Summitar questions

[Bill58]

Did Leica make an uncoated summitar in LTM? If so, how does it compare to the uncoated Summar?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The pre-war Summitars were uncoated. The Summitar was brought out when color film became popular, and vignetting with the Summar became more of an issue.

 

[Bill58]

Brian:

Thanks as always. So-- the Summitar can be considered an "improved" Summar? A similar signature w/o vignetting?

Bill

 

[AnthonyM]

Last week, I bought a very nice coated Summitar. I have not used it as yet since DAG is working on my IIIF. I also just purchased a super clean Summar from Sherry Krauter. She just finished cleaning it and had it for sale. That one also awaits the return of my IIIF from DAG.

I have been told that the Summar, wide open, is a beautiful portrait lens, especially in color. It resembles the soft focus style lenses used in Hollywood. This is why I bought it.


I am anxious to do a comparison test side by side of both the Summitar and Summar lenses. I want to see for myself, which has the more pronounced Leica glow. When done, I will post the results. I plan on using these lenses for a series of photographs I have been asked to do of the California Missions. I was going to use my 4x5, but since they want black and white, I think the Leica will do a great job making images of these old Spanish Missions. I want the images to look like they were taken a hundred years ago. The Summitar and Summar, hopefully, will play a big role in taking these images.

 

[payasam]

The Summitar is a considerable improvement on the Summar for general use. Some say that it is two lenses in one: soft wide open, almost up to Summicron standards when stopped down. Post-war examples are coated, although earlier ones could have been sent back for coating.

 

[burninfilm]

Don't think of the Summitar as an improved Summar... think of the Summicron as an improved Summitar.

 

[tripod]

Don't think of the Summitar as an improved Summar... think of the Summicron as an improved Summitar.

Summar -> Summitar -> Summicron: the evolution of the Leitz 50mm f2 lens

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Summar is a classic six element in four group, 1-2-2-1, Planar design.

The Summarit is a 7 element in 5 group- I think will look it up.

 

[LeicaTom]

Summitar`s originally built before serial number #599xxx are UNCOATED (PRE1946) production - results look like this

.....with Fuji color 100ASA @ 500/sec f2.0 *wide open* using a uncoated "wartime" 1940 Summitar on a 1945 Leica IIIC "Kugellager" camera

Enjoy!


Tom

 

[aad]

Tom, they only look like that around YOUR photo shoots.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Don't think of the Summitar as an improved Summar... think of the Summicron as an improved Summitar.

Didn't the latest release of the Summicron go back to the 1-2-2-1 Six Element in Four group formula of the Summar...

http://www.leicagallery.com/summicron50m.htm

So: The Latest Summicron is just a Coated Summar.

 

[payasam]

So did Leica AG buy up all the Summars it could, coat them, and put them in rigid mounts?

 

[John Shriver]

Summitar still has light falloff, but much less severe than the Summar wide open. Contrast is low at the wider f-stops. The wide open Bokeh is still somewhat swirly, but not as violently as a Summar.

Some wartime Summitars were coated, post-war was when coating became commonplace.

 

[tripod]

Does the Summar and Summitar also have swirly bokeh? I thought it was just the Summarit.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Summitar does have "swirly Bokeh", but not as pronounced as the Summarit or the German "Luxon". I mounted one of those in LTM for Raid- more swirlies than any other lens we've seen.