Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/08/19

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Leitz Summitar Question
From: "Dan States" <dstate1@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 00:18:54 +0000

It's an excellent price, and the lens is a good one by the standards of it's 
time.

At full aperture it is fuzzy at the corners and very prone to flare.  
Stopped down to f5.6 it is amazingly sharp in the center and plenty good 
enough at the corners, but still flare prone compared to modern lenses.

Use with care regarding stray light and I will give you great images.  At 
f3.4-4 it has all the "classic" look you can shake a stick at

Best wishes
Dan States


>From: Karen Nakamura <mail@gpsy.com>
>Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>CC: leica@topica.com
>Subject: [Leica] Leitz Summitar Question
>Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 15:30:10 -0500
>
>
>[sarcasm on]
>So... are we allowed to ask Leica questions on this list, or has it totally 
>turned into a Canon/Olympus/Nikon digital camera list as I feared?
>[sarcasm off]
>
>So....
>
>
>Today, I  picked up a Leitz Summitar 50mm f/2 lens (ser #657xxx) in 
>excellent condition with both caps (original front cap) and leather case 
>for $150 at National Camera (www.natcam.com).
>
>1) Was $150 as good as a price as I thought it was?  I made the decision on 
>the spot, without looking at any price guides. The lens is in excellent 
>condition with no optical problems that I can see. The case is in 
>excellent-.
>
>2) So what's the consensus on this lens? I know that it was reformulated 
>for the Summicron but peering at the Hove book at National Camera, the MTF 
>curves seem pretty similar.  I'm hoping that it has a "classic" look.  I 
>like my sharp, modern aspheric lenses, but I love the lower-contrast, 
>higher-resolution of older lenses and hope that this one has the "look."
>
>Karen
>
>
>
>--
>Karen Nakamura
>http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/
>--
>To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

_________________________________________________________________
<b>Get MSN 8</b> and enjoy automatic e-mail virus protection.   
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus

- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html