Summarit 50 f1.5 & Photos

[DKimg]

LOVE this shot! Beautiful! 😀

 

[semrich]

HP5, EI 400, 1.5/60th, DD-X 1+4

 

[ianstamatic]

@ ianstamatic and all

Great photographs in this thread. I am especially impressed with the composition and tonality of the shot of the girl in the white dress.

It must be a scan of a picture and not a negative? What film / developer did you use? Sorry to ask just curious.

After moving to digital 1.5 year ago I am partly going back to film and was contemplaiting a summarit in addition to my excellent old chrome Jupiter 3 (sonnar).

Thanks, Alwin

http://www.flickr.com/photos/photomensch/3796423662/

Thanks for you kind words.

Its an epson v700 scan that i use to preview.
With the drum scanner there would be more detail in her eyes and fabric detail in the dress.
I scan flat using the epson software with all adjustments turned off, then i use Lightroom to quickly adjust brightness and contrast.

The film is I think hp5 shot at 200 (or possibly delta 100 but i think this is hp5), then processed in xtol 1:1 in my rotary processor.

Dkimg - Thanks !!

 

[kalu]

Anyone has a broken Summarit for spare parts?
My old 1.5, 5cm has some problems with the aperture ring. I can change the aperture but the screw that "locks" it seems to be broken. Won't lock..

Is there supposed to be some kind of tiny spring and ball system or what?
Spares anyone?

thanks,
kalle

 

[Jaans]

Low contrast, low resolution and prone to flare is the character of the lens. So don't waste your time to looking for a really mint copy and expect something different (as I ever did).

IMHO, Sonnar is a better lens than Summarit. Oh, bro, I forgot that I bought the sonnar from you. 🙂

I had an M-mount Summarit before. Mine was badly scratched and it was low in contrast, but definitely not low in resolution. I'm just wondering where did you derive this information from?

 

[Daryl J.]

I love mine.
It was an unplanned purchase but it's not every day one finds a mint one at a consignment store.
No other lens in any format in my collection renders like this lens. It is "waaay too soft" wide open, but the images reach straight to the heart. Happily.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Nice old thread with some vintage dressing and undressing 🙂

To add to resent bumping up, I've had it for few months and sold it.

I've had very clean copy, no scratches at all, but one fungus spot which I was able to kill with Leitz formula. Wide open it was sharp in the central spot, but glowing. Just like in the Puts put.
From this sharp, but glowing spot and to the edges it was "buzzing" at f1.5. At f2 it was fine old Leitz lens on BW and Color. f5.6 and f8 just as sharp as any normal 50mm lens.

The build was fantastic. Same guys must be involved previously in Panzer tank building. Extremely solid, big and heavy. Quick and easy in handling. Has focus tab which they forgot to put on, until 3K$ Lux ASPH. But Panzer heritage forced me to let it go. Soviet won again with light and tiny J-3, which has much more normal rendering at f1.5.

 

[willwright]

Later authorities say identical glass to the Xenon...mine is really mushy wide open, but hardens up to near Summicron quality by about f5.6..so quite an amazing lens if you know what to do, and not do, with it

 

[Luddite Frank]

Depends on what you want it for: round-out your vintage Leica kit, shooting "artsy" photos, or you need a "fast" 50 mm lens.


If you want a fast 50, you may be better off with a modern Cosina-Voigtlander or screw-mount Canon...

The Summarit is expensive, and difficult to find with unscratched glass.

The Xenon is the older brother, usually uncoated.

I'm sorry I didn't buy a Xenon or Summarit when Sandy Ritz had several for reasonable $ back around 2007.



I should add that if anyone runs across a clean example for less than the cost of a C-V 50/f 1.5 Nokton, go ahead and grab it.

 

[Ronald M]

Mine looks nothing like the pics posted. It does not have the hard contrast of a modern lens, but not the soft contrast of a non coated lens. Color saturation is average to slightly lower.

It is quite sharp at 2.8.

Mine is clear inside and has no cleaning marks, wears a Leica UV filter, and the real shade made for it.

The pics shown here are from no shade or lens damage.

 

[lxmike]

great thread, something attractive about the images this lens can produce, a very fascinating lens

 

[raid]

My copy must have some "issue" in it, but I kept it as a special effects lens. Dan (DAG) suggested to me not to alter this lens.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

 

[raid]

The posted images look great. Thanks.

 

[helen.HH]

Spying on the table next to me.. by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

Moi by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

Tender is Asleep by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[raid]

Great stuff, Helen! Thanks.

 

[helen.HH]

GAME Boy... by Helen Hill, on Flickr

 

[helen.HH]

ask not... by Helen Hill, on Flickr