Leica LTM Keep the Summarit as a soft image lens or repair?

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses

Keep the Summarit as a soft image lens or repair?

  • Yes

    Votes: 21 52.5%

  • No

    Votes: 19 47.5%
  • Total voters
    40
  • Poll closed .
ferider said:
It's a piece of history. The defects are not. Send it to John / Focalpoint.
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Raid - plus 1 from me. This lens can do so much more than yours is doing.

Since Don sent it back in the current state, I doubt the problem is easily-cleaned haze on the surface of any of the elements. Cleaning marks & coating damage, or haze between cemented elements are more likely.

1) FocalPoint could repair all of these issues, though the price will be more than the lens cost or is worth. But maybe it would be worth it to you.

2) Brian posted a DIY front element repair on a badly damaged collapsible Summicron using a 3M polishig cloth and an eyeglass repair kit (where did you get that cloth and kit from, Brian?). Maybe you could attempt this.

3) Or you could start buying and selling Summarits on eBay until you find one with less damage.

BTW - I had a really good example of the M Summarit (1957), that I traded away because I have a 1958 Summilux that I like just that little bit better. So 4) you might consider a very early type 1 Summilux as an alternative.
 
John,
Thank you for the overview of options available to me.
I will postpone any actions until I get the 35mm Summilux and the Heliar 50/2.
 
Given that this lens has been been to Eddy and others, and come back in this condition- sounds like it would be cost-effective to sell it and buy a different Summarit.
 
Your arguments make sense, I have to admit.

I assume you mean a sale on ebay.
I may as well do this then.
 
Last edited:
Or here- if anyone wants a soft-focus portrait lens.

I would try it with a variety of lighting conditions, not just backlit.

Brian
 
My Summarit is very badly scratched on front and rear elements, but it still makes pleasing images. This shot was with the Panasonic G1:

P1040609.jpg
 
Raid,

My thinkikng -

Do you like what your Summarit does as-is ?

Do you have any other LTM 50mm lenses that produce the same soft effect ? (ie: Summar)

Do you have other "fast" LTM 50mm lenses ?


It sounds like a Summarit should be capable of shaper performance than you're getting, but how much better is your lens capable of being, at what cost ?

If you like the results, leave it alone, IMHO.
 
Luddite Frank said:
Raid,

My thinkikng -

Do you like what your Summarit does as-is ?

Do you have any other LTM 50mm lenses that produce the same soft effect ? (ie: Summar)

Do you have other "fast" LTM 50mm lenses ?


It sounds like a Summarit should be capable of shaper performance than you're getting, but how much better is your lens capable of being, at what cost ?

If you like the results, leave it alone, IMHO.
Click to expand...

Luddite,
This is my only softer focus lens, and I own several fast 50mm lenses that are sharp (Canon 50/1.2 and 1.5, J-3, Zeiss 50 1.5). The Summar that I own gives different results from my Summarit.

I will test the lens at other apertures to see what it looks like.
I found tonight in the closet the mint Summarit lens hood, followed by a Leitz Yellow filter for the Summarit, and then placed the lens on a Leica IIIF. The set looks awesome.
 
Sounds like you like your Summarit just the way it is...

;)


I've had a hankering for a nice Summarit.... one of these days I'll run across one at the right time.

:cool:
 
I have a Summarit and sent it to Sherry K. to get rid of the Haze and it has come back. The whites in the shots have a highlight around it as light reflects off of it. I have not used a hood for it as the hood costs almost as much as the lens. I think I am going to put it away until I find a cheap hood and then again see what happens. I really don't like the lens very much compared to a Nikon 50 f1.4 and a Nikon 50f2.0. I have used a LTM to M adapter on those lenses on my M3 and M6 and they are tops.
 
Luddite Frank said:
Sounds like you like your Summarit just the way it is...

;)


I've had a hankering for a nice Summarit.... one of these days I'll run across one at the right time.

:cool:
Click to expand...

Well, the lens is built very nicely, and it has its place in the history of Leica 50mm lenses. I want to see if the soft focus effect gets reduced when using the lens at f 8.0 or smaller.
 
tennis-joe said:
I have a Summarit and sent it to Sherry K. to get rid of the Haze and it has come back. The whites in the shots have a highlight around it as light reflects off of it. I have not used a hood for it as the hood costs almost as much as the lens. I think I am going to put it away until I find a cheap hood and then again see what happens. I really don't like the lens very much compared to a Nikon 50 f1.4 and a Nikon 50f2.0. I have used a LTM to M adapter on those lenses on my M3 and M6 and they are tops.
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Joe: The Summarit usually is a special applications lens due to its somehow different performance. I would not compare it to a Nikkor 50mm lens.
 
Mine is like that as well, a bit tricky on light sources and pick up reflection off white subject. But I will keep it as it is, very interesting lens.
 
lower-cost alternative lens shade ...

lower-cost alternative lens shade ...

for tennis joe and others - here's an alternative lens shade from cameraquest, with matching cap. the shade and cap were $50 last year.

good uck with your evaluations

rick
 
rickp said:
for tennis joe and others - here's an alternative lens shade from cameraquest, with matching cap. the shade and cap were $50 last year.

good uck with your evaluations

rick
Click to expand...

Rick,
How is the lens hood/cover set labeled at cameraquest?
 
This image was not taken wide open. It may have been at 5.6:

RFSummarit.jpg


Notice the sharpness of this image:

RFSummarit2.jpg
 
I borrowed a friend's Summarit decades ago. I just wanted to see what it was like compared to my 50/1.4 Nikkor. It was SOFT! It FLARED! But it was an interesting effect. I guess if I could afford owning both it might be fun at times. The only softer more flare prone Leica lens I've owned was the original first version 35/1.4 Summilux.

The Summarit was a Schneider design, first marketed as an uncoated Xenon.

Stopped down a few stops the Summarit gets fairly sharp, but all that glass, brass, and chrome is a lot of weight to carry when you don't need the speed.

http://thepriceofsilver.blogspot.com
 
Currently my only 50 (in ANY mount) is a Summarit in LTM. At first I wasn't so happy with it; I hate using hoods and thus got tons of flare. After the first roll or two my results got significantly better and I don't know if I'd ever get rid of it. I was planning on getting a Summicron to complement it but due to financial situations a Jupiter8 is looking more likely.

As far as repairing the lens, I'd suggest against it as the improvement you'd get from the recoating would be minimal (considering it's a soft lens when the coatings are intact) and the price from focal point approaches (or in some cases surpasses) the cost of a whole new lens. If it were a Summilux or Nokton etc performing off spec I'd say go with a repair, but not a Summarit.
 
There's more to these decisions than the real rate of return on an investment :bang:.

I have a good Summarit and used it quite a bit recently during a week in the Cyclades. I even used my penultimate roll of Kodachrome in it - despite eminent forumites suggesting it would be wasteful. It is a lovely lens, much more capable than dismissive comments would suggest. They're worth keeping in good condition, so I say repair it!
 
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