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Recommendation for a 50mm Summicron


Beena22

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lct, thanks for posting.  Just my opinion, but the flaring in those shots does not seem too bad given the light source and position of the lamp in the frame.  Under normal conditions and using the hoods, how do the two lenses compare? [...]

 

Same flare more or less when strong light sources are just outside the frame but v5 has a bit less veiling flare than v4 due to different coatings i suspect. I need to do comparos like the one above to see a difference though.

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I've had several V1s and V2s and currently have a V1 and two V2s (one is the rfdr close-focusing one).  For whatever reason, my technically best photos are mostly taken with a V2. It certainly turns out the best photos in harsh lighting of any lens I have (28 and 35 Summarons may be an exception). This comment holds true (in my case) for exposing either film or pixels. Due to the preceding, I've never bothered to acquire a later version but am always hoping someone will tire of their APO offer it to me as a gift. Regards, Ron

Edited by Ronazle
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I agree light sources somewhat outside the frame tend to cause central veiling flare in 50 Summicrons. I first noticed it with a Summicron-R in 1969, and also in my Summicron M v3 (both have similar optical layouts). I've seen it in my v5, but less severe, and even in my 50 2.5 Summarit (also similar optical layout).

My Zeiss Planar ZM is much better in this regard, but overall I prefer the images of the Summicron or Summarit.

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  • 5 years later...

Pulling out this thread again as I got an offer from a shop for a Summicron 50mm V3 but is has a focus tab. That is for me an indicator that it is rather V4. Or was there a summicron V3 with focus tab? To my understanding they introduced this with V4 but not V3?

Based on Ken Rockwell it supports my assumption! 

Thanks for your experience :)

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v3 (11817) has no focus tab

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Depending on sources, versions vary a bit.

no tab Summicron 50mm quite common, tabbed Summicron 50mm is less common but some have same optical figure tabbed or not

https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/50mm_f/2_Summicron-M

same as lct showed above, from Wiki

(II)

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On 8/9/2023 at 12:11 AM, Jewl said:

Pulling out this thread again as I got an offer from a shop for a Summicron 50mm V3 but is has a focus tab. That is for me an indicator that it is rather V4. Or was there a summicron V3 with focus tab? To my understanding they introduced this with V4 but not V3?

Based on Ken Rockwell it supports my assumption! 

Thanks for your experience :)

 

Some sellers, and online references conflate v1 and v2 - calling both the collapsible and the rigid and the DR version 1 - which makes absolutely no sense at all. Obviously, that shifts the numbers and confuses everything. Even the wiki here is wrong on this (the wiki seems to be littered with errors that nobody will correct).

Ken Rockwell has it right. https://www.kenrockwell.com/leica/50mm-summicron-comparison-table.htm

Edited by BradS
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On 8/9/2023 at 8:11 AM, Jewl said:

Pulling out this thread again as I got an offer from a shop for a Summicron 50mm V3 but is has a focus tab. That is for me an indicator that it is rather V4. Or was there a summicron V3 with focus tab? To my understanding they introduced this with V4 but not V3?

Based on Ken Rockwell it supports my assumption! 

Thanks for your experience :)

There does seem to be a bit of confusion out there.  I recently bought a new, boxed (11819) Summicron 50, with a focus tab, the dealer insisted on describing it as a version 3, which of course it isn't😀.

 

 

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38 minutes ago, Boojay said:

There does seem to be a bit of confusion out there.  I recently bought a new, boxed (11819) Summicron 50, with a focus tab, the dealer insisted on describing it as a version 3, which of course it isn't😀.

 

 

+1 as someone else who is shopping for a 50, it's hard to know whether what is described in an ad is actually what I'm shopping for, or someone just doesn't know what model is what.... My confidence level is relatively high when I look at places like Tamarkin or a Leica shop, but it falls off abruptly from there.  That and the fact that everyone and there brother has a "review" on line and many are just outright contradictory. 

