Is Summaron F5.6 a 'point and shoot' lens?

[Universalb50]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Perhaps this is a case, as mentioned earlier, where a certain lens design drifts in and out-of-focus (OOF) in a pleasant manner unlike some later designs which practically explode the OOF into an unpleasant highly contrasted image.

 

Just saying.

.

 

I don't understand what your saying here...could you give some photographic examples of these design drifts or unpleasant contrasted images?

[wlaidlaw]

Methinks of more practicable and marketable interest would be a refresh of the 50 Rigid and 35 Summicron v.1.

 

Exactly. Please bring back the 8 element 35 Summicron but in LTM sold with a coded adapter ring, so that it would be usable by nearly all Leica and other makes' L39 and M mount cameras.

 

The problem is that in 1999, Leica struggled to sell all the special edition anniversary LTM lenses (35 Summicron ASPH, 50 Summicron series V and 50 pre-ASPH Summilux). They were all brass/chrome lenses and even the 50 Summicron I have, is quite front heavy on a Barnack. I would imagine the Summilux is a real struggle, albeit not as bad as my recently acquired 85/1.5 Summarex. Some other forum member said the Summarex was a large lens with a small picture taking device attached. If they ever do it again, silver anodised aluminium alloy or titanium would be better.

 

Wilson

[wlaidlaw]

I don't understand what your saying here...could you give some photographic examples of these design drifts or unpleasant contrasted images?

The classic example of a lens which exhibited this was the 35/2 Zeiss Planar G. I have not any examples with me, as they are all on film, somewhere in my cupboards back in the UK. The end result was that the lens got a reputation for producing odd results and not many were sold. When Contax was in its death throws, Contax UK gave a number of us Beta testers, who had a G2 camera, a free 35G lens because they had all this unsaleable stock. Zeiss were well aware of the issues and reverted to the older, gentler Biogon design for their 35/f2, when they brought out the ZM M mount RF lenses, even though it could struggle at f2, unlike the Planar.

 

Wilson

[ianman]

 As bocaburger said, it's a waste of money where you can stop down all your 28's from Elmarit to Summilux to 5.6, ...

Following your logic, only the Summilux in not a ridiculous waste of money.

[almoore]

The classic example of a lens which exhibited this was the 35/2 Zeiss Planar G. I have not any examples with me, as they are all on film, somewhere in my cupboards back in the UK. The end result was that the lens got a reputation for producing odd results and not many were sold. When Contax was in its death throws, Contax UK gave a number of us Beta testers, who had a G2 camera, a free 35G lens because they had all this unsaleable stock. Zeiss were well aware of the issues and reverted to the older, gentler Biogon design for their 35/f2, when they brought out the ZM M mount RF lenses, even though it could struggle at f2, unlike the Planar.

 

I've used the Contax G 35 a lot over the years and never found it to be anything other than predictably excellent. It performs just like an 80s era 35 Summicron - a touch soft and swirly wide open, but very sharp from f2.8 onwards. One of the nicest lenses I've used.

[otto.f]

Following your logic, only the Summilux in not a ridiculous waste of money.

No this is relative: 2500, 4000 or 6100 are about the prices in euro of resp Summaron, Summicron and Summilux. So there's a difference of 1500€ more for 3 stops more from 5.6 to 2.0. And 2100€ more for one stop more from 2.0 to 1.4. And the Elmarit costs even 500€ less for two stops more.

And then there's of course the idea of character. From what I've seen I could imagine being prepared to pay 6100 for character in one of my lives to follow, if 28mm was my favourite angle. I don't see that the Summaron beats the Elmarit on character however. I would rather buy a ridiculous thing as a Hermes M9P body than a Summaron 28.

[ianman]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

You are not following your own "logic"... but it's ok, the simple fact is you don't like the Summaron. No prob.

[NB23]

All are equal at 5.6, 8,11... sure, a slight character difference, but nothing that anyone would notice except the pixel peepers.

 

The fun part about the aRon is how cool it is to stroke.

I could stroke that sexy thang all day looong (barry white voice).

[Exodies]

Does anyone know what an infinity lock is for on a lens? Has anyone ever said "phew, thank goodness there is an infinity lock on this lens" after a shooting experience which nearly went awry?

[wlaidlaw]

Does anyone know what an infinity lock is for on a lens? Has anyone ever said "phew, thank goodness there is an infinity lock on this lens" after a shooting experience which nearly went awry?

Unscrewing the lens from a Barnack camera. Otherwise a pain in the butt. The neatest ones are on the 35/2.8 Summarons, where the back of the focus tab pushes in to release the focus ring. Sadly as I am missing the tip of my right index finger, this is close to impossible for me to operate.

 

Wilson

[a.noctilux]

Does anyone know what an infinity lock is for on a lens? Has anyone ever said "phew, thank goodness there is an infinity lock on this lens" after a shooting experience which nearly went awry?

 

Because this 28mm lens is so tiny, something to hold firmly.

 

I understand the infinity lock after using and wanting to dismount the Summaron-M, the focus lever/tab just turn to be blocked at 1m to allow the lens to turn.

After that before dismount the lens, turning to infinity block position it's much easy to operate.

[otto.f]

You are not following your own "logic"... but it's ok, the simple fact is you don't like the Summaron. No prob.

Yes it's all psycho-logic in the market, that's why Leica brought out the Summaron in the first place.

[pico]

Does anyone know what an infinity lock is for on a lens? Has anyone ever said "phew, thank goodness there is an infinity lock on this lens" after a shooting experience which nearly went awry?

 

The lock on my V2 35mm Summilux behaves nicely. It slides into lock smoothly and just a touch unlocks it. It helps me locate and focus. I'm the opposite of Wilson because the tip of my left index is one of two fingers on the left hand that work properly!

 

An aside, one of my viewfinder camera has click-stops in the focus helix at 20 ft and 6 ft for hyper-focal assistance, f/8 and f/22 respectively.  Very handy.

[ianman]

Unscrewing the lens from a Barnack camera. 

 

It's pretty useful for unscrewing this Summaron from the M too !! Not that that has happened much these recent months 

[Ko.Fe.]

Use http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html to find out about distances, apertures and DoF.

 

f5.6 and f8 are my working apertures for day light photography.  I don't really care for lens size, I used big Elmarit-M 28 2.8 III because of rendering. But short and smooth focus throw are important to me for the street and reportage. 28-35 Leica lens at 5.6-8 apertures needs only two position of focus tab. Near-Middle, Middle-Infinity. And it doesn't have to be accurate. With little practice it becomes second nature. 

[wlaidlaw]

Further evidence for the infinity lock being for mounting and un-mounting the smaller lenses, is provided by my 1952 LTM 8.5cm/f1.5 Summarex. This large and heavy lens has substantial knurling and a pronounced tripod boss, just forward of the mount. This provides plenty of purchase for tightening and loosening the lens on a Barnack camera, so no requirement for an infinity lock. It correspondingly does not have one. Q.E.D. 

 

Wilson