hendriphile
Well-known
Man watching his own movie in a movie theater. Tri-X 1/15 f/2
Summicron Dual Range Love?
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Man watching his own movie in a movie theater. Tri-X 1/15 f/2
goamules
Well-known
I'm shooting a Summicron 50 DR now. Here it is on Velvia 50.
sleepyhead
Well-known
I use the DR Summicron occasionally on my Leica M3, the pair are made for each other. I love the results, but I find the combination quite heavy in the hand.
I wish that the DR worked on the M9 (in the normal distance range). On that body I use a Mandler-designed v4 50/2 with the "bear claw" focusing tab. I like the weight of that much better, but the slightly lower contrast of the DR Summicron would be my preference.
However, I refuse to get my DR modified (a) because I use the close-focusing eyes occasionally, and (b) I think it's a shame to irreversibly alter such a fine lens.
I wish that the DR worked on the M9 (in the normal distance range). On that body I use a Mandler-designed v4 50/2 with the "bear claw" focusing tab. I like the weight of that much better, but the slightly lower contrast of the DR Summicron would be my preference.
However, I refuse to get my DR modified (a) because I use the close-focusing eyes occasionally, and (b) I think it's a shame to irreversibly alter such a fine lens.
sc_rufctr
Leica nuts
I love mine although I haven't been using it much lately.
Fuji 400 film from memory.
Fuji 400 film from memory.
Shac
Well-known
I like mine on M film bodies but never saw any difference btwn images from DR and the same-vintage non-DR. Kept the DR - liked the engineering🙄
Shot with DR
Shot with DR
Samouraï
Well-known
The Summicron DR is the best made and handling lens I have ever used. I recently had a chance to use the Apo-Summicron 50mm M for an extended period, and I was extremely unimpressed with the focus action and aperture dial functionality. The DR is a far superior handling lens.
raid
Dad Photographer
The Rigid Summicron has identical optics, but it can be used with the M8 and the M9. The DR cannot. The Rigid Summicron rules.
rbelyell
Well-known
ive been considering a DR to use on my rd1. why will it not work on the m8/9 and does that mean it won't work on the rd1?
benmacphoto
Well-known
The DR Summicron has a close focus cam that sticks out and will damage the M8/9/240 internals.
Will not work on the RD1 for this reason.
You can have the lens modified, however it will no longer function as a close focus capable lens on M cameras.
I have a modified lens, works great on M8/9, don't have an M240 though.
I've used the lens on Sony mirrorless cameras and it works really well, even can use the close focus capability.
raid
Dad Photographer
The Rigid Summicron has become more useful (in general) than the DR because it can be directly used on Leica M8/M9/240/. The DR has become a classic, and it is still great for film cameras.
x-ray
Veteran
For those that have a V2 summicron and Nikkor 5cm LTM, f stop for f stop how do they compare? I've owned both DR and rigid but it's been years and film has changed since the 70's. I currently have a Nikkor f2 5cm LTM but have no direct comparison. I has a Nikon S3 millinium with the new 1.4 and felt it was the equal or very close equal of the 50 Summilux asph.
My current experience with the vintage Nikkor has proven to be very positive. It's a very fine performer even at f2. From looking at my old negs from the 60's and 70's I'd say the Summicron and Nikkor are about the same in performance.
Any thoughts from owners of both?
My current experience with the vintage Nikkor has proven to be very positive. It's a very fine performer even at f2. From looking at my old negs from the 60's and 70's I'd say the Summicron and Nikkor are about the same in performance.
Any thoughts from owners of both?
raid
Dad Photographer
This is one of the very first images that I have posted at RFF. It was from a massive lens comparison of 50mm lenses in which RFF members chose the image by the Nikkor 5c./2 to be "the best". I still like this lens a lot.
A few years later, I compared even more 50mm lenses here. Roland posted on his smugmug site the results. It included the Rigid Summicron then. I also have the Millenium Nikkor 50/1.4. It is a very good lens.
