Summar 5cm on Leica III

[jill1138]

Hi All,
I just bought a Leica III, and the lens-Summar 5cm is incredibly difficult to pull out and push back in. I don't want to break it-I assume it needs some lubrication. Can anyone recommend what I might use? I just wanted to put a drop of something to last me until I can get it to the camera guy. I am so anxious to try it out-any advice would be great! Thanks!

 

[G1DRP]

Silicone furniture polish.

Sent from my GT-S5830

 

[johannielscom]

Hi,

the dampening when extending is provided by a strip of leather in the mount collar. It should make sure that the barrel sticks when extended. It also works as a dirt-catch.

In the past I have recommended people with too-lose Summars to add two or three small drops of oil to the edge of the barrel and mount collar, so the leather would get greased a bit and soak it up. Then the lens would stick again.

Maybe somebody already did the oil-the-leather trick in the past here.

I'd try lighter fluid. Set the lens down on it's mount, barrel extended. Drop a few drops (no squirt!) into the edge between barrel and collar. Try rotating the barrel in the mount collar. Maybe add a few more, even several times. Extend and collapse the barrel a few times. Any oil or grease in there should dilute and free it up.

Make sure you do not apply lighter fluid from the rear, you don't want to accidentally pour it into the optics or aperture...😱 If you apply between mount and barrel while sitting the lens down on its mount, any excess fluid will just come out the rear end.

Good luck!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Probably just dirt. I'd wipe the barrel with an oily rag when it's extended, then wipe it again with a clean rag.

And, of course, just leave the lens out until it's been looked at.

EDIT: And welcome to the forum!

Cheers,

R.

 

[john neal]

I was told by Peter at CRR that it should be horse-hair felt, not leather, so I would be careful about applying much oil - you will never get rid of it, and it could attract grit, which you definitely don't want.

As Roger suggested, just leave it out for now until you can get it looked at.

 

[rogerzilla]

One nice thing about the Summar is, being uncoated, you can have the (usually scratched) front element repolished. This never used to be economic but now people are asking 200 GBP for decent Summars - you couldn't give them away ten years ago - it's OK. They also clean up well inside because you can absolutely guarantee that there will have been no coating deterioration ;-)

Tips for using a Summar: get the SOOMP hood and religiously use it. Find a SOOGZ adapter for screw-in 39mm filters. Forget contre-jour stuff. Only use f/2 if you really have to. Use it between f/4.5 and f/9 on an overcast day and it's marvellous.

 

[johannielscom]

What Rogerzilla says:

Jonah

​

Leica IIIa, Summar 50/2.0 @ 4.0, 1/40th or something, Rolleipan 25 + Rodinal 1:100

 

[johannielscom]

John, you're right, it's felt in the mount collar. My mistake! Maybe I should get a Summar again, just to remind me there's no leather...🙄😛

 

[john neal]

Ah, you continentals and your leather..... 😉

 

[jill1138]

Thank you so much guys!! I am so new to the Leica, and have so much to learn!! I like to learn how things work, so may be asking your advice again in the future. 🙂
I think what I will probably do is just leave the lens out as Roger (thanks for the welcome!) suggested. Not sure why I didn't think of that one-this little contraption makes me a bit nervous, so not wanting to do anything to harm it!
Thanks again guys, and great photo. Looking forward to seeing what shape my lens is in-doesn't look too bad so far...

 

[ZeissFan]

Congrats on your entry into Leicas. Once you jump into rangefinder photography, you add a whole new dimension to your work. Some people take to it. Some don't.

In any case, I hope that it's a fun and worthwhile adventure.

 

[jill1138]

I think that it will be fun and worthwhile! Thank you!!

 

[rogerzilla]

It's a quieter, calmer way to take photos. No beeps or displays, no clacking mirror.

 

[jill1138]

I'm starting tomorrow-finally time to look over the manual! Wish me luck loading the film!! 😉

 

[johannielscom]

I'm starting tomorrow-finally time to look over the manual! Wish me luck loading the film!! 😉

Jill,

you can do it, lots of people went before you!

There's a sticky thread in the Leica LTM forum that describes ways to do it, and contains a humongous debate between those in favour of removing the lens and those against! 🙂

 

[jill1138]

Thanks Johan! I will look at the thread-I have not removed the lens yet, so I will try without first, I think. 😉

 

[Ade-oh]

If you have the money, it's worth getting the lens overhauled by a competent repairer. Mine was done recently by Peter at CRR and it sorted out a whole load of issues with it: it really came back looking like new; and focusing, the aperture ring and collapsing the lens were suddenly surprisingly easy!

The service cost me about £60.

 

[jill1138]

Thank you-I am definitely planning on this, but wanted to try it out asap. I found a guy that has been repairing cameras for 50 years, and has worked on "thousands of those old cameras". He even gave me a regular customer's number (I was looking for a take up spool) whom I talked with, and he told me that this camera guy had put together, and fixed many of his Leica's over the years. So, I am confident in his abilities. That's not a bad price-I will be taking other cameras to him as well. Thanks much!

 

[Brian Legge]

The summar can even be be very nice wide open. This was at f/2, focused on the near barrel:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cannelbrae/5521439819/

Hard to see in this picture, but the text Diamond Knot Brewery, is clearly visible. I think film resolution is more of a limit here than the lens as even at f/2 it looks reasonably high contrast.

I'm finding that this Summar is the lens I wish I had with me when I take other cameras out. It and the Retina are becoming my favorite sharp vintage lenses.