Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well, the 1.5/85 Summarex was designed during the War, probably as a surveillance lens: it was an off-shoot of a "9cm" Summar, only one of which is known to exist. (I recall that either Fred Sternenberg or Randy Hooper own this, but I'd have to dig through back Viewfinders to be certain). Zeiss made a couple of similar lenses. Some of these lenses lack diaphragms, as the LAST thing you want is to have some joker stopping down a fast lens when taking pictures at hard dark. Some of the early Summarex lenses are coated, but most are not, as, to this day, surveillance lenses are often uncoated, as performance is better in low-light conditions with uncoated optics. The lenses were continued in production after the War, although they were of less-than-sterling (others have said, mediocre) performance and were difficult and expensive to make, as Zeiss dominated the market with the superb 2/85 Sonnar, a lens not challenged by Leica until the first 2/90 was produced. (I have owned this lens and loved it. I sold it for a current version. Despite the weight, I wish I had the old lens back, as I believe it was a better perfomer than the current number.) Leitz cheerfully killed the Summarex once the Summicron was on-line. The Summicron was a better performer and a cheaper lens to make. The Russians were challenged, however, and made their superlative 1.5/85 Helios, a lens which was only made in M42 and K mount, though its inspiration was in the LTM Summarex. (Someday, when the spirit moves, I'll disassemble mine and see if its optical formula resembles the Summarex. I suspect that it does, with improvements. It is one sterling lens optically, though, and the Summarex was a less-than-sterling shooter.) Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!