50mm with character?

[Bingley]

And here's a photo of the same daughter taken with the coated Summitar:


Good-Soup by bingley0522, on Flickr

[hamish_gill]

well....
I happened to pop on ebay just in time to take a punt at a summarit ... won it for £250 ...
I figure ill give it a go, if i dont like it ill sell it... I should get that money back if I dont like it! The guy I sold me M6/cron to asked me if i had any more lenses to sell him the other day so he will tak it if i dont like it id guess...
Sorta feel like I should get a leica iii of some sort now ... I have a 3.5cm elmar knocking about too ...

[hamish_gill]

... cheers for that Steve!
They do both look nice ... its hard to be sure but I think i prefer the uncoated out of the two ... ?

any experience of the summarit ...
It was reading somewhere that spme people think they are "terrible" lenses ... I was that that made me buy it in the end

[Benjamin Marks]

Summarits are not terrible lenses. My first Leica lens was a 50/1.5 Summarit and it is what got me started on a long love affair with Leica. What they are is a transitional design, before Leitz hit on the Summilux formula. It is a single coated lens with a front lens coating that is fairly delicate compared to modern multicoating. This means that a) it is more likely to have scratches on the front element than a modern lens (not really surprising for a lens of this age anyway) and b) it will flare badly if you are not careful about strong light sources in the field of view.

I happen to have missed mine so much after I sold it that it is one of the rare lenses that I have re-purchased.

Here is a shot from my first version of the lens at about f:5.6:



The filter thread is a bit of an odd pitch and the original hood is expensive. But these things are pretty easy to work around in the days of e-bay.

Enjoy yours!

Ben

[Brody LeBlanc]

I'm sure you'll be happy with the Summarit, a lens that definitely renders pretty classically. But, IMO, when I think of a 50mm with lots of character, the ZM Sonnar is the winner. Hands down. I owned one for a while and used it on my X-Pro1 (which was great because I never had to worry about focus shift) but I stupidly sold it when I was a little short on cash. I completely regret the decision and plan to buy again eventually.
The lens isn't good for everything, but if you shoot it at near min. focus distance and near f1.5, the results are stunning.


summer--3246 by mr.dead91, on Flickr

I've posted this shot before on the X-Pro1 thread, but seriously look at that background.

[burancap]

Nothing scientific here, but these "character questions" arise from time to time. In this case, with 50mm mentioned -my first thought was the old LTM Summarit. I am not sure if that is because of some experience with it, or simply being trained by the stunning visuals I see here and elsewhere from time to time.

Case in point: >THIS THREAD ON SITE HERE<

In a recent "birge" (purge binge), I awoke to find this lens the last of my Leica/Leitz lenses left!

[hamish_gill]

I wish I had seen that thread earlier! That guy is a great photog, but moreover those images absolutely demonstrate the sort of thing that I am after.
That confirms for me that I have made the right choice! thanks for posting that!
THe bokeh almost looks like heat haze ... in some of them it almosts looks as though its moving!
Im quite excited now... fingers crossed the copy i have just bought is a good one!

[burancap]

Originally Posted by hamish_gill

fingers crossed the copy i have just bought is a good one!

Well, that is the funny thing about these Summarits!

They are a very divisive lens.

One side loves them - the other side hates them!

One side wants them mint - the other side doesn't mind the front all messy!

All I know is that they are unlike (not necessarily better or worse) any other lens I have used, and at current price levels, they are a: BUY.

[hamish_gill]

...this is basically all I needed to hear! Where have you been all my ... thread?

reassuring too, thanks for that ... Im sure ill have fun with it regardless of its condition anyway ... im not usually fussy! Ive been known to get a great deal of pleasure out of modding a lens of a russian chaika to fit my rf's so this lens would have to be pretty dire to out crap that!
here is the one i just bought ... looks ok in the photos ... not that that means much
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leica-Summ...vip=true&rt=nc

[awbphotog]

I didn't take the time to see if any one else had mentioned it, but the chrome Canon Serenar 50 1.8 in LTM is a gem. I've been shooting with mine which is in pretty fine nick for almost a year now and I've never been disappointed with the results. It's very sharp and is honestly a true pleasure to shoot with. Everything clicks and rotates smoothly and makes shooting with it a joy. Here are a couple of images from some rolls of Ektachrome 1600/Provia 100F I found laying around:




@ f/2 (1/15th)



@ f/4



This lens has a unique signature and is easy to find for less than $300. I've heard the black versions of the lens are just as good and may come for a lower price, though I only have personal experience with the chrome (non-serenar, actually) version. I recommend it!

Andy

EDIT:: Just noticed you've purchased the Summarit. I own that lens as well and aside from a huge spot of fungus on one of the elements, the lens is mint and produces lovely images! Enjoy!

[nightfly]

Which 50mm lens with charcter would you guys recommend that has the following features:

1) Not a Sonnar design (I don't take to that type of look prefer a Tessar or similar)

2) Not collapsible

3) No infinity lock (or one that can be disabled through hacking)

4) Click aperture stops

Speed not super important. Either screw or M mount.

