Erik van Straten
Veteran
I can recommend a Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5. Super handy and can be used on all screwmount and M-Leicas. Very nice rendering. VERY solid build. A Summarit-M 50mm f/2.5 is a toy compared to the Color-Skopar.
Leica M3, Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5, 400-2TMY.
Erik.
Leica M3, Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5, 400-2TMY.
Erik.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Summarit 50 2.5 is as aspherical as 50 2.4 lens, Skopar is not. But Summarit is M, not LTM.
50 2.5 Skopar is much more practical choice in LTM, IMO. Even now it is less expensive than Cron, yet, it has all metal build, modern focus tab and it has optics free of issues. Even filter is right size!
Just yesterday, while picking up lens cap for lens hood which is for Cron 50 IV (I think it will fit on Collapsible Cron as well), I was looking at one LTM Cron. Not trashed one, but it shows its age. Lens was looked after, clean, but the state of coating is alarming. Something like patina is starting to show up. Just like any old Leitz lens I have used including Collapsible Cron it is next to impossible to find one in same optical condition as modern Viogtlander or even old FSU lens. Well, aluminium exterior of FSU lenses needs cleaning now, but it is not big deal to polish it and repaint engraved numbers.
And I don't want to offence so valuable and kind person as Erik. I just would like to mention what on f8, nothing close in the frame type of BW pictures as above, anything is great. My 19$ Industar-22 was great on M3 once I shimmed it and so is great colimated J3 for FED-2 on M3 with HP5+ at f8 and on next to infinity focus. I'm honest here, every time I do pictures as above with something like Industar-26M (9$ lens) I question myself, why I need Summicron?
But every time I look at Summicron Collapsible portraits and close distance images (BW prints) I want one back.
Maybe I just haven't seen enough portraits with Color Skopar 50 2.5 which were as impressive for me as with Collapsible Cron.
Here is Collapsible Cron, split print, I slightly over-exposed it:
50 2.5 Skopar is much more practical choice in LTM, IMO. Even now it is less expensive than Cron, yet, it has all metal build, modern focus tab and it has optics free of issues. Even filter is right size!
Just yesterday, while picking up lens cap for lens hood which is for Cron 50 IV (I think it will fit on Collapsible Cron as well), I was looking at one LTM Cron. Not trashed one, but it shows its age. Lens was looked after, clean, but the state of coating is alarming. Something like patina is starting to show up. Just like any old Leitz lens I have used including Collapsible Cron it is next to impossible to find one in same optical condition as modern Viogtlander or even old FSU lens. Well, aluminium exterior of FSU lenses needs cleaning now, but it is not big deal to polish it and repaint engraved numbers.
And I don't want to offence so valuable and kind person as Erik. I just would like to mention what on f8, nothing close in the frame type of BW pictures as above, anything is great. My 19$ Industar-22 was great on M3 once I shimmed it and so is great colimated J3 for FED-2 on M3 with HP5+ at f8 and on next to infinity focus. I'm honest here, every time I do pictures as above with something like Industar-26M (9$ lens) I question myself, why I need Summicron?
But every time I look at Summicron Collapsible portraits and close distance images (BW prints) I want one back.
Maybe I just haven't seen enough portraits with Color Skopar 50 2.5 which were as impressive for me as with Collapsible Cron.
Here is Collapsible Cron, split print, I slightly over-exposed it:
Dralowid
Michael
In my post I meant the real Summarit 1.5, not one of those modern devices.
JoeLopez
Well-known
Looks like a great find! It's so gratifying to find something you've searched for so long
Enjoy the glass.
Enjoy the glass.
Here is my early radioactive, nary a mark of cleaning on this one. It has the hood from a modern Elmar-M.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Great portrait, Ko.Fe.
Neither the Summarit-M 50mm f/2.5 nor the Summarit-M 50mm f/2.4 are aspheric.
Here's a portrait at full aperture with the Color-Skopar.
Leica M2, Color-Skopar 50mm f/2.5, Tmax400.
Erik.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Great portrait Erik! Makes me eager to try this lens on my LTM cameras, rather than search for really clean LTM Summicron. Color Skopar 50 2.5 on FED-2 and Zorki. It might sounds crazy, but I consulted with some folks who thinks it is possible with some adjustments, including arm bending.
And only 35 2.5/2.4 are ASPH after I checked it twice. I was wrong on 50 Summarit-M. But they can't even get it right here:
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leic...it-m/?utm_source=20140915en&utm_medium=E-Mail
And only 35 2.5/2.4 are ASPH after I checked it twice. I was wrong on 50 Summarit-M. But they can't even get it right here:
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leic...it-m/?utm_source=20140915en&utm_medium=E-Mail
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Thank you, Ko.Fe.
If Leica lenses fit those cameras, the Color-Skopar will fit too. No bending needed. For M-cameras you need an adapter.
The lenses are beautifully finished in real chrome or real black paint.
There is also a version for Nikon-S, the S-Skopar. That one will fit Kievs too.
Erik.
karlin
Well-known
Interesting discussion. Erik and KoFe great portraits !
I have a clear ltm collapsible cron and I had the 50 skopar.
The skopar is a very good lens but a clear summicron is a fabulous lens.
I sold the skopar due to to many 50 lenses.
Ophir
summicron collapsible ltm
img438 by ophir segal, on Flickr
I have a clear ltm collapsible cron and I had the 50 skopar.
The skopar is a very good lens but a clear summicron is a fabulous lens.
I sold the skopar due to to many 50 lenses.
Ophir
summicron collapsible ltm
img438 by ophir segal, on Flickr
helen.HH
To Light & Love ...
indeed, something Quite Special about the Collapsible summicron
MOI... a memory of who I once was by Helen Hill, on Flickr
All Tied Up by Helen Hill, on Flickr
MOI... a memory of who I once was by Helen Hill, on Flickr
All Tied Up by Helen Hill, on Flickr
GarageBoy
Well-known
I took a risk and I think mine has separation which looked like haze in the photo...
Why is a nice one with no marks on the coating so hard to find?
Lots of nice M mount collapsible summicrons
Why is a nice one with no marks on the coating so hard to find?
Lots of nice M mount collapsible summicrons
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
50mm Collapsible Summicron wide open. I used a hyperfocal setting with the girl at the near limit of the DOF scale. M2, Fujichrome 100.
"Painterly" is indeed the right word for its wide-open rendition.
Dez
Bodger Extraordinaire
I have a collapsible Summicron front element on its way back from polishing and re-coating at Focal Point, which does a very good job with these lenses. John tells me that although the rather soft glass formulation of the front element is part of the problem, an important factor is the metallic content of the actual coating material used with them. This apparently will corrode over time given temperature and humidity, causing the blotchy and flaking coating we see even when there are no actual scratches.
An old Summicron with a very good front surface has probably passed most of its life with a UV filter in place. Not easy to find. I don't know that the M mount ones are less susceptible to this problem.
Cheers,
Dez