b’s were produced from 1963 all the way to 1980. The normal lens was the excellent Industar-61. In the later years of the FED 3, the glass for the I-61 was reformulated with the rare earth element Lanthanum, and redesignated Industar-61 L/D.

from

http://www.geocities.com/fzorkis/

Regards

Gid

 

[raid]

Thanks Gid. I will use both lenses then. Maybe we can see a difference somehow.

 

[jan normandale]

I just realized that I have the Industrar I61 and the I61L. No clue whether this is just a different way of labeling the same lens or if the I61L has exotic material in its glass and the other does not.

Raid , I believe that the I61L is the lens that allegedly has some sort of 'radioactive' material in the glass. Story goes (if I'm right) that this lens has a desirable 'look' provided by this specific glass. I'm sure a "google" will clarify the differences.

cheers, Jan

 

[Kim Coxon]

Raid,
The J8 was CLA'd. I gave you the two I61 because they were beat up and had marked elements so you could play with them. Bearing in mind their condition, I wouldn't put too much store on any test.

Kim

FSU:
J-3 50/1.4 (adjusted by Brian)
J-8 50/2.0 (adjusted by Kim?)
I61L 50/2.8 (adjusted by Kim?)

 

[raid]

That's OK, Kim. I just test the lenses that I happen to own and this will not nessarily reflect on users of similar lenses which happen to be in "pristine" condition. My I61L is in new condition since I only used it a few times before and I got it new in the box. I now have four Japanese 50mm lenses, four German 50mm lenses and lastly four FSU 50mm lenses. If I leave out the I61 lenses, I would still have ten lenses left. I arrnegd them today on the dining table so that I am prepared for doing a test the coming days.

Jan: You are right about your suspicion regarding the I61L; it has some radioactive material to make it sharper (that's the claim?)

 

[haagen_dazs]

what is DAG? 😕

 

[wlewisiii]

DAG is Don Goldberg at dagcam@chorus.net or http://www.dagcamera.com

He is, simply, the best Leica & Leica clone repair person available on this planet, today. Now that's pretty extream so I'll happily add the usual disclaimers, but he really is good based on the work he's done for me. Yes, he commands more than, say, Oleg. Oleg is very, very, very good, but he's not DAG. His customer service is pretty da** good too, which helps alot. All I know, for sure, is that my CL will go soon, my Canon 7 will visit him eventually, and my collapsible 'cron will, depending on just how messy that apperture really is 😉

One last thing - the search function here is pretty good. Plug in DAG or Oleg and you'll get alot of good information back.

HTH,

William

 

[raid]

While Don's repair services may be a little more costly than others, he is one of the very experienced and knowledgeable people in this field. My local repairman whom I trust with all my lenses returned to me the 50mm Summicron because he was unable to remove a white film on the inner elements with his standard fluids for such cases. Don retuned to me the same lens clean like new with a statement that it was a "regular cleaning". This tells me a lot about how much more he knows than a very experienced local repairman. Don asks for $65 for a regular cleaning job for a lens, but he actually gives you the security of having him inspect your lens inside and out, and when you get it back, it is like new in most cases.