IWC Doppel Posted May 14, 2016 Share #1  Posted May 14, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Well I thought I would start to share the love for this little lens. It's very affordable beautifully built has stellar performance even by today's standards and renders beautifully. So a few facts and a few facts to start the thread  It's only 210g went into production in 1958, the same time as the 8 element Summicron, which it shares the body with. It has better performance than the MkI Summicron at F2.8 and beyond Look at the central part of the MTF curves and at f5.6 it's only beaten by the Summilux FLE and Summarit. Ahead of the last 35 ASPH summicron in the centre at f5.6 ! It is very quick and easy to focus and almost the perfect size for an M lens  With Summicron's and Summilux's fetching more than double what these fetch for me it's a forgotten hero and a lens I will never sell. I could live happily with this one lens on my MM1 if I had to.   Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/260454-the-summaron-f28-the-forgotten-hero/?do=findComment&comment=3044605'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 14, 2016 Posted May 14, 2016 Hi IWC Doppel, Take a look here The Summaron F2.8 the forgotten hero. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
microview Posted May 14, 2016 Share #2 Â Posted May 14, 2016 and you can disable the infinity lock with a sliver cut from a matchstick, should you find it an irritant. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spydrxx Posted May 14, 2016 Share #3 Â Posted May 14, 2016 It was my first and only Leica lens for a number of years....a wonderful small lens. I foolishly sold it for a Summicron after about 35 years use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted May 15, 2016 Share #4 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Never been impressed by this lens i must say. I find it rather soft at f/2.8 and still so on edges and corners below f/5.6. Mine has too much CA also. I find the Biogon 35/2.8 neatly superior in all counts but distortion where the Summaron is stellar but the difference is hardly perceptible to be honest. The Biogon is a very contrasty lens though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted May 15, 2016 Author Share #5  Posted May 15, 2016 Should be really sharp, not the best example, only 1/30th after a glass of wine or two. Iso 1600 on the MM1 at f2.8 of my good friend Peter. The MTF' wide open are very good indeed in the centre. Putts says that wide open close up the lens is 'very soft' in his compendium second edition. But the Hove Leica pocket book it says 'Overall Contrast is high and central definition very high, bringing fine detail with clarity' (That's how I find it) Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/260454-the-summaron-f28-the-forgotten-hero/?do=findComment&comment=3045028'>More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted May 15, 2016 Author Share #6  Posted May 15, 2016 PS first image uncropped and a third crop closer still, my sharpening for this was  standard quite mild sharpening in LR4 - sharpening 32, radius 1.0, detail 25, Masking 16. I'll take her out on my 35 today and take a few in good light close up and longer distances wide open if I have time Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/260454-the-summaron-f28-the-forgotten-hero/?do=findComment&comment=3045030'>More sharing options...
colint544 Posted May 15, 2016 Share #7  Posted May 15, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Couldn't agree more. The 35mm F2.8 is a bargain. It's solidly built - my copy is from 1960, and the precision with which the aperture ring clicks back and forth is in a different league to the way modern Leica lenses operate. It's compact, and renders beautifully at any aperture. Stopped down a little, it's razor sharp wherever you focus. I think the Summaron is a slightly under-appreciated classic. On my M Monochrom mk1, it's my most used lens.  Here's a shot from the M Monochrom mk1, 35mm Summaron F2.8. Lens was stopped down to F5.6. On the original TIFF file, you can pull the image up, and read the menus on the table.  Best wishes all,  Colin Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/260454-the-summaron-f28-the-forgotten-hero/?do=findComment&comment=3045134'>More sharing options...
colint544 Posted May 15, 2016 Share #8  Posted May 15, 2016 Oh, and even just as an object, the 35mm F2.8 Summaron is a piece of art. It's perfectly designed and built, and looks and feels exactly right on any Leica M. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/260454-the-summaron-f28-the-forgotten-hero/?do=findComment&comment=3045137'>More sharing options...
Ernstk Posted May 15, 2016 Share #9 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Couldn't agree more. The 35mm F2.8 is a bargain. It's solidly built - my copy is from 1960, and the precision with which the aperture ring clicks back and forth is in a different league to the way modern Leica lenses operate. It's compact, and renders beautifully at any aperture. Stopped down a little, it's razor sharp wherever you focus. I think the Summaron is a slightly under-appreciated classic. On my M Monochrom mk1, it's my most used lens. Â Here's a shot from the M Monochrom mk1, 35mm Summaron F2.8. Lens was stopped down to F5.6. On the original TIFF file, you can pull the image up, and read the menus on the table. Â Best wishes all, Â Colin Brewdog??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernstk Posted May 15, 2016 Share #10 Â Posted May 15, 2016 It's a great little lens. My first Leica lens and I still use it regularly. Beautifully built and lovely rendering. Â Ernst Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colint544 Posted May 15, 2016 Share #11 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Brewdog??? Crumbs, yes - well spotted - Brewdog in Yorkhill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted May 15, 2016 Share #12 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Crumbs, yes - well spotted - Brewdog in Yorkhill. Â Â I reckon the Kelvingrove Art Gallery outside was a bit of a giveaway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colint544 Posted May 15, 2016 Share #13 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Well, yes - but only if you know Glasgow. Which, clearly, you do. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernstk Posted May 15, 2016 Share #14 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Crumbs, yes - well spotted - Brewdog in Yorkhill. I was educated just up the hill from there! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted May 15, 2016 Share #15 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Well, yes - but only if you know Glasgow. Which, clearly, you do. I know the Kelvingrove but not the place where you took your photo (a good 20 years since I visited). [emoji3] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colint544 Posted May 15, 2016 Share #16 Â Posted May 15, 2016 It's nice when you post a photo on an international forum, and people recognise the exact spot where the shot was taken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a911s Posted May 15, 2016 Share #17 Â Posted May 15, 2016 Great lens - I love it, not for sharpness at 2.8 (eclipsed by more modern lenses) but for its naturalistic rendering, which is unmatched. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernstk Posted May 16, 2016 Share #18 Â Posted May 16, 2016 It's nice when you post a photo on an international forum, and people recognise the exact spot where the shot was taken. Just had a look at your website Colin. Great photos! Â Ernst Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colint544 Posted May 16, 2016 Share #19 Â Posted May 16, 2016 Thank you, Ernst. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted May 16, 2016 Author Share #20  Posted May 16, 2016 Not very scientific, but found a door out of the sun and took a picture at F2.8, the worst corner was the top left so have full uncropped image, top left and centre   Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/260454-the-summaron-f28-the-forgotten-hero/?do=findComment&comment=3045739'>More sharing options...
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