[Leica] IMG: A stroll with the DR Summicron

[pklein at threshinc.com (Peter Klein)]

Steve:  Yes, it was a long "circumcision," but worth it in the long run. As 
we all know, DAG is about the only independent repair person who can 
optimally adjust lenses to the M8. So he has more work than he can handle. 
It will get done, and he makes good when something isn't right the first 
time, but it can take longer than one would like.  My best advice is to 
call him on the phone rather than email, especially if you haven't heard 
anything from him in about two months.

Anyway, "baby's back."

Daniel:  The lens didn't need cleaning, DAG had cleaned it shortly before I 
first bought it 3 years ago. The DR often can't handle direct sun into the 
lens (and it's made worse by the IR filter). I wasn't about to say to the 
woman, "Pardon me, madam, but would you please turn your butt towards the 
sun." :-)

The "imperfections" I referred to have to do with medium 
microcontrast.  The DR is very sharp, especially stopped down, but bright 
highlights tend to bleed slightly into adjacent dark areas. It imparts a 
pleasant--dare I use the word?--glow to some images. You might see it in 
the Shiba Inu dog's tail (on the right) in "Sino-Japanese Relations."

Luis: Yes, the DR can render a wonderful long tonal scale in B&W, as you 
noted.  In the first picture, I helped it along with some green filtering 
in post-processing.  The current-formula Summicron is more contrasty, 
brittle and "modern." High-contrast edges often appear sharper, but it 
tends to push some middle tonal values together that the DR spreads apart.

Len:  Yes, mama certainly color-coordinated her son with his race car, 
right down to eye color. :-)

--Peter

Steve Barbour wrote:

>sort of like the circumcision that took six months...
>very nice images with it,
>Steve

>On Oct 11, 2008, at 11:24 PM, Peter Klein wrote:
>
> > At Seattle's Green Lake again, one of my favorite people-watching
> > places. I just got my Dual-Range Summicron back from DAG, after a
> > "little operation" to fit it to the M8.
>
>
> >  I love this lens, its imperfections are often just perfect. I ended
> > up using it for all my pictures today.
> >
> > Sino-Japanese relations (best viewed full size):
><http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/album170/L1004603ChowShibaBW-w.jpg.html
>  
> >
> >
> > Stre-e-e-e-tch:
><http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/album170/L1004596StretchBW-w.jpg.html
>  
> >
> >
> > Political theater:
><http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/album170/L1004593TheaterBW-w.jpg.html
>  
> >
> >
> > Rhapsody in Pink and Blue:
><http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/album170/L1004594PinknBlue-w.jpg.html
>  
> >
> >
> > Just for fun:
><http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/pklein/album170/L1004610Crabby-w.jpg.html 
>>
> >
> > Enjoy!
> > --Peter