Keep the Summarit as a soft image lens or repair?

[raid]

I oiwn a Leica Summarit 5cm 1.5 that came to me in this condition; it behaves similar to a soft focus lens. Portaits come out dreamy looking. It is a fault that is caused somehow by some internal problem.

I have posted before results with this lens, and the feedback was mixed, but many suggested to me that I should keep the lens as it is. Considering that I have several other 50mm lenses, I do not miss having the Summarit as a sharp lens. On the other hand, I rarely aim at a soft focus image.

If the lens can be made a sharp lens for general photography, I may be favoring it repaired. The other question is whether the lens can be repaired or not. I recall having it sent out for cleaning, and it came back the same way.DAG saw a fewresults from the lens and he suggested I should not repair it.

Roger Hicks loves the Thambar. My summarit is my "Thambar". A Summarit may or may not be more fun to use repaired.

What is your take on this issue?

 

[raid]

examples:

 

[MikeL]

I'd say, let your needs drive your tools.

 

[hans voralberg]

If it can't be repaired then you don't really have much of a choice do you? More like keep it or sell it, I have a similar "Thambar" Summar, and I keep it for the odd occasion I like to have some special effect (i.e Christmas)

 

[dufffader]

Is it dreamy at all apertures? Mine is so only at the widest aperture, so I guess it should be the "normal" condition.

I have no use for a lens that is soft all the time, so if it was in my possession, I would have sent it in for repair.

edit: hmm, now that I have seen the example, maybe it is worth keeping it this way if one already has plenty of 50mm!!

 

[Gumby]

I'd say, "in the future, point the camera down a little bit."

Re: the lens, if you don't need it or don't like it... get rid of it. I'd keep it and use it, but that's me.

 

[Benjamin]

It just looks like the effect of a faulty lens to me. I can't see any desirable effect worth keeping it for, in it's present state, unless you personally like it or don't use it enough to bother with having it repaired..

 

[raid]

As expected, I am getting mixed opinions on this issue. I have mounted this lens now on a camera for use during the coming days. I will use different aperture settings and different types of light to get some additional info on the lens.


wide open:

 

[wlewisiii]

Raid, I selected repair on the poll, but what I see that as is a CLA. This lens will always be much different from, say, a Zeiss 50/1.5 Sonar or a Canon 50/1.4 lens. Bring it up to it's best but then appreciate it for what it is.

And what a beautiful portrait of your girls. Thank you for sharing it.

William

 

[ferider]

It's a piece of history. The defects are not. Send it to John / Focalpoint.

If you want a Thambar, buy a Thambar.

 

[35mmdelux]

It's a piece of history. The defects are not. Send it to John / Focalpoint.

If you want a Thambar, buy a Thambar.

Thank you.

Ive always thought if the foto was worth taking, then it was worth taking properly. Soft focus went away with the pictorialist epoch, fairly much debunked. Ansel Adams was one of the first great photogs to walk away from it.

 

[rickp]

hi raid

we've talked a bit about the summarit before. i recommended repair in your poll, and add a short background story.

my summarit arrived with cleaning marks ALL over the front element. i sent it to herr reinhardt for CLA and, while it was there, found a source in the UK which recoated the front element front and rear for £69 incl. postage. i'm no expert, but i think it is now in pretty much new condition.

i've added some image thumbnails here from local test shots. i like the lens 'look' at f1.5, and find it pretty usable at f2 and beyond, for my purposes. FYI, raid4 was shot unfocuses 'from the hip' at f1.5; raid3 is pretty sharp at f2.8 (through a car window); raid 5 at f1.5 has a typical summarit look in the center and nice OOF area outside.

good luck with your decision

rick

 

[raid]

I will ask John at Focal Point about it.
If I had not been tilting towards getting the lens repaired, I would not have posted this thread.

 

[raid]

hi raid

we've talked a bit about the summarit before. i recommended repair in your poll, and add a short background story.

my summarit arrived with cleaning marks ALL over the front element. i sent it to herr reinhardt for CLA and, while it was there, found a source in the UK which recoated the front element front and rear for £69 incl. postage. i'm no expert, but i think it is now in pretty much new condition.

i've added some image thumbnails here from local test shots. i like the lens 'look' at f1.5, and find it pretty usable at f2 and beyond, for my purposes. FYI, raid4 was shot unfocuses 'from the hip' at f1.5; raid3 is pretty sharp at f2.8 (through a car window); raid 5 at f1.5 has a typical summarit look in the center and nice OOF area outside.

good luck with your decision

rick

Hello Rick,
Thanks for sharing with us your experience with your Summarit.

I am unable to locate your attached thumbnails.
Thanks.

 

[rickp]

raid
the thumbnails show here. maybe they are still crossing the atlantic? if they don't show, send me a PM and i'll send a few by email.
all the best
rick

 

[helen.HH]

I'm a minimilast at Heart
so unless I'm totally head over Heels
I can let things go EASILY...

At present Life consists of what I LOVE:
35 pre asph lux, 50 collapsible cron, 21superangulon
50 summitar (Just acquired we will see if it Lasts)

(will be selling my 50 1.5 nokton)

If its not a USER and your not SMITTEN
let it go for someone else to ENJOY !!

 

[raid]

raid
the thumbnails show here. maybe they are still crossing the atlantic? if they don't show, send me a PM and i'll send a few by email.
all the best
rick

Rick,
The thumbnaills now shows on my computer. Thanks.

 

[raid]

I'm a minimilast at Heart
so unless I'm totally head over Heels
I can let things go EASILY...

At present Life consists of what I LOVE:
35 pre asph lux, 50 collapsible cron, 21superangulon
50 summitar (Just acquired we will see if it Lasts)

(will be selling my 50 1.5 nokton)

If its not a USER and your not SMITTEN
let it go for someone else to ENJOY !!

Hi Helen,
I have never been a minimalist. I must be a "maximalist", if such a term even exists.😀

My collectible set of lenses is not a luxury set, and it gives me pleasure to admire the old 5cm lenses and to use each lens.

On the other hand, I am in the process of becoming lighter with equipment. A sale is around the corner for RFF.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Where is the haze located? I just cleaned a Summarit: most of the haze was on each side of the Aperture Blades. The front block unscrews to expose them. Easy Job. The front element had a lot of cleaning marks on this one:

The "self-cleaned" Summarit,
Wide-open at F1.5, internal haze cleaned out, front optic with many cleaning marks, strong Backlit subject:

At F4:

My "Keeper" Summarit-M, wide-open at F1.5 after a professional cleaning:

Front Element Cleaning Marks and Coating Damage: that will need to be polished and recoated. That is expensive.

Post some pictures of the lens, with a light shining through the back.

 

[raid]

Brian,
I need to check again where any haze might be lurking. I had the lens CLA'd once, and it still is like a soft focus lens. Maybe one of the elements has moved inside the lens. It once happened with my Canon 50/1.2. DAG repaired that lens.