What Summicron is this?

[iml]

OK, the endless varieties of 50/2.0 Summicron are too confusing. What version have I got here? Serial is in the 234xxxx range. Condition seems good, focus and aperture rings turn smoothly, the glass seems in good condition. It was a bargain price, so it may turn out to be faulty in some way, unless I got very lucky. That remains to be seen.

Ian

 

[saxshooter]

That's a good one. If the current version has the built in hood, and previous to that version (which I have, made in Germany) has no built in hood but a focus tab, and the one before mine is made in Canada... what is in your photo is made in Wetzlar so I believe it came out late 60's early 70's? I don't have a chart in front of me. Anyhow, I think the 4 that I mention here all share the same optics, so you're good to go! Congrats.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

No, that's not the tabbed Summicron; that's the one right before the tabbed Summicron (the one "after" the "rigid" Summicron). Aka "Version III"

The tabbed Summicron doesn't have a rigged focusing ring.

 

[iml]

Thanks for the info, both of you. Version III, of course 🙂

I can't get it to focus on my R-D1s, it feels like it's meeting some resistance. Operationally it seems fine on the M6, but I won't know if it actually works or not until I get a chance to develop a roll using it.

I picked it up at a camera fair in London today. It was right at the end of the day and I made an absurdly low offer, which was immediately accepted. The only explanation I can think of is that it's a lemon, but it certainly looks fine. Odd about the R-D1s though.

Ian

 

[Marc-A.]

No, that's not the tabbed Summicron; that's the one right before the tabbed Summicron (the one "after" the "rigid" Summicron). Aka "Version III"

Gabriel's right. Plus the S/N helps to identify your lens:
50 DR Summicron F2 w/Finder >> 1,303,000 - 2,260,000
50 Summicron F2 Type 2 or "Rigid" >> 1,303,000 - 2,260,000
50 Summicron F2 Type 3 >> 2,268,000 - 2,995,000
50 Summicron F2 Type 4 >> 2,967,000- ?

 

[iml]

Interesting. According to the serial numbers in that link, mine's a type 2 rigid, not a type 3. Now I'm even more confused.

Ian

 

[iml]

Ah, now all becomes clear. Thanks for the explanation.

Ian

 

[Meleica]

My 50mm summicron page

http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/summicron.htm


Dan

 

[Meleica]

Brian

In part, I think the latest version is more symmetrical in nature to improve on its close up perfomance.

 

[iml]

Thanks Dan, useful page.

Ian

 

[iml]

Well, I've now developed the roll I put through the M6 and another through a Bessa R2, and have established that this particular Summicron is the bokeh king, inasmuch as nothing in the frame is even slightly in focus, regardless of focus distance or aperture. So, as I thought, it's turned out to be too good to be true and needs some repair work. Hopefully nothing major.

Bugger.

Ian

 

[iml]

Thanks Brian. I've already experimented with reseating the front optic (as you say, it unscrews) with no effect.

It passes the white paper test, it can focus OK, so I suspect a shim will do it. At the moment it makes a very good loupe 🙂

Apart from CRR Luton (according to his website he isn't taking any new work until July), does anyone know a good place in the UK for this kind of work?

Ian

 

[Xmas]

Send to CRR, be patient... he turns round quick jobs real quick, ignore his July's.

Noel

 

[iml]

It's on its way to Malcolm Taylor, who seems highly regarded and was a pleasure to speak to on the phone.

http://nemeng.com/leica/srcs/whoswho.php?id=mal3TAY

Ian

 

[lubitel]

I wonder what the bargain price was?

 

[iml]

£175. I think even with the adjustment it'll still work out a reasonably cheap way of getting a Summicron, which is why I'm not very annoyed about it.

Ian

 

[iml]

Malcolm's had a look at it. Turns out it's missing a retaining ring, which should be a simple job to replace. The optics had been removed and reassembled wrongly, otherwise it's fine. Hooray. Looks like it may still end up being a good price.

Ian

 

[Ronald M]

Reguardless of serial, it a type 3, 1969. Rigid crons first had a narrow deeply scalloped focus ring which was leter changed to was wider less deep scallop.

This sample has neither. Later 1979 version 4 went to the tab focus and has a 50 visable from the end of focusing scale.

When this one arrived, lots of pro bought them and them tried to get the old rigids and DR models back.

There are some inconsistencies in all the serial # records as assignments and prodduction occurred at different times.

I find the lens nice and not over the top like the latest ones, although those can be nice to.

 

[sirius]

This one?

This one?

How about this one?

It's listed as a 50mm f/2 ’57 collapsible Sumicron w/metric scale. I confirmed the date by the serial number here: http://www.leicagallery.com/lensdates.htm but according to this site: http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/summicron.htm the 1957 summicrons were rigid. Would this lens have the same characteristics of the 1953-56 collapsible or would it be more like the Rigid Summicron-M: 1957-68?

Thanks for your help!

 

[sirius]

Oh, here (http://www.leicagallery.com/summicron50m.htm) it says that the collapsible were produced until 1957. So, I guess that I answered my own question.

Does anyone know if this is a good lens compared to the others? thanks.