espahbodb Posted May 2, 2008 Share #1 Posted May 2, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Are there any difference between a Summicron 5 screw mount and a vintage 1964Summicron 5 with bayonet specially in Lenses and picture characteristics? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 2, 2008 Posted May 2, 2008 Hi espahbodb, Take a look here Summicron 5 screw vs. Summicron 5 bayonet. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
LeonardT Posted May 4, 2008 Share #2 Posted May 4, 2008 Are there any difference between a Summicron 5 screw mount and a vintage 1964Summicron 5 with bayonet specially in Lenses and picture characteristics? The screw mount Summicron is most likely the 1st version collapsible. It might be 10 years older and have some haze which will reduce contrast. The M lens is the 2nd version which besides being a slightly better lens at the large openings may also have less haze. I consider the 2nd version to be one of the best Summicrons Leica ever made. If both lenses have mint glass you may not notice much difference. I have two of each version and would recommend the M version unless you also have a LTM body. Len Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianv Posted May 4, 2008 Share #3 Posted May 4, 2008 By 1964 the coatings had improved, were harder than the 1940s and 1950s lenses. The optical formula was also changed for the Rigid Summicron. I find the Rigid to be slightly sharper than the collapsible Summicrons, but just like the character of the earlier lens. The original 1952 Summicrons used a Thorium based glass, and is subject to yellowing. They can be "bleached" to be made usable again. These were quickly replaced with a new type glass that aged much more gracefully. The coatings seem to have been changed and improved later in the run of the collapsible Summicrons. There was also a small batch of thread mount Rigid Summicrons made at about the same time as the IIIg. If you run into one of these at a good price, grab it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik van Straten Posted May 9, 2008 Share #4 Posted May 9, 2008 In my opinion, there is a big difference between the collapsible and the first rigid 50mm Summicrons. The collapsible is the ultimate representative of the old Leica F2 lenses - the Summar and Summitar family, while the rigid is the first of the modern Leica F2 lenses. Both are extremely fine lenses (when in perfect condition), but their character is very different. The pictures of Cartier Bresson (from about 1954) are fine examples of pictures that were made with the collapsible. With the rigid you will not obtain that effect, altough it's a suberb lens in itself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianv Posted May 9, 2008 Share #5 Posted May 9, 2008 Optically, the later collapsible Summicrons and first version Rigid Summicron are almost identical. On the two that I took apart, the block diagram is the same, with some "tweeks" to the formula. The mechanical construction of the collapsible is much closer to the earlier lenses. The astigmatism of the Summar and Summitar is eliminated in the collapsible Summicron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik van Straten Posted May 10, 2008 Share #6 Posted May 10, 2008 I've used my rigid Summicron 1567871 since 1979. I still have it and I use it a lot. I like it, but it is very different in rendering the image than my collapsible Summicron 1319235. These numbers are not far apart. The collapsible gives dreamy images, very beautiful. Nostalgic. From F4 it's very sharp, but the image is still dreamy, painterly so to speak. It also has a tendency to flare. The rigid is more "neue sachlichkeit", not dreamy, but realistic, and it does not flare. With a gun pointed at me to force a statement, I would choose for the collapsible. I know the diagrams look alike, but in practice the difference is quite big. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianv Posted May 10, 2008 Share #7 Posted May 10, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've got a series of pictures done after CLA'ing both lenses. I'll upload some shots. I "split" a roll between an early Rigid Summicron 150x and late collapsible 130x, shot at F2 and F4. I spent a lot of time adjusting and cleaning the latter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianv Posted May 10, 2008 Share #8 Posted May 10, 2008 I uploaded a series of pictures from a roll that I took with the Collapsible and Type I Summicron. The collapsible is just a little older than the Rigid, 13x range vs 15x range The earliest Collapsible Summicrons used different glass. I'll have to post some samples from the early Summicron. It is more of collectors item, but I'm happy to have stumbled across one. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/film-forum/53370-collapsible-summicron-type-i-rigid-summicron.html#post556955 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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