Why I love my Summicron 50

I have a modern version 50 Summicron (tabbed), but the one thing the only thing that disappoints me about it is the bokeh of bright, focused points of light; diffused light is ok. Other than that, it is very very nice, specially for (would you believe it) grainy film.
 
flamingo said:
Richard is yours a modern or vintage 50 'cron ? Man that is sharp.
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It's a modern. It recently had a CLA at Focal Point. The fungus was cleaned out, and I had the front element recoated. Perfect job. It works better than ever.

You should be getting back a great lens.
 
As The Egghead used to say on Batman... "Egg-sa-lent", Richard.
I am wringing my hands with glee.....
John Van Stelten also has a 50 Summarit of mine that he is doing a CLA on and is re-coating the front element in the original magenta blue magnesium fluoride. That one should be better than the day it left the Wetzlar factory 50 years ago... I also just got the proper matching XOONS hood for it in mint never used condition ....
 
I never used a 50 mm cron. I see photos of the collapsable cron of one friend. Good quality. In Leica, I have the latest Elmar. I think that have a similar rendition of the current cron, but the fame normally go from the cron.

Your first pic have a very rich tonals, congrats.

With the time, I learn to appreciated the out renditions areas of the lens. Normally always want sharp, amazing sharp, but, there are some properties in the lens that give to the photography her essence.
 
geoset said:
I gather that Roger Hicks finds all those 50mm photographs of HCB "boring". Perhaps you should revisit this focal length Roger
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I can certainly understand how a particular focal length such as 50mm might not suit a particular photographer, and with which he produces unsatisfactory/boring photos. While at the same time another photographer might favor that focal length and put out glorious works of art. I think it's what your mental vision is attuned to... Some people find 24mm or 28mm a strain to use, others don't lilke their own results with the 50...
 
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I don't get why 50 is a "boring" length. I usually have my 35 asph mounted when photographing in the street but love to put on my 2/50 sometimes as the contrast, sharpeness....everything is great on this lens.
This lens is also fast enough as I can easily push my tri-x to 1600 and the M allows me to get sharp pics at 1/15 without being prepared and 1 sec. with my manfrotto tablepot mounted and
like this the cam pressed against my chest (Salgado does it)
 
Great shots, Richard. Especially like the landscape for its tone and feel. XP2 appears to scan quite well for you.

Hey Dave, I use my beater DR on my R2A all the time and just love its results. Here's one of my son ... the scan is not so good but maybe some of the lens' character shows up.
 
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Beniliam said:
I never used a 50 mm cron. I see photos of the collapsable cron of one friend. Good quality. In Leica, I have the latest Elmar. I think that have a similar rendition of the current cron, but the fame normally go from the cron.

Your first pic have a very rich tonals, congrats.

With the time, I learn to appreciated the out renditions areas of the lens. Normally always want sharp, amazing sharp, but, there are some properties in the lens that give to the photography her essence.
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David the look of the Elmar-M is quite different from the Summicron. The difference is perhaps more noticeable with color film as the Summicron has a fairly cool color rendition and in addition to its biting sharpness and resolution you get an almost clinical look from it. At least that's what my eyes tell me... ;)

The Elmar-M is a little warmer in color rendition, and while a very sharp lens, gives a slightly softer look. My personal preference after owning two of the current Summicrons is for the Elmar-M. It is a derivative of the Zeiss Tessar design, and I also have a 1949 Elmar 5cm that when stopped down gives results that are almost indistinguishable from the current lens.

I hope you're enjoying yours! :)

 
Peter_N,

"Cool" Summicron in color----Is there an appropriate filter to warm up a 'cron? Just curious.
Johne
 
I only shoot B&W Johne but I believe there are such filters (see the link below). Also different films will have varying color renditions so if you are aiming for a special effect it would also be productive to look at film characteristics.

When to use which Warm Up filter

 
A skylight 1b filter will add slight warming. The 81a filter takes it a step beyond that. I keep an 81a filter in a Meade 1000mm lens for photographing birds in wetlands. It cuts through the haze and warms things up.
 
There is no such thing as a boring focal length.

I love my 50mm cron too. (3rd version) So much so that I can't remove it to use my collapsible 50 cron to compare. But I will eventually.
 
I don't remove the 3rd version 'cron from the M3 to use the 2nd version cron. I bought the M2 to use with it...
 
Brian Sweeney said:
I don't remove the 3rd version 'cron from the M3 to use the 2nd version cron. I bought the M2 to use with it...
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My setup is the 3rd ver. cron on my M6, the collapsible cron on the M3, a J12 35mm on the M2, and a C/V 25mm on the CL.

Trouble is, I'm only ever taking the M6 and CL (with their lenses) out with me in a camera bag, along with a 90mm Elmar and a 40mm Rokkor.

The M2, M3, and Contax IIa are becoming shelf queens.
 
Peter, I never use color films like you. I really like the performance of the Elmar, but I think that is quite different the photos in B/W or color. Probably like you said the Cron have more contrast than the Elmar.

:)
 
The 35 mainly lives on my camera, with the 50 cron used when the 90's too long. If I had a 75 (too close to the 90) I'd probably not use it that much at all and just switch between the 35 and 75. I really like the character of the results of the 50 though.
 
backalley photo said:
The M2, M3, and Contax IIa are becoming shelf queens.

garage sale coming up!!
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So many sales!!!! Joe: let me know nevertheless. I'm still trying to decide between Matt's M2 and a Fuji 67 out there (money should be coming later next month)
 
richard_l said:
The day was overcast.

In fact, a very attractive buxom lass escorted our small group around the winery, and afterward must have poured me at least $30 worth of wine at the tasting, all for the outrageous sum of $5 for the tour and tasting and souvenir wine glass. They sometimes do things right, here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge in NC. :D

A shot of the grounds around the winery. I meant to use color film but picked up the wrong camera on the way out. All Leica Ms look pretty similar.
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Especially after $30.00 worth of wine. :D :D
Kurt M.
 
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