[Godfrey]

Both the Nokton 50mm f/1.5 ASPH and the Color Skopar 50mm f/2.5 render with a very nice characteristic signature. The Color Skopar is small and light, reminds me quite a lot of a Leica Elmar 5.0cm f/3.5. The Nokton is somewhat more bulky, mostly indistinguishable from a Summilux 50mm f/1.4 I had some 18 years ago.

Both of these are screw mount lenses used with an M-bayonet adapter. Both are discontinued but still findable new, and are reasonably priced. The Color Skopar is more similar to a Tessar design than the Nokton.

[furcafe]

With your budget, I second (or 3rd) the suggestions that you look at the CV 50/1.5 Nokton (probably need to find a used copy), Jupiter 3, the Canon 50/1.8 (chrome or black), & the Canon 50/1.4. The Nikkors in LTM are good, too, but tend to fall outside of your price range (as does the Canon 50/1.5). I have no experience w/Summitars & Summarits.

[jordanatkins]

Originally Posted by hamish_gill

...this is basically all I needed to hear! Where have you been all my ... thread?

reassuring too, thanks for that ... Im sure ill have fun with it regardless of its condition anyway ... im not usually fussy! Ive been known to get a great deal of pleasure out of modding a lens of a russian chaika to fit my rf's so this lens would have to be pretty dire to out crap that!
here is the one i just bought ... looks ok in the photos ... not that that means much
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leica-Summ...vip=true&rt=nc

Awesome, man! Enjoy that lens, the photos I've seen with the summarit look great!

[burancap]

Below is a sample form mine -overall nice shape, but the front element has a fair amount of "cleaning marks." This was on a slightly overcast day, wide open on a Nex-5n with an RI adapter. Sharp center, soft perimeter. The subject was at about ~3'-0" (1m). The siding to the left was at about ~8'-0" (2.5m). The treeline to the right was about ~30'-0" (9m).





N5-1 by burancap, on Flickr

[burancap]

Here is another. Same camera arrangement. Subject at about ~5'-0" (1.5m). The treeline was still about ~30'-0" (9m).





N5-2 by burancap, on Flickr

[hamish_gill]

Cheers for that!
Even with such indestinct oof areas is demonstrates the swirling look nicely eh?
How do you find the 5n, am I right in thinking it has focus peaking
I've thought about one a few times, they have a used one in a shop locally to me that I have ummed and arred over a few times purly for use with my cv lenses ... The added rez over the rd1 appeals for certain circumstances ... And I bet I could find a nice little follow focus for the summarit and make some lovely video ... ...
I'm talking my self into another purchase here aren't I

[p.giannakis]

The Helios 55 f/2 that came with my Zenit. A lot of character if you ask me!

[Roger Hicks]

Originally Posted by PAN F

One lens for the Nikon Slr users to try is the first f1.4 standard lens for the Nikon F not a 50mm but a standard Nikkor lens......"the 5.8cm F1.4 Nikkor".
It's got a character all of it's own and has many devotee's including Roger Hicks, and also myself in my younger days back in the 1960's.
Unfortunately they have become quite sought after these days after many years of being "long forgotten gems".

Very true! Wish I still had mine. But increasingly I suspect it's focal length, not optical design. I'd love the chance to find out.

Cheers,

R.

[seakayaker1]

In keeping with your spending limit of £300 then the only lens I have experience with would be the Ernst Leitz Wetzler Summitar 5cm f/2 lens.

From a roll of film I shot a few months ago with the M6TTL and Summitar 5cm f2 lens.



Where you are already familiar with the Voightlander 28/1.9 and 75/2.5 LTM lens you may want to consider th Voightlander 50/1.5 ASPH. The price for a new copy in the US is $799.00 but have certainly seen used copies available as low as $400, although recently it has all been $500.00 and above keeping pace with the rising prices in new copies of the lens.

A photo taken using a MP with the Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 ASPH.



I have been happy with both of these lens.

Good luck with your search.

[hamish_gill]

well, the summarit turned up ... It looks nice, feels solid, condition is good (apart from where some fool engraved his name) ... the glass is very clear, very minor scratches, and very little dust! Happy days



annoyingly, I brought the rd1 to work to test it, but forgot to bring a mount adapter ... ...

[Livesteamer]

Looks Good! Enjoy. Joe

[hamish_gill]

Thanks everyone for the help in this thread ... This is exactly what i was looking for!!
These were taken on the Epson Rd1s


Connie with her milk by Hamish_Gill, on Flickr


Connie with her berries by Hamish_Gill, on Flickr


Grubby by Hamish_Gill, on Flickr

[hamish_gill]

The missis had jumped on the computer ... But I've got loads more from this avo!
I love this weighty bit of glass! I'm really over the moon with it, it couldn't have been more what I've been looking for!

[hamish_gill]

Here is one from today ... not taken for the easons I bought the lens ... but i like it non the less


Sleeping man by Hamish_Gill, on Flickr