R lenses: 50 'Lux vs 'Cron; 35 'Cron ver. 1 vs later

[JBA]

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I'm looking to fill a gap in my R lens lineup that is inadequately filled now by a 35-70 3.5 Vario-Elmar (Japanese version) -- great lens, but speed is a real issue. Primes would be far more useful, especially since I'm shooting mostly Kodachrome and Velvia these days.

 

I'm considering a 50 Summilux-R 3-cam with built-in hood and rubber focusing ring (not sure which version this would be) available at a local shop. I have the M 50 'Lux ver. 2 and am looking for essentially the same thing. Are there are any significant differences in performance (bokeh, etc.) between these versions?

 

I also have the M 50 'Cron and understand that the R version is essentially the same lens, so it would be both cheaper and a known quantity. Are these two lenses essentially like their M counterparts? Or are there more significant differences? For example, I have experienced considerable problems with flare with my M 50 'Cron (current version) and wonder if the R version is similarly flare-prone.

 

Next question: An acquaintance with very long photographic experience tells me that the 1st version 35 Summicron-R is far superior to the later version with the built-in hood (which is both cheaper and more available).

 

Any meaningful comparison of these lenses would be appreciated.

[JBA]

Almost 40 views and no responses. Seems I asked this question badly.

 

I'm looking to basically duplicate the performance of my 50 Summilux-M (Mandler design) in an R version. Is the 50 Summilux-R basically the same optical formula or does it have any significant differences in terms of bokeh, edge sharpness, etc?

 

Or would I be better off sacrificing the extra stop of speed and going for the 50 Summicron-R, which I can rest assured is a stellar performer (and the roughly $300 difference in price would process a lot of Kodachrome).

 

Can any of you either lead me down the garden path or steer me off it?

 

About the 35 Summicron-R 1st version, my acquaintance insists that this is superior to the later version with the built-in hood but is quite vague about the details. Can any of you offer a more objective evaluation of the 1st version?

 

Perhaps I'd be better off asking about this in the Customer forum.

[rob_x2004]

I dont give a rats about bokeh. The fifty is a lovely soft light lens and though like many of the summiluxs it can be overwhelmed in constrasty conditions, I find it it holds up better in contrasty conditions than the current optical formula of your M ASPH. Sorry, I dont have the thirty five so I cant really comment.

[JBA]

Rob, my 50 Summilux-M is not the Asph. It's a version 2 with '89 serial numbers. It's my favorite lens, so if I'm able to get the same performance with the 50 Summilux-R, there's little sense in considering the Summicron instead.

 

And it's worth mentioning that I'm talking about wide-open performance. I mostly shoot at full aperture.

Edited May 13, 2009 by JBA

[rob_x2004]

Sorry, when I said "your" it was a generic, I should have said "than the current crop of". I would figure the R50 was within lighting/film selection/workflow/editing of the look of your M50. Might be wrong. Can give you links if you like but I tend to use the lens a bit differently than throwing it wide open for the sake of it.

 

These would be R50Summilux3cam, none of them wide open. Bit crap but maybe you will get some idea. All on approx 100iso film 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Edited May 13, 2009 by rob_x2004

[JBA]

I thought that's what you might have meant but I couldn't be sure.

 

Thanks for posting the links to those pics. That's the lens and very similar to how I would use it. By wide open I mean that I start wide open and stop down from there, which is how I shoot with anything 50 or longer. For 35 and wider, I start at 5.6 and open up or close down accordingly. Just my way of doing things.

 

Thanks. That answers question about the 50.

[JBA]

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Bought the 50 'Lux yesterday. Thanks for posting those photos, Rob. They made the decision a no-brainer. Posted the new lens here mounted on my new motorized R8.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/film-forum/45977-lets-see-your-r-6.html#post902393

 

Now, is anybody able to provide any insight into why my acquaintance raves about the 1st ver. 35 Summicron-R?