Leica LTM Pre-war Leica glass, show your photos

[johannielscom]

Quiet indeed, Rick.

I'll take the uncoated Elmar 50mm out shortly and post some more shots from it...
Currently on the Sony A7 but once the parts for my scanning rig arrive I'll be shooting film and scanning it with the A7.

There's a Stepper on the way that could use a chrome lens, maybe I should make an effort and find a prewar uncoated lens for it... 🙄 So that I'll have two lenses to post from 😉

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I need to fill up that roll of Foma Retropan 320 I have in the Nicca IIIf before I load anything else (repaired Contax I is next in line), but inspiration is running thin at the moment.

There is a IIIf with Summarit on the way....but yeah, post-war.

Operation Medemblik, Xenon on M-E

 

[mynikonf2]

Rick & Erik,

Have really enjoyed looking through your photos. They make me want to load up my 1941 IIIc w/1940 Summitar & go out shooting...think I will do just that. Again, wonderful photos, thanks for sharing them.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Cheers Mike,

I confess I'm scrapping the bottom of the barrel a bit with no new stuff coming in 😉

Maredsous Abbey 2016

Save your soul - Near Raeren 2016
Leica IIIc with 1939 Summitar and Y0 filter
Bulk-loader scratched the film

 

[Erik van Straten]

Thank you Mike, I just repaired and cleaned a black Leica III (1936), so maybe I'll have something to post soon.

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

5cm f/1.5 Xenon on M-E

 

[Erik van Straten]

Schitterend portret, Rick! Nooit geweten dat je met een Xenon echt kan fotograferen.

Erik.

(Beautiful portrait, Rick! Never knew that a Xenon really can take pictures. Erik.)

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Around f/2 it does actually do nice things with portraits, but you really need to guard against stray light, apart from that I don't think it renders that different from the Summarit. (The MTF charts really are all over the place).

 

[Erik van Straten]

I've always thought that a Xenon and a Summarit are the same thing, only that a Summarit is coated.

A Summilux 50mm v1 seems to be the same too, but then with other glasses, so it is not the same if you see what I mean. I have a Summilux v1 and I must say that it is excellent.

See this most interesting article: http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/50mm_Leica_a_telemetro/00_pag.htm

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Brian Sweeney noted slight differences between the formulas.

Xenon on the left, Summarit on the right.

I guess the Summarit formula is a recalculated Xenon formula to take advantage of modern glass types that became available after World War 2, similar to the Elmar and Summitar->Summicron.

 

[Erik van Straten]

This diagram tells everything about the glass types.

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

If it wasn't for lanthanum glass types than perhaps they're slight tweaks for the improved refraction qualities of the coating. ...though my Xenon is coated...(well, only internally now 🙂 )

I'd have to check my Leica Lens Literature to see if I can glean any other info.

Converted 5cm f/1.5 Sonnar

 

[Erik van Straten]

Incredible that they could make the calculations without a computer ...

Erik.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

A bit of trial and error too I would expect

 

[Mr_Flibble]

"There is some discussion whether the Summitar[typo?] used glass with a higher index than the Xenon and thus deliver better performance.
This discussion has been based on the idea that the Summitar [again?] has been designed after the war and could employ new glass types. The serial number allocation however does indicate that the lens was ready for production in 1939. It seems to be identical in all respects to the Xenon, as the factory records do indicate." - Dennis Laney

He continues that performance is very close if not identical to the Xenon.

At f/1.5 the MTF shows definition and contrast dropping off very quickly beyond 3mm of the lens center. Always thought the f/1.5 was taking it a stop too far.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Cartier-Bresson used a Summarit 50mm f/1.5 for his reportage about Moscow in 1954. The shots at f/1.5 are not very sharp to put it mildly.

In 1974 he used a Noctilux 50mm f/1.2 for his second reportage about Moscow. The shots at f/1.2 are not very sharp either.

In those years the demands on sharpness were not very high I presume.

Erik.

 

[helen.HH]

Faces of Passchendaele 100 (1917-2017)
1943 CZJ 5cm f/1.5 Sonnar on Leica M-E

Shame Prince Charles and his entourage did not pass by our little 'field studio'.

Adore this One Rick ...Beautiful !

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Cheers Helen,

We did a series of such portraits, alas light was too harsh in some of them.
And I couldn't get much done with the Graflex 22 setup on my Auto Graflex camera.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

A different LTM 5cm f1/.5 Sonnar (1943) on Leica M-E

 

[Mr_Flibble]

A washed out Sunny-16 shot from 2009, somewhere in Belgium

Leica IIIa + Summar