The Great 50's

[ferider]

I am trying to keep this thread "clean".
Actually, I also use non-Leitz 50mm lenses extensively.

He's right though, Raid. Your thread is called "The great 50s" in "Rangefinder general discussion";
missing the Nikkor 50/1.4 is definitely a gap in your 50 line-up, including the non-Leitz lenses 🙂

And the Canon 50/1.5 too 😀

Best,

Roland (GAS enabler).

PS: for the price of a 50 Summilux asph, you could probably get a mint Nikkor RF set,
including the modern version of the 50/1.4.

 

[raid]

Hello Roland,

I should have written the title "Great Leitz 50's"!

I love my Canon 50/1.2 so much that I had it as my main lens [along a 25mm]when I traveled to Germany. The Nikon 50/2 is no low achiever either or the Zeiss 50/2 or ... the list goes on and on. Still, I hold Leitz 50mm as very special lenses.

I gets confusing when opening the door for Canon and Nikon lenses, plus the newer lenses like the CV or Hexar or ...

Raid

 

[raid]

50mm:
Elmar f3.5
Summar
Summitar
col. Summicron
Summarit
Elmar f2.8
first black Summicron

CVf2.5

Need more time and experience with all of these

Frank,

We have a very similar collection of 50's. You have the Elmar 50/2.8 that I don'thave,and your "first" Summicron is black;mine is chrome. I like chrome better.


Raid

 

[raid]

Hello Raid,
To complete your early set of Leica screw lenses you need a 50mm f2.5 Hektor,but only about 10,300 were made between 1931 - 1937.It was the first Leitz fast lens for the Leica, but it's performance was below par when compared to the Zeiss standard 50mm Sonnar (Contax) of the same period.Whether having the Hektor coated would improve it's performance,I do not know,but would be interested to hear if anyone has had a 50mm Hektor coated and has noticed an improvement in it's performance.

Hello L39UK,

Maybe a confused collector will mail me the Hektor one day!
[I can dream, can't I].
I bet that coating will do miracles with the very old lenses. A collector may hesitate messing with a collectible lens.

Raid

 

[thomasw_]

Hi Randy,

Yes, he means the pre-asph. Thanks.
What is the main optical difference between the asph and the pre-asph, other than the obvious aspherics? Is bokeh nicer with one over the other?

Raid

For one, the transitions are creamier with the pre-asph. Like Ronald, I prefer it over the asph.. I agree it would be good to see a Leica 50 FL testing series along the lines you and Ronald conducted on the 35/40 FL lenses.

 

[raid]

For one, the transitions are creamier with the pre-asph. Like Ronald, I prefer it over the asph.. I agree it would be good to see a Leica 50 FL testing series along the lines you and Ronald conducted on the 35/40 FL lenses.

Thomas,


This is what I suspected.
I have tested in the past fifteen 50mm lenses, but I was not emphasizing Leitz lenses. Having a focused test with fewer lenses would be better. I tried out my Summicron first version, the collapsible Summicron, a borrowed Noctilux 50/1.0, the Summarit and the Summitar.

Raid

 

[FrankS]

Good to hear that you have replaced your stolen Summar, Raid.

 

[raid]

Good to hear that you have replaced your stolen Summar, Raid.

Yes, Frank, I waited and waited until I found a suitable example.
I have used the lens today, and I will use it with another roll soon.

By the way, how can I remove the "Summar wanted" under my avatar?
I tried in vain to recall how to do this.

Raid

 

[raid]

Raid - my personal comments:

Coll. Summicron: a great combinaton of resolution and moderate contrast with nice bokeh....need to watch for flare, and need to make sure mount isnt worn causing play in the mount.

D/R Summi: Similiar to collap. High resolution, moderate contrast, some veiling flare can cause nice Leica "glow" with B&W...

Type 4 Summicron: high sharpness, high contrast...loved using it at F2 or 2.8...too harsh at F8 for me...

Dan,

Isn't the DR Summicron identical to the rigid Summicron other than the closer focusing capability? So you see it close to the collapsible 'Cron?

The Type 4 Summicron is also called pre-asph Summicron?

Raid

 

[Rico]

... Some people now claim that the new Elmar 50mm/2.8 "has it all." Does it really?

Two features it doesn't have are a readable DOF scale, and a 15-blade aperture. I don't mind a modern rendition at all, but short-throw focus is plain wrong. The Leitz Elmar f/2.8 is my only 50mm lens for RF, and I think it's divine. 🙂

 

[vrgard]

Two features it doesn't have are a readable DOF scale, and a 15-blade aperture. I don't mind a modern rendition at all, but short-throw focus is plain wrong. The Leitz Elmar f/2.8 is my only 50mm lens for RF, and I think it's divine. 🙂

Hey Rico, can I ask you to elaborate just a bit? I have an early Elmar 50/2.8 and really like it. So I'm curious to hear your thoughts on why you think the short-throw focus is wrong and why the 15-blade aperture is preferrable. Care to share? 🙂

Thanks,
Randy

 

[raid]

I doubt it that the Elmar 50/2.8 is somehow "better" than the Summicron 50/2. It is more compact.

 

[vrgard]

I agree, Raid, in that it's not so much "better" as it is "different" in sometimes very subtle ways. And I was just curious what Rico's thoughts were behind his statements since I'm always trying to learn more about all this stuff.

-Randy

 

[raid]

Randy: I have been fortunate enough to have had the chance to test quite a few 50mm lenses, but I have not tried out the Elmar 50/2.8. Maybe it is time that I do this.

Raid

 

[35mmdelux]

Magus swears by the 50 Lux ASPH & the 35 Cron ASPH.

Best,

Ray

Without a doubt this must be true. That is, if one wants or can afford to spend large.

For me, I'm stoked with my 35 pre-asph summilux, 35 Elmar-M, and 35 Summicron IV. If I can't take great fotos with this gear, then I'm in the wrong avocation.

 

[350D_user]

He's right though, Raid. Your thread is called "The great 50s" in "Rangefinder general discussion";
missing the Nikkor 50/1.4 is definitely a gap in your 50 line-up, including the non-Leitz lenses 🙂

And the Canon 50/1.5 too 😀

... and the Industar-22's. 😉

 

[FrankS]

Is there such a thing as a "bad" 50? I don't think so. If it's not sharp, it simply has character.

 

[vrgard]

Is there such a thing as a "bad" 50? I don't think so. If it's not sharp, it simply has character.

I like that, Frank. Makes me think I should get a t-shirt that says, "He's not sharp, he simply has character!" 😀

-Randy

 

[richard_l]

Is there such a thing as a "bad" 50? I don't think so. If it's not sharp, it simply has character.

If it has crappy contrast, it has the 'vintage' look, and if blurry, it has a 'dreamy' look. 😀

Richard

 

[ferider]

I like that, Frank. Makes me think I should get a t-shirt that says, "He's not sharp, he simply has character!" 😀

-Randy

🙂 And out of focus sometimes ....

A badly collimated J-3 can be real cr*p though. Totally out of character ...