Keep the Summarit as a soft image lens or repair?

[raid]

Hello Nuno,
I have a 2.8 Elmar that has a repolished front element,and it is like new now. The Summarit has its own charm though, The vote in the poll is split, as I expected it would happen.

 

[nrb]

A clean Summarit is worth its weight in gold, so to speak, Raid.
Nuno

 

[daveisbest]

Here is a comparison of the Summarit stopped down versus wide open:


Wide Open:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74429&stc=1&d=1256766343

Stopped down:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74430&stc=1&d=1256766343

Wow, I love these two images, both have a real nice quality to them. Mind if I ask what film you used, and were these shots taken with a screwmount Leica body? Might have to look into getting myself a summarit.

 

[raid]

Sherry Krauter can fix the coating on the edges of the glass very inexpensively so the light doesn't bounce around and this will help with the flare a bit. This is what she did for me while cleaning my Summarit.
It still flares, but I'll never get rid of it!!!

Correction: it still flares like hel...

Thanks for this tip. My Summarit is a dancing stage for light.

 

[dave lackey]

Hey...

This was my first trial with Summarit to see how close I could get to "vintage" style photos of cars. I did a whole shoot with the Summarit mounted on my M3 and using Kodak 400 color film. As a check, I also shot the car with my D2x and 70-200 VR 2.8 lens, as shown below:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74557&stc=1&d=1257251419

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74558&stc=1&d=1257251329

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74559&stc=1&d=1257251329

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74560&stc=1&d=1257251371

 

[dave lackey]

One Camera One Lens (Leica M3 + Summarit 50mm):

I dunno...I don't understand what the debate is after having used this lens for most of the past year as my ONLY lens for the M3. I am quite happy with controlling flare and softness. These images are perfectly acceptable for me, tho YMMV:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74563&stc=1&d=1257252515

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74564&stc=1&d=1257252528

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=74565&stc=1&d=1257252537

 

[raid]

I took two rolls of film the past few days ago with the Summarit.
Here are a few of them:

 

[Sonnar Brian]

That last shot looks really good. The one before it- almost looks like a different lens! Like a bad spot on the optic is flaring.

I need to see this lens. Party in Pensacola...new house- this Summer.

 

[raid]

That last shot looks really good. The one before it- almost looks like a different lens! Like a bad spot on the optic is flaring.

I need to see this lens. Party in Pensacola...new house- this Summer.

Brian,
I am looking forward to again meet with you and your family.
This lens is somewhat "unique" due to its flaws.

The image before the last was taken in the early evening hours before sunset outdoors. The last image was taken in the morning indoors.

 

[raid]

Some of the latest results have increased my wish to keep the lens for a while longer. I want Brian to inspect the lens anyways.

 

[xichlo]

I bought the Voigtlander 41mm hood for my Summarit from Stephen , Cameraquest for $30, there are 2 choice, black and chrome, I picked chrome. He sent in 2 days, great seller. Just send him an email.

BTW, I love my summarit over my DR and 4th version summicron. The bokeh and the glow are special.

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]

For what this is worth, according to Morgan & Lester, in the "Leica Manual", c. 1955:

"The 50mm Summarit is corrected for excellent definition at its unusually high aperture of f /1.5, and in addition shows an actual increase in definition when stopped down.
It replaces the 50mm Xenon f / 1.5 and has seven elements which produce excellent color correction and image contrast. Maximum definition is achieved at f / 4, which makes it useful not only for available light photography, but as an all-around high-quality objective for general photography. "

I guess we also need to take into consideration that Leica had nothing better when the above was written.

 

[raid]

Well,yes, mine is a soft focus lens! Times change, and what was great at one time may become barely acceptable at another time.

 

[Melvin]

Judging by the last pics I'd say don't mess with it. They don't look soft focus in a cheesy way. They have a lot of character. Maybe it fixed itself.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

For what this is worth, according to Morgan & Lester, in the "Leica Manual", c. 1955:

"The 50mm Summarit is corrected for excellent definition at its unusually high aperture of f /1.5, and in addition shows an actual increase in definition when stopped down.
It replaces the 50mm Xenon f / 1.5 and has seven elements which produce excellent color correction and image contrast. Maximum definition is achieved at f / 4, which makes it useful not only for available light photography, but as an all-around high-quality objective for general photography. "

I guess we also need to take into consideration that Leica had nothing better when the above was written.

My Summarit-M, wide-open on the Leica M3:

Before I had the haze cleaned out, it was "not very good". After the cleaning, a world of difference. Summarits get a bum rap.

 

[raid]

Brian,
Will you have with you collimation equipment this summer?
You know that it is required for entry to Pensacola to have such stuff on you!
I hope that you can diagnose what the case is with my Summarit.

 

[gblader]

Sorry to resurrect an old post-but whatever happened?^^

 

[MISH]

I also am curious

 

[raid]

Nothing new really happened with the Summarit. I left it as is.