My new little gem...

[fotomeow]

Kent,
the pics of the plants turned out well, I have a Summitar as well, it is a 1940 uncoated version (cant remember if it has the flat blades or the rounder (?) blades), but does quite well rendering more a 3D pop. I found this lens does color well mainly in well-lit scenarios, an the B&W in any light.
How is the B&W rendition on your Nex3?, e.g, would you be able to post B&W conversions of the plant pics and post them?!

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by sanmich

Wow!
I didn't see a "ZOOM" magazine for ages...

I'm still a subscriber

[Kent]

Originally Posted by fotomeow

How is the B&W rendition on your Nex3?, e.g, would you be able to post B&W conversions of the plant pics and post them?!

Sure. And I will add some NEX b&w images directly out-of-cam.
But it's 10 to 11 p.m. here, so it will have to wait until tomorrow.

[Kent]

OK, here they are... some more shots:

First the plant in b&w, converted with SiverEfex Pro:


Now the same subject in different variantions:


1. Standard colour, out of cam, only some vary basic pp (level, resharpen after resizing)


2. Standard b/w, out of cam, only some vary basic pp (level, resharpen after resizing)


3. High contrast b&w, out of cam, only some vary basic pp (level, resharpen after resizing)


4. Faded colour ("Retro"), out of cam, only some vary basic pp (level, resharpen after resizing)


5. B&W, converted with SilverEfex Pro



And some "real" shots:

Flowers at f/2.0


Flowers at f/4.0 (stopped down by 2 stops)


My son (b&w, out of cam)


My daughter (colour, our of cam)


Yes, I shouldn't take pictures of them when they are chewing.

BTW, all shots in AWB setting! The difference in white balance is somewhat striking.
Perhaps the cam did not react fast enough to the quickly changing light (sunny with clouds). I will have to observe that ...

[Kent]

I have been informed that the images cannot be seen.
That's strange! I can see the images perfectly. They are hosted on my private webspace, so no restrictions apply.

???

[Kent]

Perhaps, you try >> this link << instead...

[dogberryjr]

I see 'em.

[LeicaTom]

Well, the first 10 blade Summitar's 50mm's f2 to f12.5 came out in mid 1939, replacing the Summar lens, these were initially all "uncoated" lenses.

The FIRST Summitar's that were "coated" were specialized lenses for the German Air Force and Army during WW2 - these are well, pretty rare even I don't have one at the moment......

Postwar Summitar's of that time were 10 bladed lenses, "uncoated" which went on untill about August/December 1945, as the US Army were taking delivery of many lenses, you will find backlogged unissued 1939 and 1940 numbered lenses in Feet....but that's another story for another day, back to the coating, which normally started around January 1946.
(and some early lenses at that time also got factory "coating" when some GI's took the lenses back for service and requested they be upgraded).

Some of the 1946 issued lenses were of the old design of f2 to f12.5, but sometime in late 1946 or early 1947 the maximum aperture went to f16.

These 10 blade "coated" lenses went on till late 1949, then Leitz had a few lenses changes, the Summitar was one of them, they went to a Hex shaped 6 blade style, similar to the pre-war Summar, with shooiting characteristic's also very similar, these lenses were made from 1950 to ca. 1952 untill they were replaced by the f2 Summicron.

With these lenses the beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I prefer the look and signature of the pre 1947 series one lenses, either "coated" or "uncoated" and some people like the 1950's version better, either way, it seems that everybody's liking them,because Summitar prices have all but almost doubled in the past 8 months!

Enjoy!

Tom

[fotomeow]

Cool, thanks for the historical info Tom (and others from earlier in the thread)

Kent, thanks for converting pics to BW, and adding more pics.
I think the BW conversions on the plant pics is really good.
I can totally relate to the OOF swirlies in the (color) flower pic @ f2.
And the fotos of your kids turned out good as well: contrast, focus, OOF, subject, etc.
thanks for sharing

[David Hughes]

Originally Posted by raid

Hello Kent,
Congratulations on getting such a lens. I don't know which vintage my Summitar is.
How can you tell which year a Summitar was made based on the serial number?...

Hi Raid,

Go here:

http://www.summilux.net/numeros/

When the top window shows "Objective" (or similar as the page is in French but so what) you enter the SN in the lower box and click and get the year and (often) lens description.

The alternative to objective is French for body and does the same trick.

Regards, David

[raid]

Originally Posted by David Hughes

Hi Raid,

Go here:

http://www.summilux.net/numeros/

When the top window shows "Objective" (or similar as the page is in French but so what) you enter the SN in the lower box and click and get the year and (often) lens description.

The alternative to objective is French for body and does the same trick.

Regards, David

Hello Kent,
I found a website with all serial numbers after I asked you this question. Thanks.

I may have 20+ RF 50mm lenses, so the Summitar is rarely used.

[Nokton48]

Kent,
Those are great! Enjoy the Nex3.
I find my two Nex3's to be invaluable tools.

[Kent]

Thanks.

It's not just that the images look fascinating, it's also that great feeling to use such an old lens (or all my vintage lenses) on a modern body. It's as if you put a modern engine into one of those beautiful old car bodies which they don't built any more.

[Kent]

Got the "right" cam for this lens.

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Well, I guess you must be feeling great as I know what it's like when you start marrying up the right parts to make an outfit as it would have been.

So congratulations and beware as you are on a long and slippery slope. But it does feel great, doesn't it?

Regards, David

[deerstalkr]

Originally Posted by Kent

Got the "right" cam for this lens.

Congratulations on the new addition. I've been looking for something to accompany my Summitar too!

[Thomas78]

Congratulations, this body is a nice companion for the Summitar!


I am still looking for a Leica IIIb to suit my Summar which arrived one week ago and feels so lonely...

Originally Posted by David Hughes

So congratulations and beware as you are on a long and slippery slope. But it does feel great, doesn't it?

Regards, David

Yes, it does !

You can never have to many Screw Mount Leicas.

[Kent]

Originally Posted by David Hughes

So congratulations and beware as you are on a long and slippery slope. But it does feel great, doesn't it?

Oh yes, David, it definitely does! Thanks.

[djcphoto]

Love my Summitar/iiif combo! Mine is the coated 10 blade version and is absolutely one of my favourite lenses.

Here it is, followed by a portrait of a friend of mine where it displays all it's sharp and swirly goodness!