Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/27

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Subject: [Leica] Versions of the 5cm/50mm Summicron
From: marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small)
Date: Mon Nov 27 20:51:18 2006
References: <1be504db0611271511g296d628fp55076dd15d47edd0@mail.gmail.com> <200611280002.kAS02JbY014999@server1.waverley.reid.org> <4CD14A6B-9155-4F2F-B32B-F2D103143C25@shaw.ca> <200611280402.kAS42IgT097508@server1.waverley.reid.org>

The first 5cm/50mm Summicrons were all of a seven 
element design, though the second variants -- the 
rigid and the NF/DR -- use a slightly different 
optical formula as suggested at II Lager 
54.  These lenses were replaced in 1969 by the six-element Summicron.

Most scholars who have studied Leitz/Leica lenses 
seem to view all of these seven-element lenses as 
a single type.  See, inter alia, Rogliatti 62 - 
63, Laney 132, II Lager 166-167, Wright & Glanville 66-67.

I am abashed to note that, though I have owned a 
copy of THE LEICA LENS COMPENDIUM for several 
years, I have never consulted it on the 2/5cm 
Summicron.  I was therefore surprised to find 
that my friend Erwin does segregate the 
collapsible lens as Type I and sets the rigid and 
DR/NF lenses apart as Type II.  I have never seen 
this done in this way before, though I understand 
his method.  He does identify the distinctions in 
design between the collapsible and rigid/NF/DR 
versions, incidentally -- Leica would take to him 
while spurning many another student of the 
breed!  He also confirms that the DR/NF version 
is identically optically to the rigid lens, which 
I had doubted but on which I appreciate being corrected.

So, to me, all seven-element 5cm/50mm Summicrons 
are Type I.  To others, they are Type I 
(collapsible) and Type II (rigid and DR/NF).

In any event, my basic point stands:  the 
collapsible lens and the rigid versions are 
distinct and both have distinct signatures in use.

Frankly, I have found the 2/5cm NF to be an 
absolutely satisfactory lens but, then, I am also quite happy with my 
Summitar.

Marc



msmall@aya.yale.edu
Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!



In reply to: Message from pswango at att.net (Phil Swango) ([Leica] 50mm rigid Summicron)
Message from marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small) ([Leica] 50mm rigid Summicron)
Message from jbcollier at shaw.ca (John Collier) ([Leica] 50mm rigid Summicron)
Message from marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small) ([Leica] 50mm rigid Summicron)