Leica LTM Leitz 5cm Summitar V 5cm Elmar

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses

Leitz 5cm Summitar V 5cm Elmar

  • Coated Summitar 5cm

    Votes: 147 59.0%
  • Coated Elmar 5cm

    Votes: 102 41.0%

  • Total voters
    249
I took this with my IIIc and Summitar on a film set I was working on:
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • 36229556741_e23e6d49f6_c.jpg
    36229556741_e23e6d49f6_c.jpg
    25.6 KB · Views: 0
I love both, but Elmar has the edge as it always renders in a very pleasant way. Summitar's cat's eye bokeh can be distracting sometimes.

Red scale elmar 3.5

CocywtN.jpg



KYaW78I.jpg



WZcptf7.jpg
 
Since l started this thread a few year back, l have added a 5cm 3.5 Elmar and a 5cm Summar to my collection, thanks for the input and the inspirational images in this thread everyone
 
This choice makes sense.

Personally, I had Summar, Summitar (coated), Summarit, all in good condition, let all of them go, but I never had Elmar (collapsible Industar does the same :) ).
 
This choice makes sense.

Personally, I had Summar, Summitar (coated), Summarit, all in good condition, let all of them go, but I never had Elmar (collapsible Industar does the same :) ).


that's reminds me l have a collapsible industar too, got it very very cheap, have not gor round to using it yet:eek:
 
I had owned my Elmar (coated) for a couple of months in 1964. When I broke down driving through Willows, CA and I took this picture at the repair shop. After I processed the slide (drugstore) I died because of the flare. But I still have the lens and it has never done it again. Maybe in the back of my mind I'm avoiding flare situations. I has been a great lens for me:

1964 by John Carter, on Flickr
 
Pardon my ignorance, but what what are the optical configurations of ltm lenses? I haven't been able to find this anywhere I've looked. Design type (Tessar, Sonnar etc.) or elements/groups. Just looking at these images I'd say that Elmar and Summitar are of similar design. Thanks
 
Pardon my ignorance, but what what are the optical configurations of ltm lenses? I haven't been able to find this anywhere I've looked. Design type (Tessar, Sonnar etc.) or elements/groups. Just looking at these images I'd say that Elmar and Summitar are of similar design. Thanks


Hi,

One of the best sources for older lenses are the brochures Leitz issued in the late 1930's, meaning "Leica the Camera for Modern Times" and "The Interchangeable Leica Lenses".

From memory they cover the lenses inside and outside. The books often appear on ebay and I expect someone has scanned and posted them already.

Regards, David
 
Last edited:
John, sun is high and slightly behind you?
To me, it looks more like a light leak than flare.

CG

I've had the lens since 1964, I used it today and many thousands of times on the same IIIf since, (I still have the Leica IIIf) so for 54 years this is the only time it flared. So, I think you might be wrong.
 
Pardon my ignorance, but what what are the optical configurations of ltm lenses? I haven't been able to find this anywhere I've looked. Design type (Tessar, Sonnar etc.) or elements/groups. Just looking at these images I'd say that Elmar and Summitar are of similar design. Thanks

Dennis Laney's Leica pocket books hold most of the formulas (and MTF charts)

The Elmar is a modified Tessar where the aperture is directly behind the front element instead of in the middle.

The Summitar is a 7-element double gauss derived design with a cemented front element.

The Elmar has general overall sharpness across the whole aperture range, while the the Summitar is softer at the wider apertures.
 
This thread is 8 years old & only 7 pages :eek: Well we’ll have to do something about that. Common everyone dig out those Summitars & Elmars.
med_U7008I1491791739.SEQ.0.jpg

Nicca 3S w 48 coated elmar 50:3.5.
 
Back
Top Bottom