Leica LTM Summarit 1,5/50mm

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
Mint ones are hard to find. It's a beauty for sure. I think the Summarit is underated. One sample I owned recently, which had some glass issues, still produced strikingly sharp images (I'll post one later today here).
 
Yes, it is sharp!...I did a battle to the Summicron (new)...f 2,8

100% of a 84 MB scan !

Summarit-Summicron-Test-1.jpg

Summarit-Summicron-Test-2.jpg

regards,

Jan

can anybody put them together for better control?..I have no server to do it...
 
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Telewatt said:
my new lens for the IIf.....:)

View attachment 55545

View attachment 55546

f2,8 1/250 sec.

View attachment 55547

f2,0 1/60 sec.

regards,

Jan
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One of the features of the Summarit is that it handles color well in my view because its rendition is a little low contrast. The last photo is a good example I think.

This can be good in contrasty situations as it allows you to pull detail out of shadows where a more modern design may not be able to.
 
David Murphy said:
Mint ones are hard to find. It's a beauty for sure. I think the Summarit is underated. One sample I owned recently, which had some glass issues, still produced strikingly sharp images (I'll post one later today here).
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Sure it's an underrated lens! People own filthy and scratched samples and then they go to forums all over the world saying how it's a bad lens. Unbeleivable, really!
 
I like to test cameras and lenses on the cute houses here in Pasadena. These were all taken with a Leica III and a Summarit with some separation and coating scratches. The film was ISO 200 color print film from the 99 cent store, processed at the drug store, and scanned on a Dimage IV

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ScanImagered.jpg


ScanImage5red.jpg
 
Mine's a very early sample, something like 1939, I believe. Still shoots wonderful images.
 

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I'm quietly jealous...

The Summarit ( or a coated Xenon) is on my wish-list...


Of course, if I find a nice 1.5 Canon or 1.4 Nikkor, I won't refuse either one.


Nice lens, nice pics !

Thanks for sharing !

Luddite Frank
 
They tend to be in very bad state, then people complain of low contrast etc.

Mine is better than any `lux I ever tried except the current ASPH version.
It has better edge definition than the 1959, less distortion than the 40 year run one which I never found one that was not sharp until 8.0.

Yes, underrated IF you FIND A CLEAN one and put a decent shade on it.
 
Ronald M said:
They tend to be in very bad state, then people complain of low contrast etc.

Mine is better than any `lux I ever tried except the current ASPH version.
It has better edge definition than the 1959, less distortion than the 40 year run one which I never found one that was not sharp until 8.0.

Yes, underrated IF you FIND A CLEAN one and put a decent shade on it.
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Even in good condition they are low contrast. I have one which is virtually hazeless and its noticeably lower contrast (than Summicron lenses of both the 1950s and certainly later versions) for black and white. Mind you I am not complaining. If you have it, or can get it, take a look at page 40 of the Leica M Compendium -Handbook of the Leica M System (Jonathan Eastland Hove Books 1994) and it gives an example of how low contrast lenses can be useful in some black and white applications. Also check out the color picture on the un-numbered pages after page 95 where you will find some color images shot with the lens.

I cannot compare it to the Lux as I do not own one but I do use it selectively and with pretty good results depending on what effect I want. I am also wary of shooting it wide open.
 
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Would it make sense to have the front element coated?
It could result in a more contrasty 50/1.5 lens.
 
raid said:
Would it make sense to have the front element coated?
It could result in a more contrasty 50/1.5 lens.
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Raid, the Summarit is essentially a Xenon with coated elements. AFAIK, the front element (all elements) should have been factory coated. Mine is coated.
 
Telewatt said:
Thanks for the feetback....:)

Today I found this!....:eek:..Polarisationfilter for the Summarit!

View attachment 55652

regards,

Jan
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Schone schone! Nice addition for the lens - I`m a filter nut anyway and the Summarit Polarizer is an uncommon one, I`m looking for the split green and split yellow half filters for water and snow shots

Tom
 
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