35 Summaron, 50 Summarit on an M8

[frankpetronio]

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OK I know I should just go for the Summicrons but I do like the older lenses and starting at f/2.8 on a 35 doesn't seem like such a hardship if I get a little more DOF and nicer bokeh. I really don't care for the super-shallow DOF of a Noctilux type shot anyways... but I do like a nice smooth transistion between in focus and out-of-focus...

 

So how are these lenses working on your M8s? Maybe not as your primary lenses but for the right situations?

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[j. borger]

I use the even older summaron (35/3,5 in LTM) .

I also use a 50mm rigid summicron from 1956 and a Canon 35/2,8 from 1950 ...... the results with all these older lenses are excellent on the M8.

Use them with faith ..... i often prefer them to my latest aspherical lenses, especialy for B&W!

[dcoombs]

I've used some of my old lenses with the M8 and have been pleased with the results. All depends on the situation and lighting in determining the effect you are looking for. Here is a link to a shot I posted in another thread concerning the Summaron. It was taken with the f3.5 LTM version.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/30026-those-wonderful-old-lenses-2.html#post320562

[jaapv]

I have both and use both. The Summaron works fine but does not add much in the way of character. It looks most like a less contrasty Summicron. The Summarit now, that is a different story. It has a very charactaristic fingerprint - love it or hate it (I love it). It does rather better than on film because of the sensor crop, but loses nothing of its flavor.

 

There are a number of examples in this thread:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/30026-those-wonderful-old-lenses.html

[dcoombs]

Jaap, how would you describe the fingerprint of the Summarit? I use it, too, and like it, but have difficulty describing its look. The Summaron seems to me to be a lower contrast lens than say the more modern Summicrons, which gives a softer look to images, particularly those shot in full sun. The example I referenced above is one of those - shot late morning in the south of france in July.

 

Doug

[jaapv]

I call it the ideal lens for a smoky bar or flattering portraits. Or not bad stopped down...

[dcoombs]

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Sounds like my Summar. Nice for pictures of people of a "certain age".

[carstenw]

If you want nice bokeh, be careful which lens you get. A lot of older lenses have this kind of strained bokeh. The best lenses for bokeh are the ones from the Mandler era, ie. the last Canadian and Wetzlar lenses before the Asph generation.

[j. borger]

I have both and use both. The Summaron works fine but does not add much in the way of character.

Could not disagree more ................. The fingerprint of the summaron 35/3,5 LTM (NOT the 2,8) is quite similar to the fingerprint of the type 1 summicron ......which is very expensive because it is wanted for it's specific CHARACTER.

The 35 summaron 3.5 LTM gives you a similar look for a fraction of the price. So if you can live with the 3,5 and like that low contrast yet very sharp look ........... it's a gem

 

Here are some snaps all with m8/ iso 640 and 35mm summaron 3,5 LTM

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[Jack_Flesher]

One issue on older Leica M and LTM lenses that significantly affects performance is internal haze and/or fungus. Frank already knows all about both of these, but I mention it here because it can (and probably does) explain why folks are seeing apparantly differing results with the same lens. Also, with older lenses the repair history is always a question; was the lens ever taken apart and improperly re-assembled? If it's a poor performing Leica lens, the answer is probably.

 

Frank, FTR I am shooting all previous generation Pre-Aspheric M lenses. Stopped down 2 or 3 stops they are as sharp as any of the new lenses, yet wide open through 1 or 2 stops down they can display some of that older lens character.

 

Cheers and welcome to LUF!

[carstenw]

By the way, Jack, I had my Elmar 35/3,5 send to Leica to check for fungus, since it had something inside which could have been a hair or a "cobweb", but they cleared it. Just dust and dirt, which is fine. I wanted an old look anyway

[Jack_Flesher]

By the way, Jack, I had my Elmar 35/3,5 send to Leica to check for fungus, since it had something inside which could have been a hair or a "cobweb", but they cleared it. Just dust and dirt, which is fine. I wanted an old look anyway

 

 

That's good news Carsten! Means the elements weren't permanently damaged. I suspect you'll find the clean lens a *lot* less prone to flare

 

Cheers,

[carstenw]

They didn't actually clean it, they just inspected it for €15, which the store covered. A cleaning would have meant disassembly, which would have cost more like €200, hardly worth it for a €300 lens. I just meant that they 'cleared it' of guilt

 

I am not sure if it would have flared less though... It flared today with a mere candle...

[jaapv]

Could not disagree more ................. The fingerprint of the summaron 35/3,5 LTM (NOT the 2,8) is quite similar to the fingerprint of the type 1 summicron ......which is very expensive because it is wanted for it's specific CHARACTER.

The 35 summaron 3.5 LTM gives you a similar look for a fraction of the price. So if you can live with the 3,5 and like that low contrast yet very sharp look ........... it's a gem

 

Here are some snaps all with m8/ iso 640 and 35mm summaron 3,5 LTM

 

 

Hmmm. Han, ist this not exactly the same as I am saying? "Acts more like a less contrasty Summicron"

 

I would say the the Summaron/Summicron 35 line of lenses is an evolving family, all of similar character, starting with the Summaron 3.5 and (for now)with the asph. Of course if you look at the first and the last there is a great difference, but each step on the way was not so large. Having said that, comparing asph shots with the same ones on the Summaron shows that the Summaron holds up surprisingly well. "adds not much of character"was maybe a bit elliptical. I could have said : If one already has one of the (earlier) Summicron 35's it does not differ greatly in character.

[Jack_Flesher]

 

I am not sure if it would have flared less though... It flared today with a mere candle...

 

Not worth E300 to clean for sure, but as for sure, it woudl flare a lot less when you were done It's why I stress the importance of buying OLD Leica lenses CAREFULLY.