summarex 85 1.5

[andreswiss]

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ich habe soeben ein Summarex 8.5cm 1.5 für meine IIIg erworben. Ich habe das Objektiv auf diese Kamera montiert, aber der Entfernungsmesser funktioniert nicht... Es ist genau gleich auf eine Leica III, und auf andere Russische LTM Kameras die ich habe. Ich schätze ich muss das Objektiv überprüfen lassen. Ich frage mich aber ob es von mir selber etwas gemacht werden könnte? Ich wäre sehr dankbar für Tips seitens der Mitglieder des Forums! Vielen Dank im voraus für Informationen.

Grüsse aus der Schweiz, André

 

I purchased a Summarex 8.5cm 1.5 for my IIIg. When mounted on the camera, the rangefinder does not work. Same with a Leica III and some Russian LTM cameras. I guess I must give the lens for repair. However, before that, I am wondering whether I could do something myself to correct it, as all the rest works fine on the lens. I would be most grateful for any advice from members of the forum. Thank you very much in advance for any info.

All the best to all, André.

[gravastar]

Diagonally opposite the lens tripod mounting foot you should be able to see a piston cam with a flat end. Check to see if this cam moves in and out as you focus the lens. The cam presses against and moves the rangefinder roller wheel in the camera. If the cam doesn't move then the lens needs servicing.

 

ETA: The lens head of the Summarex unscrews in an anti-clockwise direction from the focus mount. If you now adjust the mount for minimum close focus and look into the focus mount from the lens side you can see the other side of the piston cam. The cam is spring loaded and should protrude from it's guide rail. If it doesn't protrude it means it's stuck, probably due to dried out lubricant between the cam and the guide rail or a broken spring. Push on either or both ends of the cam to see if you can free it. If not, a small amount of fine oil between the cam and guide rail after soaking may free it. This is not an ideal solution since the old lubricant shoud be cleaned out and replaced.

 

Bob.

[andreswiss]

thank you very much Bob for your message. I checked: the cam moves...

[andreswiss]

Bob,

Thank you very much for the details. I will definitely check it out tomorrow as per your description (it is now too late here today and time to go to bed). I am very thankful and will get back with feedback. André

[andreswiss]

Bob,

I unscrewed the front lens and came upon a protruding lens front element, almost like a contemporary digital 14 mm (my Canon 14mm L II lookes like that, like a bulb). The shaft of the rangefinder cam is moving normally, as it looks, so I really don't know what the problem might be (it is not stiff nor sticking).

 

Separately from that, do you know why this front element could be unscrewed (to what use)?

 

In any case, thank you very much for your answers and time,

 

André

[gravastar]

Bob,

I unscrewed the front lens and came upon a protruding lens front element, almost like a contemporary digital 14 mm (my Canon 14mm L II lookes like that, like a bulb). The shaft of the rangefinder cam is moving normally, as it looks, so I really don't know what the problem might be (it is not stiff nor sticking).

 

Separately from that, do you know why this front element could be unscrewed (to what use)?

 

In any case, thank you very much for your answers and time,

 

André

 

André, when the lens is mounted on the camera the flat end of the shaft of the lens range finder cam should press up against the wheel of the range finder mechanism in the camera. There are two ways to check this.

 

1. Remove the lens head from the focus mount and attach the focus mount to the camera. With a torch look into the focus mount. Look to see if the end of the cam is against the range finder wheel. If you now rotate the focus mount you should be able to see the wheel move backwards and forwards as it is pushed by the cam. The movement is small and not easy to see.

 

2. If you are able to obtain some "engineer's blue" (it's a waxy blue dye used for marking metal surfaces that rub together) place a small amount on the flat end of the cam. Now mount the lens on the camera and then remove it. Look to see if any of the blue dye has transfered to the range finder wheel in the camera. If it has transfered then the cam is probably engaging the wheel.

 

The problem with your lens could be that when mounted it either does not turn far enough for the cam to engage the wheel, or, that it turns too far and the wheel drops off the cam. You should be able to see if this is the problem by looking into the focus mount as I described.

 

I don't think the lens head was ever intended to be used separate from it's focus mount. The fact you can unscrew it is just a result of the way the lens is constructed. It certainly helps if you want to clean the lens rear surface. Be careful though - I don't know how soft the lens coatings are.

 

Bob.

