New Summarit Lenses

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Any thoughts on the new Summarit lenses that are due out in late November ? Has there been any pre-release testing ?
 
There are four lenses in the new Summarit range: 35 mm, 50 mm, 75 mm and 90 mm, all f/ 2,5. More info on the Erwin Puts website or Leica Camera website. Few days ago i wrote an email to Erwin Puts, asking for the test of the Summarit lenses. He answered me that the test will arrive in two weeks.
Ciao.
Vincenzo
 
They are not an independent source, exactly, but the 8/2007 (November) number of Leica Fotografie International has some comparison shots between Summarit and Summilux lenses, at comparable apertures of course.
 
Hi, Roger. I'm a very fanatic fan of you and Frances. I read all your articles on Shutterbug Magazin and translated in italian for my personal collection. I'm very interesting to read your personal opinion of the new Summarit lenses. Thank you.
Ciao.
Vincenzo
 
Vincenzo Maielli said:
Hi, Roger. I'm a very fanatic fan of you and Frances. I read all your articles on Shutterbug Magazin and translated in italian for my personal collection. I'm very interesting to read your personal opinion of the new Summarit lenses. Thank you.
Ciao.
Vincenzo
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Dear Vincenzo,

Thanks for the kind words.

The trouble with a Leica user reviewing new lenses is that he/she may already have the lenses he/she wants -- and the criteria may not always be what you expect. For example, I love my last-generation 35/1.4 Summilux because it's so tiny, and fast, even though the quality wide open comes nowhere near a Summicron or indeed aspheric Summilux. The 35 Summarit is just as sweet-handling, but of course, 1-2/3 stops slower. If you don't need the speed, the Summarit (I keep typing 'Summitar...') is a very good lens indeed.

Moving on to the 50mm, this is the lens I'd most like to keep, again, for its compactness and sweet handling, but I also love the new Sonnar, and owning both would be something of an extravagance. If I hadn't fallen in love with the Sonnar, for all its quirkiness, I might well be tempted to make the 50/2.5 Summarit my standard 50.

We don't have the 75 (and besides I already have a Summilux) but Frances feels the same about the 90 as I do about the 50 -- except that if we could work out the finances, she might buy one, to replace the 90/3.5 Apo-Lanthar. It's sweeter-handling and she'd probably use it without the lens shade (which is an extra), making it much more compact. And of course it's a stop faster.

I'm just finishing two free 'first look' pieces for www.rogerandfrances.com, one on the Summarits and one on the Sonnar. 'First looks' will be a new series of articles, less in-depth than the paid reviews, but out sooner. It'll probably be up in a week or so as I have to get it to California to the web-master and he has to put it up.

Cheers,

Roger
 
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Thank you very mutch, Roger. Your words are very precious for me. In the next future i wll buy the 35 and 90 Summarit. In the 50 mm range, i have a fenomenal DR Summicron.
Ciao.
Vincenzo
 
Also, The new edition of French Magazine "Chasseur d'Image" which is very serious in its terts just tested the summarit in its last edition (on a M8). They were all awarded the best rating, 5 stars, which is they seldom give.

Chasseur d'Image is independant in its tests. They for exemple pointed out the focus issues of the New Canon eos 1D, which caused them to loose the canon advertising !

I didn't buy them yet bacause I already have a 35 summilux, 50 summicron, and find 75 and 90 not easy to use on rangefinders. But I think I will buy the 50 summarit one day, because it is so compact...
 
As a Elmar 50/2,8 user, the compactness of the new summarit is nugatory :p I think this part of the reason L is going to stop making the Elmar-M 50/2,8....
 
Here in UK, next week's Amateur Photographer (after this week running an interview with Mr Lee about the potential new full frame upgrade for the M8) will carry their tests of the Summarit lenses. Worth getting hold of a copy if you are able - they tend to report things objectively.

Peter
 
Erwin Puts' love of Leica may skew his comparison of lenses between companies (e.g., Leica vs. Zeiss). But such bias would not seem to sully his comparison of Leica lenses to one another. In regard to Summarit lenses, he indicates a preference for the 35mm and 75mm.
 
northpole said:
Here in UK, next week's Amateur Photographer (after this week running an interview with Mr Lee about the potential new full frame upgrade for the M8) will carry their tests of the Summarit lenses. Worth getting hold of a copy if you are able - they tend to report things objectively.

Peter
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Hey, Peter, you are so correct about Amateur Photographer Magazine! I have been a subscriber for almost 10 years even though I live in California and there is so much to find fascinating about its coverage of things photographic. I especially thoroughly enjoy Geoffrey Crawley's intelligent articles and I, too, find that their lens and camera reviews are extremely objective.

Terry
 
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