Your favourite 50/2 Summicron?

[peter_n]

Where is this?

Looks like good old Boston to me.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

The question should be "What is your favorite 50mm Planar?" All the 50mm Summicrons, and the Hexanon are Planar derivatives.

::buzz:: Oooh, that's wrong, Bob. The answer is, "What are Double Gauss derivatives?" Thanks for playing.

 

[wlewisiii]

I do dearly love my collapsible on my CL. Fits into a coat pocket real nicely & that's important when on the road learning to drive big trucks.

William

 

[edodo]

The summicron is better than any other lens because it was existing before the hexanon, that goes way back to the early fifties!

 

[peter_n]

And of course Konica has only been in existence since 1873.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

And of course Konica has only been in existence since 1873.

OK, we have a winner: Older is automatically better.

When's school over?

 

[kevin m]

For me, I think the "winner" should be determined by a formula of :

image quality
------------------
price

By my score-keeping, I think the Hexanon 50 clearly tops the Summicron 50, as it delivers very, very similar performance for about half the money.

The attached image is nothing but a snapshot, but it's what I have handy.

 

[vrgard]

I do dearly love my collapsible on my CL. Fits into a coat pocket real nicely & that's important when on the road learning to drive big trucks.

William

Interesting, William. Do you like the collapsible 50 better than the 40 it originally came with? And if so, why? Reason I ask is because, based on your comment about pocketability, the 40 meets that objective quite nicely. So what else is there about the collapsible 50 that you prefer (assuming that you do prefer it over the 40)? Or is it just because the topic of this thread is favorite 50s?

Thanks,
Randy

 

[SDK]

From what I've read, the original Double Gauss 1812 design was for a telescope, with a very large space between the front and rear sets of elements, so the Planar in 1896 was the first adaptation of the 6 element 4 group lens for photography.

My pic is Boston, on Tremont St & Waltham St, near the Boston Center For The Arts.

 

[edodo]

very nice pic! Sure the hexanon is a beautiful lens, but still for me the summicron is legendary

 

[Photar]

Just brought the DR where it belongs ... to the top.

(OK, I am indifferent between the DR and the 11825. But since the latter is not in the list, the DR gets my vote).

 

[kevin m]

...but still for me the summicron is legendary

What does "legendary" mean as regards lens performance?

 

[Photar]

What does "legendary" mean as regards lens performance?

What do you thing the lens became famous for? It's smell did not make it a legend.

 

[kevin m]

What do you thing the lens became famous for?

Hey, that was my question!

 

[wlewisiii]

Interesting, William. Do you like the collapsible 50 better than the 40 it originally came with? And if so, why? Reason I ask is because, based on your comment about pocketability, the 40 meets that objective quite nicely. So what else is there about the collapsible 50 that you prefer (assuming that you do prefer it over the 40)? Or is it just because the topic of this thread is favorite 50s?

Thanks,
Randy

The 40 is a very nice lens, but I just don't like it as a focal length - either too wide or not wide enough. My carry bag has my Canon 28/3.5, pre-war Elmar 90/4 & Canon 135/3.5 (w/ ext finder) but it's almost always the 50/2 that is mounted. The only thing I can think of that would get me to take it off is if I had the $$$ for the new Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5.

William

 

[wlewisiii]

William,

I ask because I don't know the answer, but does the 50/2 collapsible collapse into the CL? I have been told it cannot without harming the meter arm?

thanks

I've already answered Tom by PM, but for everyone else here's what I had to say:

Yes, I use my 50/2 on my CL. There isn't much room left when it's collapsed but it's enough... I asked DAG about it when I had him doing the CLA it needed when I bought it and he said to go ahead. Apparently it will hang up on a M5 meter arm, but it does work just fine on my CL. Cameras vary so you may wish to carefully test yours before just tossing it in your pocket, but I have no worries about mine anymore.

William

 

[peter_n]

Looks like the DR, the rigid and (to a slightly lesser extent) the current model are the faves.

There's a link below to an auction for a nice DR ending tomorrow morning. Looks kind of interesting. The seller is from my hometown; he's the guy who wrote the M8 article that appeared on the BBC site earlier this week:

Mint- Leitz 50mm Dual Range Summicron for Leica M boxed

 

[peter_n]

It went for US$615.

 

[visiondr]

My favorite 50 cron is the tabbed chrome chron. It is a beaut and the optical formula and coatings are modern.

Here's a photo of a perfect example:

Ron

 

[visiondr]

P.S. if anyone knows where I can find one of these, let me know.

Ron