A few years later, I compared even more 50mm lenses here. Roland posted on his smugmug site the results. It included the Rigid Summicron then. I also have the Millenium Nikkor 50/1.4. It is a very good lens.
rbelyell
Well-known
thank you, much appreciated, though a bummer. saves me some money though. ):
x-ray
Veteran
Thanks Raid! It's hard not to like that image. Very nice!
Perhaps we should only post images with ugly old men so we can be more objective;-)
Perhaps we should only post images with ugly old men so we can be more objective;-)
kiemchacsu
Well-known
no need to repeat that Rigid is a super lens, in both optical and build qualities
Old man reading newspaper by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr
Old man reading newspaper by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr
raid
Dad Photographer
All competing images were of the same subject. Dana was patient and she endured my photography with many 50mm lenses then.
Huss
Veteran
I really like my 50 DR, it is the best engineered lens that I own. But best handling? When the correct Leica lens hood is on, it is fiddly to change the aperture setting as the ring is very close to the raised lip of the lens hood.
W/o the hood, no issues.
ferider
Veteran
At the same f-stop, my rigid Summicron and the 50/1.4 Nikkor are very similar on film, X-ray, in all respects: contrast, vignetting, resolution and (very little) distortion. On my 240, the Summicron at f2 and f2.8 has slightly more resolution in the field. When compared to the 5005 (Tokyo) Nikkor, the Summicron has busier OOF. On the other hand, on digital, the Nikkor shifts backwards when closing down. The rigid Summicron is my only 50mm lens with no noticeable focus shift.
I recommend this hood instead:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800620-REG/Heliopan_73019H_39_mm_Metal_Lens.html
No vignetting, even with filter.
Roland.
x-ray
Veteran
Thanks for your comments. I'm phasing out my more modern Leica glass and sold my M9 and returning to all B&W film for my personal work. I owned several versions of the Summicron but haven't owned one since selling my V4 several years ago. I've not owned a V2 since the early 70's. I'm very happy with the Nikkor but had that restless feeling whether I wanted to go back to the Summicron.
I'm thinking I'll keep the Nikkor. It's a beautifully smooth lens in tonality and transitions of detail. The oof is very nice as well. It reminds me a lot of my 10.5cm Nikkor LTM. Looking at negs I did in the 60's and early 70's I can't really tell them apart from my V2 Summicron. The final test now is to wet print some which I'll do in a few days.
Do you have any thoughts on how they compare in heavy backlight. One thing the Summicrons have not handled well over the years has been backlight IMO. My V4 wasn't nearly as good as the millenium Nikkor 1.4 that I had. I did a side by side test once and was stunned at how much better the Nikkor was.
I have a 50 planar and IMO the planar winns hands down over everything I've owned for controlled flare but that soft flaring light can be part of the beauty of an image.
12:30pm
ferider
Veteran
Hi X-ray,
the rigid/DR Summicron is quite sensitive to background flare; add to that, it is near impossible to find a haze-free copy nowadays, and some of that haze can often not be removed. When Mandler designed the rigid/DR, it was a stretch for the coating technology in the 50s: 7 elements with 12 (!) glass/air surfaces due to the 2 "air-lenses" ("Luft-Linsen") in the front of the lens.
The original Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 was designed for compactness and flare resistivity, with as few air/glass surfaces (6) as possible for a 7-element design. That's why they worked well even when un-coated early on. And you can find a perfectly clean Nikkor easily, even today (my 5005 is from 1951). So, in my experience, the Sonnar-based Nikkors handle flare much better than the rigid/DR.
Now, the "Olympic" and later "Millenium" Nikkors have a different, double-Gauss based design. I have never used one and cann't comment on performance.
If you like Sonnar designs, and want flare free, also have a look at the ZM C-Sonnar, that is pretty much bullet proof when it comes to backlight.
Thanks,
Roland.
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