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The curious case for the 40mm Summicron... With images


Evo

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BTW, one of my "usage" of 40 summicron is to shoot three vertical overlapping frames handheld and merging them to get approximately 50 megapixel pic of 28mm FOV. Resulting image (even downsampled to 24mp) is far far superior to what I get from 28cron ASPH.

 

It doesn't work on buildings (sometimes misaligned lines are left unresolved) but works beautifully for landscapes.

 

This is how I convert my M240 to megapixel camera. :D

Edited by jmahto
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  • 4 weeks later...

I love this lens, which is my daily carry. Just spend two weeks on holiday in New Zealand and it got more use than anything else I brought.

 

While there we visited the Gallipoli exhibit at the Te Papa museum in Wellington, New Zealand. It's a striking and moving exhibit telling the story of those from New Zealand who fought there in World War I. One very compelling part of the display are a series of sculptures made by the Weta Workshop depicting people from the campaign at hyper-realistic 2X scale. Here are a few shots of those sculptures, all taken hand-held with an M10 and M-Rokkor 40mm F2 lens. Shot around 1/30th sec, F2.8, ISO 3200. Minimal processing in Lightroom. (Larger images can be seen at mdemeyer.leicaimages.com and it's worth looking to appreciate these amazing works.)

 

If you visit Wellington, this is a "don't miss".

 

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med_U3343I1515228113.SEQ.2.jpg

 

med_U3343I1515228113.SEQ.3.jpg

 

med_U3343I1515228114.SEQ.4.jpg

Edited by mdemeyer
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Cron 40, on Ilford Delta 400, and processed in Rodinal

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Bought this lens since I found that my summaron 35 isn't fast enough, and couldn't afford summicron 35. Glad that cron 40mm exists..
 

Some shots from fashion show: M8.2 + summicron 40mm

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  • 4 months later...

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40/2 Cron-C and M9

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Edited by Rus
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  • 8 months later...

M9 + Cron 40/2

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  • jaapv changed the title to The curious case for the 40mm Summicron... With images
  • 2 months later...

I really do love my Minolta M-Rokkor "Summikkor" 40mm f/2 (vers. II - multi-coated)...

ø 40.5mm of the Rokkor is more convenient than the exotic thread of the Leica Summicron-C and "vers. II" is the sharpest option. As the Summicron-C and the Rokkor "vers. I", this little marvel shares the same DNA as the Summicron 35mm IV (KOB)... for much, much less $ !

Just as good in color or B&W :

Aksel-Blake & Dominique by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Oskar by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Anouk & Aksel-Blake by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Dominique & Aksel-Blake by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Dominique by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Aksel-Blake & Dominique by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Oskar & Anouk by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Bains des Pâquis by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Aleks • Reflection by Del-Uks, on Flickr

Edited by Del-Uks
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4 hours ago, Del-Uks said:

ø 40.5mm of the Rokkor is more convenient than the exotic thread of the Leica Summicron-C and "vers. II" is the sharpest option. As the Summicron-C and the Rokkor "vers. I", this little marvel shares the same DNA as the Summicron 35mm IV (KOB)... for much, much less $ !

I've used both Summicron-C and M-Rokkor v2 40/2  for many years and i cannot say which is the sharper lens personally. The M-Rokkor is perhaps a bit less prone to flare but it is less obvious than when comparing Elmar-C to M-Rokkor 90/4 IMHO. As for filters, E39 ones can be used on the Summicron-C w/o tightening them too much and Leica doesn't make 40.5mm filters. May be a problem if one intends to screw a hood into the filter. Minolta's flat focus cam is more accurate than the sloping one of the Leica in theory but in practice i have never noticed any issue. Now i see little reason to pay more for the Leica to be honest given that both IQ are very similar if not identical. Nice pics BTW :).

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The reputation of the 40C Summicron not focusing accurately on Leica M bodies arose due the timing of its production. The main M camera Leica was marketing at the time as the CL was the "interestingly" styled M5. It is true that the 40C will not focus accurately on the M5 but only the M5. It focuses perfectly accurately on all other M cameras both film and digital. I think we all know what a success the M5 was, to the extent that the M4 had to be reintroduced as the M4-2 and later the M4-P. The inaccuracy is due to the combination of the sloping focus cam on the 40C and the offset RF cam roller on the M5. 

Wilson

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2 minutes ago, Del-Uks said:

Modification is easy. 

Sure it is but the mod is not reversible and not everybody prefers 35mm framelines for 40mm lenses. I used to before the M8.2 personally but since then Leica viewfinders are not set the same way, reason why i don't use my modified 40/2 lenses on M8.2 and M240 anymore. Great lenses (to me) on film Leicas and Epson R-D1 though, let alone mirrorless cameras. YMMV.

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Yes, 35mm-lines work - and just a small movement ...

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Am 17.4.2019 um 10:21 schrieb Del-Uks:

I really do love my Minolta M-Rokkor

Yes its good, (my always on ) not the nicest Bokeh, but okay , good price, small, 35 mm Framelines work well , Rangefindersystem ist not very precise at all, so what 😉  If You always use it you learn the frame. 

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12 minutes ago, becker said:

Yes its good, (my always on ) not the nicest Bokeh, but okay , good price, small, 35 mm Framelines work well , Rangefindersystem ist not very precise at all, so what 😉  If You always use it you learn the frame. 

Bokeh can be quite funny and busy, but sometimes it’s also very unique and pleasing. 

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