Collapsible Summicron

[raid]

Originally Posted by Drambuie

Just for a wider perspective - I bought a newly serviced, perfectly cleean unscratched collapsible 'cron about a year ago for 110 GBP. A few months ago I bought another unscratched, one - but with a little haze - for 80 GBP: a CLA by my local specialist cost me 35GBP. Both came from a London dealer (MW Classic), and had a good guarantee: they were about the cheapest prices for good lenses that I have seen anywhere in the UK/Europe for ages. Lovely lenses.

You got some super deals that are not representative of what we usually see here. Good for you.

[crawdiddy]

This thread is interesting to me because I, my own self, am interested in such a beast. But I have an irrational (or maybe it's rational?) fear that such gear talk is creating lens inflation as we speak. Even on the bay.

[hans voralberg]

It might well be, in fact I think it does

[raid]

I am in a situation where I cannot bring myself to sell any of the vintage 50mm lenses that I own. This is the danger when buying lenses that have historic meanings. Each lens has the tendency to appreciate in value of worthiness.

[vrgard]

Well, Raid, this thread sure has made me want to hold on to my collapsible Summicron even though I rarely shoot with it. Not that there's anything wrong with it but I tend to either use my rigid Cron or 50/2.8 Elmar lenses instead.

-Randy

[raid]

Originally Posted by vrgard

Well, Raid, this thread sure has made me want to hold on to my collapsible Summicron even though I rarely shoot with it. Not that there's anything wrong with it but I tend to either use my rigid Cron or 50/2.8 Elmar lenses instead.

-Randy

Randy,

Isn't this a good feeling!
These wonderful lenses that have been made so many years ago can still bring us so much joy.

[vrgard]

Originally Posted by raid

Randy,

Isn't this a good feeling!
These wonderful lenses that have been made so many years ago can still bring us so much joy.

Yes, and no, Raid. I keep thinking that I should pare down my gear a bit. And then along comes a thread like this and I start reconsidering...

-Randy

[raid]

Randy,

The good thing is that you could always sell such a lens and not lose money on the deal.

[harmsr]

Raid,

I have had virtually all variations of the 50 cron. I still have a late 50 Coll. Cron that has perfect glass and the current Cron with hood, both of these are LTM mount and see use on my iiif. Having had all of the Crons, this may tell you something about which ones have something special about them.

The Coll. Cron is reasonable wide open, very sharp stopped down, and works well with the two films that I shoot (Acros 100 & new TMax 400 in Xtol). My coatings are intact and the lens has no cleaning marks so flaring is not a major issue, although I do use the screw in hood from the just discontinued 50 Elmar.

It is something between the softer, more uncorrected 50s of earlier lenses and the new Cron. The lens has a unique fingerprint that I like.

My only complaint about it is that it only has full aperture stops vs. half stops, as the modern lens does.

Best,

Ray

[sanmich]

Hi Raid

Refereing to your question about the collapsible 'cron vs Summitar, I would have to disagree with one of the former posters. The cron is slightly superior to the summitar in terms of resolution and contrast. The disfference is clear in the corners at wider apertures and minimal in the center (if at all). Both lenses are beautifully made and the Summitar is said to have a strong signature.

With a filter and a hood stuck there, the collapsability has only a minor interest to me, but it's personal...

I think the coll cron has a special place in the Leica world:

As a ltm, it is probably one of the best lens available.
as an M lens, IMHO, lots of people prefer the rigid versions which are supposed to be superior.

In any case, a fine lens...

[raid]

Michael and Ray: Thanks for sharing with us your personal experiences regarding the Summicron. It is great that we have so many options available to us in photography.

[David Murphy]

The prices range from about $200-$375, with $275-$300 being the target price for a properly cared for one. They are all old lenses. I can only speak for the one I own and it produces astonishingly good images - sharp like a modern lens. It is also beautifully made. It's about like the collapsible Summitar in size and bulk. If you really want to go compact though, the Elmar or its many clones from the FSU or (better) Japan on a small rangefinder such as the Leica III series is the solution (and a good one at that!). I doubt you'd be disappointed by a collapsible Summicron.

[Ronald M]

It was my first Leica lens and did not impress me. I bought a DR or Rigid and the added contrast was much appreciated.

50 `Crons don`t get sharp into the corners at 2.0 until the last optical version, but the 1969 version is pretty good.

The best balance is a DR/Rigid or 1969 in my opinion

[raid]

I have a rigid Summicron that I use quite often. My collapsible Summicron has a chip at the edge of the front. I used a black marker to darken it. So far, I haven't seen any effect due to the chip.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

My collapsible Summicron of 1953 does not better perform than my Summitar of 1940 at least not wide open. It gets just a little better stopped down. They are both nicely build and I like them more than the elmars since they have a nice aperture ring.

[Platinum RF]

What are your thoughts on the qualities of a clean collapsible 50mm/2 Summicron?
>Soso to Ok

It came after the Summar and Summarit and before the rigid Summicron, so where does it "fall" optically?
>yes

Does it have a "signature" [whatever this word means] of its own?
>Not sure, the OOF is not as good as DR rigid

Is it a lens that is meant for B&W film more than color film?
> On color kind of warm tone

Is the collapsibability a myth of an advantage or or is a pocketable camera worth consideration?
> yes, buy it if it is cheap, you like cheap do you? professor?

Is such a lens in M mount worth between $275-$375 these days?
>> nah, offer $170

Is a rigid Summicron different optically from a collapsible Summicron?
>> to my eye they are better

Is a collapsible Summicron in LTM different optically from the lens in M mount?
>> no

There are so many questions on my mind
>>keep asking you get get lots of different answer like your students.

[Platinum RF]

The problem of collapsible is if disassembled by shoes maker type amature DIY, the first element has a metal rign to give a space will affect the accurate of lens focus, id not cheked on the autocollimator suring the re-assembling, it will be off.

[Vics]

My family paid $379 for mine at KEH, but I think it must be a very fine example. no scratches or fogging. Very much like EX+
Vic

[Brian Sweeney]

I posted some comparison shots between the two on the Leica forum.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-...summicron.html

I had the Type I Rigid CLA'd by Essex, and did the Collapsible Myself.

[ampguy]

is a 121... ('54?) collapsible, M-mount.

Originally Posted by Brian Sweeney

The early ones changed glass ~1953, probably around 105xxxx. The 115x example that I have has different coatings than the later ones. The later ones have bluish coatings. My best is in the 13x range.

[raid]

Originally Posted by Platinum RF

> yes, buy it if it is cheap, you like cheap do you? professor?

I recently bought a Heliar 50mm 3.5 101 set and a Pentax Limit 43mm 1.9 lens, and I am in the process of buying a 75mm 1.4 Summilux and maybe the 35mm 1.4 Summilux. These are not "cheap".

[helenhill]

Having had a 1958 DR cron (which was LOVELY)
and now a 1956 Collapsible (Pristine Glass & Body)
The Collapsible wins my Heart & Eye...Its Fab
Sharp & yet a Beautiful subtle falloff ...B&W Rocks

haven't tried color yet but
tend to think it would be like a watercolor...
and I am no longer in pursuit of any other Cron

[helenhill]

M6 / collapsible / of Eric...

[Brian Sweeney]

The Summar strikes me more as "Watercolor".

The Collapsible Summicron: priceless.



Collapsible Summicron-M 5cm f2, wide-open on the M2, Fujicolor 200. Perfect Glass.

[helenhill]