Arcadium Lithium ( #LTM ) has released " Suspension " on Thu 06 Mar at 08:29 AEST #media #ASX #Lithium #Court #shares
https://grafa.com/asset/arcadium-lithium-plc-25489-ltm.asx?utm_source=asxmktsensitive&utm_medium=mastodon&utm_campaign=ltm.asx
#ltm
Mawra Hocane bids farewell to ‘Let’s Try Mohabbat’
Mawra Hocane recently took to Instagram to bid adieu to her wildly popular romcom sitcom, Let's Try Mohabbat, sharing a delightful series of behind-the-scenes moments that fans had been clamouring for. “A little late but here’s the #LTM dump you’ve all been asking for… thank you for giving Fizza sooo much love!" Mawra captioned her post, brimming with gratitude. She continued, "I loved experimenting with this…
https://www.wacoca.com/games/1025156/ Apex Legends: Lunar Rebirth Collection Event Trailer #Alter #ApexLegends #ApexLegendsFromTheRiftTrailer #ApexLegendsPC #ApexLegendsPS4 #ApexLegendsPs5 #ApexLegendsSeason23 #ApexLegendsSkins #ApexLegendsSplit2 #ApexLegendsSwitch #ApexLegendsTrailer #ApexLegendsXbox #BattleRoyale #BusterSword #ElectronicArts #FinalFantasy #Horizon #LaunchRoyale #LTM #LunarRebirthAnomalyEvent #materia #RespawnEntertainment #RewardsTrack #RPG #Titanfall2 #wattson
Barnack Leica's Adverts and Posters
https://cameraderie.org/threads/barnack-leicas-adverts-and-posters.58476/
In forming long-term memories, vascular cells are crucial
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231002124239.htm
Neuronal activity drives IGF2 expression from pericytes to form long-term memory
https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(23)00664-5
#LTM #memory #IGF# #MolecularBiology #LongTermMemory #neuroscience
Another #focoslide photo, this time for something closer to its intended use: #macro/close up work.
The 90mm Elmar is one of the cheapest lenses available in #LTM, but the resolving power of this lightweight piece of glass is shocking.
(#Leica Ic, 90mm Elmar, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal)
You might have heard us use the term "Long Term Maintainability". In this article, we explain what it means and why it's important: https://www.codethink.co.uk/articles/2023/ltm-2023/
A nice Barnack day in the country.
And yes, all of these are mine. I’m an idiot.
Finally had a chance to put my Canon #LTM 135/3.5 to the test today. Not the fastest thing to use, but hopefully the results will make it all worth it.
Photo of the Day 31st December 2022 (September 12, 2014): PK-GIA, Boeing 777-3U3ER, Garuda Indonesia, crossing the airport perimeter fence after taking off from Runway 08R at London Gatwick, 12th September 2014.
Bonus Photo of the Day 31st December 2022 (January 26, 2015): EI-REH, ATR72-210, Aer Arran, sailing past the Aviation Viewing Park after taking off from Runway 23L at Manchester Airport, 26th January 2015.
Tails 31st December 2022: G-AZMF, British Aircraft Corporation BAC1-11-530FX, European Airways, at Luton Airport, some time in the late 1990s.
#aerarran #atr72 #avp #b777 #bac111 #boeing #britishaircraftcorporation #egcc #eggw #egkk #europeanairways #garudaindonesia #gatwick #lgw #london #ltm #luton #man #manchester #r08l #r23l
https://mancavgeek.co.uk/2022/12/31/photo-of-the-day31st-december-2022/
Had a little break, decided to catch up on photography, especially with certain lenses I haven't used in a while. I think I've done pretty well and the weather was generous, especially considering it's November.
Elmar 90/4, CZJ 50/1.5, Nikkor 105/2.5
W-Nikkor 35/1.8, Nikkor 85/2
Nikkor 50/3.5, Summicron 50/2, Nikkor 50/1.4
#Nikkor #CarlZeissJena #Leitz #LTM #rangefinder #VintageLenses #SMount #MMount
RT @h_rabunal@twitter.com
Hoxe acompañamos as traballadoras das #bibliotecasmunicipais do @ConcelloCoruna@twitter.com e as súas demandas xustas. Se a empresa #LTM non cumpre, será o momento de municipalizar un servizo básico que achega benestar, acubillo e cultura á cidadanía.
#BibliotecasEnFolga
🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/h_rabunal/status/1543916232985935876
Choosing Leica mount lenses is always a bit of a struggle for me. I can find things I like and don't like about them all. And the ones that meet my ideal specs are often out of my price range. So I will end up buying another lens as a reaction to something I did or did not like about the last one and eventually, I'll have spent on several lenses what I could have spent on just one all around general purpose lens.
