Differences between Summicron, Summilux, Elmarit Lenses

[frc]

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"Lense".

 

Where does it come from?

 

Non native as well as native are guilty.

 

I came across a lense in one of my own posts.

 

Typo!....... But still,

 

Any thoughts?

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[lct]

I prefer 'lenes'

[Xmas]

Found this:Is Internet use of English "normal English usage"...

 

If you have not been to a school with a (homo erotic) boat song and a tailcoat uniform, you will think fora exotic, and foreign, if you hear it used, in every day speech. Most people (e.g. Nordic) learn English in front of TV with large % of USA material, so it is not just Internet.

 

The French call the effect franglais...

 

It cuts both ways the US would say faucet for tap.

 

Noel

[Xmas]

its front nodal point was to close to film plane to allow use of the Contarex mount, he had 'painted himself into a corner' and needed a shorter registration.

 

... the Hologon in the Contarex SLR would have photographed the lens mount internals ...

 

Hi Howard

 

Impressed you thought the description of the result cute - the technical point was the 1st nodal point position was too small, it must have been of the order of 25mm, this is apparent if you look at the 'built in hood' of the Hologon lens. The slope of this points to the nodal point.

 

The Leica M and Contax G lens registration distances are almost too short.

 

The Contax G seems smaller from strap ring to strap ring then a Leica M, & the Hologon camera may have had an 'effective' shorter register, as well as being longer. I've forgotten what size the Contarex SLR body was.

 

I don't use the mini tripod and large ball and socket head as a hand grip but instead as a 'chest support'. I hold the mini tripod against chest, with left hand. I also need to deliberately hold the bottom and top plated in right hand, to trip the shutter without getting floating pigs...

 

I'm not sure If I plan to have my 16mm converted, (to M) the CV 'equivalent' is too similar and easier to use. I've taken both on a shoot.

 

Noel

[wda]

Once Again, to the Patient, More Experienced Users:

 

Still researching a $10,000 plus investment in an M9 and a lens.

 

What are the differences between Summicron, Summilux, and Elmarit lenses for use on an M9? Are they worth the price? And the difference between "old" lenses and the lenses updated for digital use (I assume that the old lenses can fit onto the new M9 body).

Ten days ago you posed three quite reasonable questions which have been confusingly answered by experts in lenses, naming, provenance, performance, designation and, dare I say, taxonomy, from which you may have an answer to your first question.

 

Most members have avoided the value for money question because so little is known of your actual requirements and your freedom to buy from the extensive available range. Generally it is better to invest in the best lenses you can afford provided you have a good grasp of their relative capabilities, matched to what you seriously want to do with them. A good dealer might be prepared to lend or hire you used samples to help you decide. Or maybe a friend or locally based forum member may be willing to help you.

 

Your final question concerned new compared with older lenses. Several views have been expressed. Certainly, in my experience, older lenses can be used and they do offer an alternative interpretation while remaining true Leica lenses. In general, older lenses are slightly softer in performance, particularly at full aperture, which can be a real bonus with portraiture, for example. If your maximum print size is about A3, almost any lens, stopped down if older versions, will give you satisfying, even stunning results. With newer lenses, professionals produce even larger prints. A search of the forum will reveal a few of those practitioners.

 

Good luck and do let us know what you decide to buy.

[giordano]

If your maximum print size is about A3, almost any lens, stopped down if older versions, will give you satisfying, even stunning results.

 

That's the heart of it. Most of the rest of this thread is entertaining digression and/or and the narcissim of small differences.

[lct]

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Leica lenses are made to be used at fast apertures where differences are obvious IMHO.

[Xmas]

Hi

 

To answer your questions we would need to know more about your intended use, i.e. what photos you wanted.

 

The Leica immediately i.e. from circa 1926 was about spontaneity, it was rugged, reliable and the lenses were good enough for the 35mm cine film of that time.

 

If you want photos like Ansell Adams you may ned a Hasselblad or other medium format. format.

 

If you want street shooting in HCB or Winograd's genere, unless you want night time studies the lux lenses are just real estate & ballast in the gbag. But you want night time you probably need them.

 

Most of the time HCB shot at f/8 or f/11 with a 5cm lens! The type I summicron which was his fav for an interval, is good at f/8 but the discontinued (modern) f2.8 Elmar (94-recently) out performs it, and is lighter and more compact, But if you wanted this lens you would ned to try the lens in the shop or hire for day, depending on hand size and dexterity some lenses will annoy some people. I've bought lenses from people who cold tolerate then no longer, i.e. cheap.

 

My artistic friends have looked at some of my ineffective scenics and said how did you do those colors, After the answer Canon f/2 35mm LTM type I about 200 GBP the money spiders in their purse got nervous. The lens is from '60, single coated and medium contrast. Lots of the older Leitz lenses are even lower contrast e.g. HCB's fav type I cron.

 

If you like Danish pastel water colors you need a damaged cron from '50s, a mint collector may not be pastel enough.

 

My friends who have M8 or M9 borrow my lenses in coffee shops, and chimp the corner performance or colors depending on their vein.

 

If I put the M on a tripod and take a static shot I some times use different lenses with different signatures, or different filters or rotate the pola filter a few degrees. It is like painting in different styles...

 

I have a collection of lenses Canon, Leica, CV and ZM but I very rarely use the fast (e.g. f/1.4 35mm) ones, last time for f/1.4 was +2 years ago, and that was a hood experiment, I should not have bought it, it was cheap however.

 

I think your question may be difficult, to answer.

 

When you made choice and camera is to hand then next steps ditto.

 

Noel

 

P.S. I normally use a CV f/2.5 35mm Classic on a M2, it rarely flares, and it is really small, I know some people cannot stand the focus knob, 200GBP 2nd hand in LTM, from a M8 user, donno why he did not like it. But the reason for this choice is I 'never' go wider than f/5.6, as when it get that dark I go to coffee shop and OD on caffine.