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There is not world-wide agreement on the Summicron versions. A most obvious example is that Leica, themselves, consider the currently-manufactured, currently-available Summicron-M 50mm to be Version IV. User groups have declared their own criteria, for determining versions. Of course, in this case, the optical glass elements date to 1979, but lens coatings, barrel confurations, and the presence or absence of tabs have varied. Special Editions are, of course, special, so, logically should not be their own “versions.”

I am not declaring who is right or wrong. 🙂 If I were to decide to down-size, and were to list one of my Summicron-M lenses, I will describe it primarily by its five-digit model number, and the name and year of the Special Edition, plus add that it has the 1979 optical formula. (I am not yet down-sizing, and may well keep all of my Summicrons, so, this is not an offer to sell/trade.)

On a related note, at least some Japanese sellers use the term “L mount” to describe what the “western world” tends to label LTM, Leica Threaded Mount. Be advised of this, when ordering from Japan.

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32 minutes ago, alphonse2501 said:

11826 and hood:

1979 ~ 1994: 12585, 12538

1994 ~ today: Integrated 

Not sure if you're asking but if so:
• 11826 is the current Summicron 50/2 v5 with built-in hood
• 1979-1994 is Summicron 50/2 v4 (11819, 11825)
• 12585 is a vented metal hood for E39 lenses
• 12538 is a vented plastic hood for E39 lenses
BTW when i bought new my Canadian v4 copy there was a 12538 hood in the box like in the pic below except that the focus tab was convex ("tiger paw"). The concave focus tab came in the eighties if memory serves. I have one on my German v4 copy.

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Edited by lct
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Thanks for correction. I confused by hood's catalog numbers.

In addition, the hood 12585/12538 and IROOA not just works on Summicron, it also works on original 50/2 ELCAN and Light Lens Lab replica.
The only downside for using 12585 on50/2  ELCAN is it cannot mounting in reverse way because focus tab can block the hood.

LLL does make IROOA replica and I assume its price could better than mint 12585.

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5 hours ago, alphonse2501 said:

[...] 12539 (1977 - 1982) [...]

I can't seem to recall a 12539 hood for Summicron 50/2 lenses. The only one i know is for 50/1.0 and 75/1.4 M lenses but i may be missing something.

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Edited by lct
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I just ordered the v4 as I cannot/want live without the tab! Totally got used to it with the 35mm Lux FLE! And as it seems to be identical to v5 (optical formula) even better! I am also not quite sure about the integrated hood. Have read a lot of negative reports about it getting loose over time! Then I prefer to have no hood at all 😉

Very exciting! 

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4 minutes ago, Jewl said:

I just ordered the v4 as I cannot/want live without the tab! Totally got used to it with the 35mm Lux FLE! And as it seems to be identical to v5 (optical formula) even better! I am also not quite sure about the integrated hood. Have read a lot of negative reports about it getting loose over time! Then I prefer to have no hood at all 😉

Beware that the fist element of v4 has no mechanical protection if you don't use a hood, unless you consider filters as sort of bumpers at the risk of adding some flare to a lens which is not free from it already. I would consider a 12585 vented hood or a China made replica, some of them are quite nice actually. Another solution would be a slimmer 12504 vented hood or a replica of it (pic) but it protects less against flare and cannot be reversed for storage or transportation contrary to the 12585 hood.

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34 minutes ago, lct said:

Beware that the fist element of v4 has no mechanical protection if you don't use a hood, unless you consider filters as sort of bumpers at the risk of adding some flare to a lens which is not free from it already. I would consider a 12585 vented hood or a China made replica, some of them are quite nice actually. Another solution would be a slimmer 12504 vented hood or a replica of it (pic) but it protects less against flare and cannot be reversed for storage or transportation contrary to the 12585 hood.

 

I put B&W pro UV filters on all my lenses and I don't get the impression that they are adding flare to my lenses, even my vintage ones.  They offer good protection of the front element and the coatings on them make them very easy to clean. 

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