summar 50mm f2 questions..

[nimcod]

Ive just bought (yea i know should of asked before but well...evilbay) a summar 50mm f2, i do have a 7 day return period however.

Is there anything i should specifically look for? haze? fungus, any inherent problems known with the summars?

Also though googling i cant seem to find such a thing as a serial number database to check authenticity, looking at guides of the details of the lens it seems to authentic but id still like to be able to check more thoroughly.

The shots of it also show it seems to have a reflective mirror like look to the lens on the front element...does this mean it would be uncoated?

sorry for the newbish questions but this seems the best place to ask

 

[LeicaTom]

Here`s the online Leica Lens Database

http://www.forloren.dk/lbf/leica_lens_serial.htm

Very helpful with establishing about when each lens was produced/delivered

Major problems with the Summar`s are FOG/HAZE/HEAVY CLEANING MARKS , best bet is the FLASHLIGHT TEST......just shine that baby through the glass from the back to the front of the lens and look through it

If you see some of the above, depending on how bad they are then you might have issues with how it takes photos, fog and haze can be cleaned, but the cleaning marks are the baddies, but then again it`s all in what you like, many people LIKE the effects it makes, another lens that works similiar is the Nippon Kogaku Nikkor f2/50mm - soft cleaning marks work almost like a soft *glamour* filter 😀 - ALWAYS A PLUS POINT WHEN SHOOTING THE GIRLS......

Specks, dirt, little flakes of paint and tiny air bubbles are something normal for a lens of that age......they only slow down the light and reflection of the image the camera takes and they are not as serious as fog/haze and the worst thing the cleaning marks

If you have a Summar without cleaning marks and good clear glass consider yourself lucky, it will be a good picture taking lens, producing soft. romantic and vintage looking photos, they are really great for color film and slide work if they are as original "uncoated" glass

Happy Shooting!

Tom

 

[peterc]

I got a 1934 Summar with a Leica III a couple of weeks ago. The lens was full of haze, the paint inside the barrel had come off and was floating around inside and it has cleaning marks. Not taking the lens would have reduced the price by $10, so I took it. There's a sample shot taken with it in my gallery ... pretty dreamy stuff.
Anyway, the lens is at the camera hospital being cleaned up. I'm told the haze and bits of paint have been removed and the inside of the barrel is being repainted. I figure I can probably live with the effects of the cleaning marks.
I should get it back this week and I'll post sample shots from the refurbished lens.

 

[nimcod]

Thanks very much for the replies, well it should hopefully appear later today, if royal mail is behaving itself!

even if it looks in hazy condition, im considering running one roll through and getting it developed seeing if im happy with it, im looking for that dreamy soft look at the moment, after shooting with the voigt 35mm 1.7 for so long (which has now come apart...but thats whole other situation) it should be a welcome change.

ill put up some stuff from the lens depending on condition once im done with the first roll.

thanks again!

 

[palec]

Don't worry, Summar has to be in an awful state to show it's full potential. Sounds like a joke, but that's how it is (partly 🙂 ).

 

[peterc]

Example from my Summar in its pre-cleaning state.

This was shot at 1/40 and f/2

 

[nimcod]

Well it seems it was a 1937 model, seemingly little or no haze, maybe two tiny spots of fungus/paint chips inside, and light cleaning marks on the front element.

Shot a roll of apx 400 through it, looking through a 8x loupe on a lightbox all seems well, though will have to wait to scan them to truely find out if i can see any of the scratches/2 dots on the negs, tho it looks unlikely.

thanks again for all the help, now just have to hope the scans dont bring out any glaring errors with the lens

 

[zgauthier]

Here's an example from a Summar I was using a while back. Perfectly clear glass on that one. It looks sharp on the web, but it definitely didn't "survive" 11x14. It's got a real unique look though.