dougdarter
Member
This little beauty arrived bright and early in the post this morning. I have been looking for a good one for years, but never been lucky enough to find one at the right price. Good ones can fetch up to £700, because most are badly scratched due to the soft 'soda' glass used on the front element. This one is exceptional, with most of the fragile coating intact, with NO SCRATCHES! There are light cleaning marks in the coating, but that's it. It's also in near mint condition, with most of the wax filled engraving perfect. No internal dust or fungus, no oil on blades, or scratches on the barrel either, so overall, I'd rate it at Exc +, or 95%.
This was the absolute to lens of its era in 1953 when it was built, and will still hold its own today, and will outperform many expensive SLR lenses. Leica didn't use the LAK9 Lanthanum 'radioactive' glass in 1953, so it's not going to go yellow either.
It has a 10 bladed aperture, which is circular at all f numbers, so bokeh will be excellent.
Here are a few pics taken using this lens this morning, on my digital Olympus EP5 M 4/3 camera. Weather was overcast outside, and raining hard, so these shots were taken indoors. Not bad for a 62 year old lens!!
This was the absolute to lens of its era in 1953 when it was built, and will still hold its own today, and will outperform many expensive SLR lenses. Leica didn't use the LAK9 Lanthanum 'radioactive' glass in 1953, so it's not going to go yellow either.
It has a 10 bladed aperture, which is circular at all f numbers, so bokeh will be excellent.
Here are a few pics taken using this lens this morning, on my digital Olympus EP5 M 4/3 camera. Weather was overcast outside, and raining hard, so these shots were taken indoors. Not bad for a 62 year old lens!!
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
To me every Leica lens with focus scale in meters is beautiful! 
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
Yes, the collapsible Summicron is one of my favorites. It's the only lens I have in both M mount and LTM. Not that I don't use my DRS and my 11817 (the one made from 1969 to 1979) but I like the soft-sharpness of the collapsible at its wider apertures!
mfogiel
Veteran
Wide open this lens is little usable, for the rest it is very nice.
BillBingham2
Registered User
Very nice little friend, very nice indeed. Congrats on your find!
B2 (;->
B2 (;->
Jan Pedersen
Well-known
Agree with Marek, soft wide open and never really get sharp enough to match later Summicrons.
I have two, one in ltm and one in M mount. A painterly lens when that is needed.
I have two, one in ltm and one in M mount. A painterly lens when that is needed.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Is it specific to LTM? I've had M collapsible and it was giving me printable results for 8x10 wide open.
dougdarter
Member
It is a sharp lens, if care is taken. I've a Summar, a Summarit and an Elmar, and it's looking to be as sharp as any of these.
I
Sharpness is bound to fall off at the edges, but in the centre, it's excellent.
I
Sharpness is bound to fall off at the edges, but in the centre, it's excellent.
traveler_101
American abroad
Congratulations on finding a really nice looking copy of the Summicron LTM. Looks great on the camera!
I realise this lens is faster than an Elmar 3.5, but that aside how does this Summicron compare with the coated Elmar in terms of sharpness, contrast, rendering? Is this Summicron the best "native" LTM lens for a Barnack?
I realise this lens is faster than an Elmar 3.5, but that aside how does this Summicron compare with the coated Elmar in terms of sharpness, contrast, rendering? Is this Summicron the best "native" LTM lens for a Barnack?
lynnb
Veteran
Congratulations on a very nice lens - good find for one in such condition!
leicapixie
Well-known
I use one constantly, on my M3.
I always use a filter, for protection.
It is reasonably sharp at full aperture but center only.
I make prints not huge magnifications on monitor.
I made 20" x 30" pro prints.
A great portrait lens.
Stopped down almost no difference to more modern Summicron.
Contrast is lower, a positive with scanning and digital.
Oh! It flares like the newest 50mm APO-Summicron.
I always use a filter, for protection.
It is reasonably sharp at full aperture but center only.
I make prints not huge magnifications on monitor.
I made 20" x 30" pro prints.
A great portrait lens.
Stopped down almost no difference to more modern Summicron.
Contrast is lower, a positive with scanning and digital.
Oh! It flares like the newest 50mm APO-Summicron.
dougdarter
Member
I think 'sharp' is subjective. It can be affected by so many factors, not always under the control of the photographer.
If I was able to give my objective opinion of sharpness, I'd say yes, sharper than the Elmar, but so are my Summars, which are uncoated. I can however, only comment on the results from an uncoated Elmar, because I don't have a coated one.
Best 'native' lens?? Again very subjective, but being dogmatic, I'd say yes. I do honestly believe that the Summicron is the sharpest LTM 50, but my belief is backed up by that of many peer reviewed reports available on the net.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
This one is with the collapsible Summicron wide open. Usable enough for me.
Leica MP, Summicron 50mm f/2 collapsible, Tmax400.
Erik.
Dralowid
Michael
I used to have a collapsible Summicron and although a bit cloudy it was a very nice lens.
These days I think the 'best' thing to stick on the front of you ltm Leica is a late f3.5 Elmar, the f2.8 version of the same lens may be 'better' in terms of ergonomics but I have never had one.
The question, of course, is how you define 'best' or 'better'.
These days I think the 'best' thing to stick on the front of you ltm Leica is a late f3.5 Elmar, the f2.8 version of the same lens may be 'better' in terms of ergonomics but I have never had one.
The question, of course, is how you define 'best' or 'better'.
mdarnton
Well-known
Imagine, I was somehow under the impression for these last 40 years that this photo was fine, and didn't need more sharpness than it has. Now I find out that the lens is unusable wide open!
Collapsible Summicron, wide open; pretty much my favorite lens, ever, and I can't imagine this picture done better with any other lens. The lens that shot this is long gone, but last year I, also, was able to pick up a perfect example that I now very happily use.
B by Michael Darnton, on Flickr
Collapsible Summicron, wide open; pretty much my favorite lens, ever, and I can't imagine this picture done better with any other lens. The lens that shot this is long gone, but last year I, also, was able to pick up a perfect example that I now very happily use.
B by Michael Darnton, on Flickr
I don't own it anymore... but enjoyed using this on digital Ms as well. Nice copy OP>
David Hughes
David Hughes
traveler_101
American abroad
Well I like my 1946 coated Elmar 3.5, and of course it makes an incredibly compact kit. But one is always given to winder whether this lens or that, a Summicron or a Summitar, would produce more pleasing results. I suppose at some point I might try, though I certainly wouldn't drop £700 to acquire the lens.
dougdarter
Member
I wouldn't drop £700 to acquire one either!! I said in the OP, that I was able to acquire one at the right price, which in this case was the paltry sum of £150, or roughly $220. I've paid more than this for an avverage f2 Summar.
I actually couldn't believe the price when I first saw it. I was suspicious about the condition, and after a few conversations, and lots of photographs of the lens, and it's glass, I bought it. When it arrived, I was so happy that I had bought a good 'un!!
megido
Well-known
Never sell!