[andreswiss]

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Bob,Thank you very much. Will check out tomorrow with a torch through the lens to see whether there is contact between the lens' cam and the camera's. I will update you in any case and thank you for your info.

 

André

[luigi bertolotti]

My Summarex is fine, but I had the same problem with my Thambar 90, many years ago : the rangefinder cam was moving (with the lens un mounted), but the camera's RF was not when I mounted the lens: it ended up that the RF cam was connected to the moving part of the focus mount through a small shaft and there was a screw-adjusted coupling which had to be fixed: what happened, in brief, was that the RF cam "touched" the RF wheel of the camera, but it did not move while focusing : a "private" lab in Milano fixed it.

About Summarex' head dismount : Bob is right : differently from other lenses (like Elmar 90, Hektor 135, Hektor 125...), Summarex was not made as a "removable head" lens for use on Visoflex-bellows etc... : the glass unit is removable only for assembly reasons, and I think is better not to dismount/remount it many times.

[andreswiss]

Hi Luigi,

 

Thank you very much for your message and the info. Indeed, I think you are right, that there is no effective contact between the cam of the lens and the one of the camera's rangefinder. All the more so that when I do not screw the lens in fully, the rangefinder moves, but does not provide right distances. Probably the lens must be then adjusted by a repairman...

André

[andreswiss]

Hi Bob,

 

Thank you for your description of yesterday. I think that my answer to Luigi's message above confirms it: there is no effective contact between the lens' cam and the rangefinder's...

 

André

[svr2112]

There are only a handful of pics on the web which were taken with the Summarex, and even less wide open.

As mine arrived this morning, and I had nothing better to do, I took some first test shots with this lens on Fuji NPC 160. Scans by my local lab.

 

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[andreswiss]

The problem has been solved in a totally unexpected way: I explained the problem to a friend who is very gifted as handyman and with manual crafts who intuitively found the solution. The protruding rf cam of the objective was somewhat bent (for whatever reason) to the fore, and once it has been rectified the contact is established again with the cam of the camera and the rf works, and precisely at that (as compared with several other cameras and lenses). Maybe this can be helpful to someone else with the same problem.

 

André

[luigi bertolotti]

The problem has been solved in a totally unexpected way: I explained the problem to a friend who is very gifted as handyman and with manual crafts who intuitively found the solution. The protruding rf cam of the objective was somewhat bent (for whatever reason) to the fore, and once it has been rectified the contact is established again with the cam of the camera and the rf works, and precisely at that (as compared with several other cameras and lenses). Maybe this can be helpful to someone else with the same problem.

 

André

 

Happy end, Andrè !!! I'm glad for you... enjoy your Summarex: in all is a lens that has something unique... for me it stands in a group of 4-5 Leitz classics which have a distinctive fascination of their own.

[andreswiss]

Luigi,

 

Grazie mille for the message: indeed, I am quite happy that the problem is solved so unexpectedly (I telephoned with some Leica repair specialists who doubted it is repairable at all!...)! I agree with you that this lens is one of a series of very special Leitz optical Meisterstücke...

I purchased two or three weeks ago a Hektor 2.5 125mm from the last series (1961) for use with Visoflex, complete with lensshade, base plate (as they call it in German, die Glocke) and Visoflex with cables, clean and mint: a pleasure to use and fantastic results. For me, this one also belongs to the gems of Leitz lenses. I actually got a "Leica frenzy" again after many years since I purchased one or two months ago a mint Leica IIIg (with leather everready case, Elmar 2.8 5cm and lensshade) and I have such pleasure using this gem of a camera!

Let us keep these treasures alive!

André

[vickko]

To resurrect an old thread, how does the entire optical head of the Summarex come off the focusing mount?

 

Does the entire head unscrew from the focusing mount?

 

I tried to unscrew mine, and only the front optical elements group came off, exposing the iris blades mechanism.

 

I can't get the rear optical group out. Does that merely unscrew from the focusing mount?

 

 

regards

Vick

[luigi bertolotti]

Yes, the whole lens group does unscrew from the focusing mount... the divide is just under the f stops ring : try hard... it must unscrew, though, afaik, there is no accessory that couples to these thread (is different, for instance, from the one of the first Summicron 90) ; btw , on the cylindrical side of the lens' barrel, probably you'll find a hand-engraved number which, probably, indicates the effective focal length of the lens (my item has "84,20")

[jc_braconi]

...this one woks fine...

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