summarit lenses - mystery

[Tom A]

I tried the Summarit 75f2,5 and liked it. If it wasen't for the fact that I already have the CV,the Summicron and the Summilux 75 - I would have gotten one. Good image quality and very comfortable to hold.
It is priced too high here in N.A. compared to the CV lenses and also in the 35/50 offerings from Zeiss.
The 35f2.5 is interesting, but I have enough 35's (at the moment) and the small Color Skopar 35f2,5 is a sweet lens (at 1/4 of the Summarit 35f2.5 cost). I also have the new 35f2.8 C Biogon and it is a very good lens. Zeiss obviously went for sharpness and slightly elevated contrast (compared to the rest of the ZM line-up). AND it is $400 less than the Summarit 35f2.5.

 

[photogdave]

I tried the Summarit 75f2,5 and liked it. If it wasen't for the fact that I already have the CV,the Summicron and the Summilux 75 - I would have gotten one. Good image quality and very comfortable to hold.
It is priced too high here in N.A. compared to the CV lenses and also in the 35/50 offerings from Zeiss.
The 35f2.5 is interesting, but I have enough 35's (at the moment) and the small Color Skopar 35f2,5 is a sweet lens (at 1/4 of the Summarit 35f2.5 cost). I also have the new 35f2.8 C Biogon and it is a very good lens. Zeiss obviously went for sharpness and slightly elevated contrast (compared to the rest of the ZM line-up). AND it is $400 less than the Summarit 35f2.5.

With all this in mind I think the Summarits become the better deal for the M8 user, the Zeiss lenses the better deal for the film user. (CV lenses being the best deal for everyone!)
If the Zeiss is $400 less than the Summarit, if we apply a $200 value to the coding, then we have a $200 difference.
Just theorizing here!

 

[swoop]

I looked at it as the Summarits being cheap Leica lenses to pair with the M8. Strictly for the "ooh, look, I have a digital Leica." crowd.

 

[john341]

No idea. I have one and it produces beautiful pictures with good colour correction. I love it.

 

[palec]

I don't see anything wrong about Summarit line. Leica replaced slower Elmar 50/2.8 and Elmarit 90/2.8 with faster and lower priced line of 4 compact lenses. No mystery for me.

 

[drewbarb]

I'm seriously considering a 90mm Summarit to replace my very banged up Elmarit-M. The results from it look very good, and at lower weight, slightly smaller size, and a hair faster, it seems like a no-brainer. With the other offerings out there, I'm not surprised there seems to be so little buzz around these lenses- but that doesn't mean they aren't a good idea.

 

[Turtle]

I looked at it as the Summarits being cheap Leica lenses to pair with the M8. Strictly for the "ooh, look, I have a digital Leica." crowd.

I think Leica probably realised that Zeiss and CV were selling lots of lenses to M users, including M8 owners and figured that not everyone wants to pay $2500+ for a lens thats going to be used at f4 to f11 most of the time. At these apertures, like it or not, come much cheaper lenses do give the leica offerings a good run for their money. I dont think they are cheapo lenses at all - how can a $1400 35 f2.5 lens be cheap? I think they sacrificed 2/3 of a stop for half the price. Very sensible move if you ask me. It deprives some of the snob value associated with ownership, but this has no impact on the information recorded on film/sensor, thankfully. Lets remember Leica used to offer slower compact lenses and moved away from that, neglecting those who wanted compact lenses. They have, if anything, returned to their roots. Another $3-500 off the Summarits would help tho. The ZMs are bettered by nothing in their speed range and are still an awful lot cheaper.

 

[abenner]

Well, Jimmy Koh in NY (google kohs camera) has a mint 35 Summarit for sale for $895. There you go. Somebody buy it and give us a proper review with pics. Jimmy is great to deal with, just call him up and it'll be in your hands in a few days.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Why does 'no-one' buy them?

Zero snob appeal in the willy-waving crowd. Actually they are selling quite well: Leica is not unhappy (I saw Stefan Daniel at Arles and I met Dr. Kaufmann for the first time).

The people who do buy them, buy them to use, not to boast about. Frances has just bought the 50mm: she's not a 35mm user (and I have my old Summilux), and we already have the 75/2 and a pre-aspheric 90/2.

There's a 'first look' -- half way to a review -- at http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps firstlook summarit.html; our joint review is in the most recent Shutterbug; and Frances's review is in the current Black and White.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[john_s]

I have the 75/2.5 Summarit and I like it a lot.

I would find f2.5 a bit too small for a 35mm or 50mm though. For me, f2 is a good compromise at these focal lengths.

 

[petercs]

what happened with those? i never see people talk about them here. ...

Maybe some Summarit owners just use them ? I have switched from ZI + ZM lenses to M7 and Summarit 50 + Elmarit 28 ASPH recently. Reason was the missing sturdyness of the ZI, not he lenses. Added a used Summarit 75 soon. Last week added a 35 as well. Overall I am very happy. Some drawbacks, like the sun shades, ok. But make up a robust package for my use for trekking, cross country skiing and mountaineering.

On the pricing side, I have to agree that it is a hard positioning vs the ZM/CV lenses. But optically the Summarits IMO are well balanced all-rounders. I will only later add a Summilux, money permitting.

I just have started with that package BACK in April, but the results already are better than what I got from the ZI with 28/2.8 and 50/2. See www.peter-spaeth.net (post April 2008 pcis). Still struggling with scanning and profiling though.

Best Regards, Peter