Summarit lens review

[Nick De Marco]

In case you haven't seen it, I just read a quite detailed review by Frances Shultz of the 4 new Leica Summarit lenses in this month's edition of Black and White Photography magazine.

Francis, who has, or has used various different lenses in the same ranges, rates these summarits a lot. Having read it I was impressed, but not enough to buy one. I have a 35mm, 50mm and 90mm Summicron. All bought second hand and all for less than a new summarit would cost me. I'm not convinced the summarit would be better in any of these lengths, and I doubt it would. Whilst I don't have a 75mm in any length (and I'm not sure I actually NEED one either) I have heard such good things about the summilux 75mm, and Frances rated the 75mm the least attractive of the 4 new summarits, that I'm not tempted to spend 890 pounds on that either

I suppose if you only want to buy a new lens then there is something to be said for these (rather like th 38mm Elmarit I bought for my M8). Otherwsie, I'm not sure if I see the point.

Good review anyway.

 

[Abbazz]

I have a 35mm, 50mm and 90mm Summicron. All bought second hand and all for less than a new summarit would cost me. I'm not convinced the summarit would be better in any of these lengths, and I doubt it would.

The Summarit 35 and Summarit 75 emerge as the best lenses in the range, operating in close vicinity of the Summicron versions. I would even claim that the Summarit 35mm is better than the Summicron asph version. Erwin Puts: http://www.imx.nl/photo/lenstest/summarit_lenses_part_three_.html

Whilst I don't have a 75mm in any length (and I'm not sure I actually NEED one either) I have heard such good things about the summilux 75mm, and Frances rated the 75mm the least attractive of the 4 new summarits, that I'm not tempted to spend 890 pounds on that either

If I recall correctly (I don't have the magazine with me), Mrs Schultz states that the 75mm has the least appeal to her, because she already has the Summilux, and not because it is inferior compared to its siblings (see Mr. Puts remark above).

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[Roger Hicks]

If I recall correctly (I don't have the magazine with me), Mrs Schultz states that the 75mm has the least appeal to her, because she already has the Summilux, and not because it is inferior compared to its siblings (see Mr. Puts remark above).

Dear Abbazz,

Summicron not Summilux, but yes, that's the only reason the 75 Summarit came 4th. The Shutterbug review of the same lenses is due in the August issue and of course there's a 'first look' on our site as well:
http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps firstlook summarit.html

Incidentally, Frances prefers 'Ms.' We've been married 25 years but she keeps her maiden name; neither of us has ever been able to see why women (a) change their names and (b) betray their marital status in Miss/Mrs.

This sometimes leads to interesting arguments, e.g. with a car hire company where there was no charge for a spouse as an additional driver but the desk clerk said, "You've got to to have the same surname if you're married." We had to call her supervisor to assure her that this was merely a regional cultural convention, and did not have the force of law even in that region.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[kully]

I'm getting married this summer and we're keeping our names too, Roger.

Good we don't live in Switzerland, you have to change your surname there...

 

[Nick De Marco]

Absolutely correct the reason was Francis already had a 75mm she preferred. But then that says something itself doesn't it.

 

[Abbazz]

Summicron not Summilux [...] Incidentally, Frances prefers 'Ms.'

Dear Roger,

My apologies for the inaccuracies.

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[Roger Hicks]

Absolutely correct the reason was Francis already had a 75mm she preferred. But then that says something itself doesn't it.

Dear Nick,

Well, the main thing it says is that we already had the Summicron. If we hadn't, we might well have gone for the Summarit. The 2/3 stop is not normally all that important.

There's a big difference between changing a lens you already have, and buying a focal length you don't. Often, you can live with a lens that isn't as good, objectively, because you've already got the lens in question -- but you'd buy the better lens if (God forbid) the other lens were stolen or damaged beyond repair.

In this particular case, the Summicron is even better than the Summarit and 2/3 stops faster, so there's no incentive at all to change.

Cheers,

Roger.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Roger,

My apologies for the inaccuracies.

Cheers!

Abbazz

Dear Abbazz,

No need to apologize! It's always awkward to make a point like this; it sounds pedantic. But one was germane -- the only reason I'd buy a 75 Summilux is if I had a VERY specific need, whereas both the Summicon and Summarit are general-purpose lenses -- and the other is simply one of those things where I thought it better to note Frances's preference.

And

Dear Kully,

I hope you're as happy as we are: nearly 27 years together, nearly 26 married. I was around your age (actually 30) when I met Frances.

Two Swiss friends, Thomas and Ursula, got around the Swiss name-change law one by hyphenating their names, one each way: Capaul-Weber and Weber-Capaul.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Teus]

I'm seriously considering a 50mm f/2.5, over the ZM 50 1.5, as a compact go-anywhere lens on my M2. It's really great from F2.8-F8. The only disadvantage: I can't shoot in lowlight at my usual f/2. I've got a russian J3 Sonnar though, at ISO3200 1/15th I probably won't see too much difference with the new C-Sonnar.

 

[Nick De Marco]

Thanks for the reply Roger. Fair point. I suppose it is just that I am a bit of a fast lens fetishist and often find inhibited by f2. Especially for portrait work I would appreciate a very wide aperture and as I have the Summicron 90mm f2 and a Canon 50mm f1.2 (which is pretty telephoto on an M8) I guess I would only want a 75mm if I could go fast, preferably the very expensive (big draw back) summilex. So I suppose I am re-acting personally.

 

[Ben Z]

I also am all set in the 35, 50 and 90 lengths with Elmarits, Luxes and Crons, so the only Summarit that peaked my interest was the 75, and only because of the crop factor of the M8. (I had a 75 Summilux--twice--in prior years and aside from the ergonomics which I didn't care for, the focal length itself on fullframe 35mm was, like the 24mm, too much of an in-between for my preferences.) Anyway, I used the Summarit and was all ready to buy one when I happened to read Sean Reid's comparison to the Voitlander, and like an omen, one of those appeared at KEH in Bargain for $199 and I figured, may as well try it for a couple weeks. Well, I kept it and am very happy with it and have $1300 to spend on something else.

PS, after experimenting, I advise anyone who buys the Voitlander for the M8 not to code the adaptor. I tried temporarily coding it as each of the other Leica 75's (with ON+UV/IR) and it went overboard correcting cyan corners that weren't there, and so I got too much red in the corners.

nearly 27 years together, nearly 26 married. I was around your age (actually 30) when I met Frances.

You're only 57 Roger? From pictures I thought you were much older. Maybe the long white beard. BTW my wife's maiden name was unpronouncable and unspellable so she was delighted to take mine 😀

 

[Tuolumne]

I use the 75mm Summarit on my R-D1 for theater and concert photography where it is a just about perfect 105mm effective fl. I love it. It takes great pix, and the lighter weight is a real blessing after a 2 hour performance. The f2.5 speed is no hindrance either. I used to shoot a 90mm f2 Hexanon and it was very difficult to focus accurately on the R-D1 fully open. Not so the Summarit. Needless to say the small f2.5 vs f2.0 difference matters naught.

/T