Leica LTM Summitar the star...

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
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Engine shed by Redt16s, on Flickr[/IMG]
 
Loving this thread, especially Mr. Flibble.
I'm considering a Summitar (on a IIIa) but I don't know if I'm going to get any important improvements compared to my Elmar & Jupiter-8.
Maybe just a IIIa body...
 
davidnewtonguitars said:
Loving this thread, especially Mr. Flibble.
I'm considering a Summitar (on a IIIa) but I don't know if I'm going to get any important improvements compared to my Elmar & Jupiter-8.
Maybe just a IIIa body...
Click to expand...

I have all three of those lenses. The rendering of the Jupiter is quite different (Sonnar vs. double-Gauss). The Elmar and the Summitar are definitely cousins, with the sharpness edge going to the Elmar (if that matters to you). I use both of the Leitz lenses regularly and find they both have their charms. The Elmar's compactness is a great feature (especially on a Barnack), but the extra speed of the Summitar gives useful flexibility, and I absolutely love the Summitar's rendering at f/4.
 
02Pilot said:
I have all three of those lenses. The rendering of the Jupiter is quite different (Sonnar vs. double-Gauss). The Elmar and the Summitar are definitely cousins, with the sharpness edge going to the Elmar (if that matters to you). I use both of the Leitz lenses regularly and find they both have their charms. The Elmar's compactness is a great feature (especially on a Barnack), but the extra speed of the Summitar gives useful flexibility, and I absolutely love the Summitar's rendering at f/4.
Click to expand...

I have (had) all three as well, although I never had a Jupiter-8 in LTM. And I agree with your observations about them.

The Summitar is a neutral lens, an improvement over the corner sharpness and vignetting of it's predecessor, the warm-to-neutral Summar. The Elmar certainly has better edge sharpness. But like you say; different horses for different courses.
Not sure about the resolving power of the the J-8, but its faster cousine the J-3, I'm told, is rather low. Still, I've never seen that as a problem with these lenses. The J-8 certainly has a good name in that respect, and the J-3 does too.


davidnewtonguitars, I'm still ploughing through some 300+ re-enactment photos from earlier this month that I shot with my IIIc and a pre-war Summitar. Will be sharing a few of those shortly.

Excellent photo, rodt16s.
 
Ah Summitar, I love the 'ugly' background you make. Just wish that f2 would have a bit less glow.

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Sharp as a razor at f8

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A little spot near my work place. Really like the dreamy quality of the Summitar on my Bessa R2. Sure, not a lens for every ocassion but just right for this kind of shot I think.

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Summitar 5cm f8/125 sec Plus-X at 100
 
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