Distortion with Summicron-M 1:2/50mm

[milsu]

Could somebody point me at some examples of distortion which Summicron 50mm makes? I saw the graph on page
http://www.leica-camera.com/imperia/...jektive/18.pdf
but am not able to imagine what is it like in the photo.

[user8952]

you don‘t need low-resulution web-pics. the summicron 50 is the best 2/50 mm lens money can buy...


(you wouldn't ask the Stones to audition for your birthday-party, would you?)

[adan]

Milos: That graph shows the Summicron 50 has NO distortion - the red graph line is almost perfectly flat. If it curved up or down, that would show some visible distortion.

Take a look at the pdfs for some other Leica lenses (say, the 21 ASPH-M or the 15mm Elmarit-R or one of the zooms for the R) as a comparison to see the difference.

In a distortion graph for, say, a fisheye lens, the red line would curve steeply downwards like a waterfall (more and more distortion or curving of the picture as the eye moves from the center to the corners/edges).

[milsu]

Thank you both for your instructions, they were helpful. I was just curious because all other lenses have distortion at the edge of the frame, but on Summicron 50mm it looks like it is positioned somewhere between the centre and the edge of the frame. So, no visible distortion, then.

Thanks again!
Milos

[user8952]

MTF curves are useless (sometimes even harmful) for most people...

[tobey bilek]

50 sumi or the new 50 2.8 are distortion free. This means that straight lines are supposed to be parallel to frame edges are parallel to the edges of the frame and not curved. The more distortion, the more they curve.

For close work, enlarging lenses are distortion free.

[wilyum]

Milos, the Summicron is the Queen of 50mm lenses. If you find a better lens, buy it! My Summicron may not be perfect, but it is a hell of a lot better than my eyesight!!
Best wishes, Bill

[leicapfile]

If and when the wolf ever shows up at the door, my 50 DR is the last lens he'll get!

Jerry