When I bought my 1930 Leica, it came with a nickel Summar. I didn't really have any need or interest in the Summar because I already owned and loved my Summitar (also a 50mm f2 collapsible.) But because I had it, I wanted to try the Summar. It turned out that I enjoyed that uncoated, early Leitz look as well as the diminutive physical size of the Summar but wanting something more flare resistant, I was lead to purchase a nickel Elmar. For 12 hour weddings, I need a fast 50 though, something that can stay on my camera sun up to sun down if necessary. So when my Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 bit the dust, I got the Leitz Summarit 50/1.5. And lately, I'm kinda wanting to get another Nokton.
What's a picky, demanding photographer on a budget to do?!
So listen, I'm writing this blog to share my experience with these 5 LTM 50's for $500 or less because I accidently acquired this experience, not because I recommend repeating it! It might be wiser to just buy that multi-thousand dollar 50mm lens and be finished the search so that you can spend your time shooting. But maybe, one or two of these cheaper 50's will be perfect for your individual purposes and you won't have to buy 5 cheap lenses or 1 expensive one.
Maybe 50 isn't your go-to length, you're rocking a lower cost system or you already blew all your cash on that coveted Leica M but need something to mount on it. Regardless the reason for your interest in a budget lens, 50mm is one focal length that I still don't believe should require lifetime payment plans. There are so many to choose from and enjoy!
Generally, most any Leica mount 50 below about $700 is going to be LTM, rather than M mount. There are some exceptions such as those wallet-tempting 7Artisans but, aside from lower cost, in my opinion, it's smart to run LTM rather than M lenses where possible.
LTM lenses are shining examples of how good an investment the Leica rangefinder system is because LTM lenses can be used on cameras dating from the 1930's until this very day and across numerous brands. Seamlessly in most cases. I don't even own an M mount 50. You don't really need to either if you don't want to. And all you'll need to make your LTM work on the latest M body is an LTM adapter.
Oh, and just to let you know, all the example images below will be portraits taken on Kodak Tri-X three to four feet away for as direct a comparison that a scatter-brained stream of consciousness shooter like myself can offer! Obviously each lens will exhibit more obvious differences at full aperture but I hope these give you some idea of their "average" performance and character for real world use.
Here we go!
Leitz Elmar 5cm f3.5
Typical lens cost = $130 - $400 | FIKUS = $30 - $70 | FISON $30 - $250 | VALOO - $100 - $200
The Leitz Elmar 5cm (50mm) is essentially the first and one of the best Leica lenses ever designed or constructed, as agreed on by pretty much everyone. Due to it's modest maximum aperture and relative ubiquity, it's an affordable lens with many good deals to be had. What this lens lacks in speed, it makes up for with size and enjoyment. When collapsed into a Barnack, the rig is pocketable, and when extended, even with a hood mounted, viewfinder blockage is non-existent or minimal on most bodies. There is a certain gestalt to running the Elmar on a Barnack because the Elmar was originally designed as a non-interchangeable part of the first Leica cameras. The 5cm Elmar is really as much at the heart of early 35mm photography. These lenses are fantastic performers with excellent flare resistance despite little or no UV coating. Unlike faster lenses of the era, character is very consistent across the aperture and distance range, making them easier to use effectively regardless of the lighting situation. A Summar, for example, may be as sharp as the Elmar at the same settings but its rendering can be softened by veiling flare in conditions where the Elmar simply doesn't flinch. Yes, the aperture control is unusual but not as annoying as it may look, just a tad slower to operate than conventional ring-style aperture. Focus control is very smooth and classic Leica with the little focus knob and infinity lock. This is an ancient lens so most copies have non-standard aperture scales and of course, no click-stops or anti-UV coating. This isn't the lens for low light work of course but you might just be surprised how infrequently you need anything faster than f3.5 during the day. Many folks run their 5cm Elmars sans hood but none of its available hoods are really THAT big and the VALOO hood can even be used to change aperture faster/more easily. The Elmar remains a legendary, budget-friendly, and high-performing choice for any M39 screw mount camera body and isn't too shabby on an M either.
Reasons to buy the Elmar - history, sharpness, very little veiling flare, compactness, economy
Reasons to avoid the Elmar - speed
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f3.5 Elmar Nickel | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summar 5cm f2
Typical lens cost = $130 - $900 | SOOMP = $50 - $250 | FISON $30 - $25
The Leitz Summar was the company's first "fast lens" if one doesn't count the rare 5cm 2.5 Hektor. Released in 1932, the Summar is said to have been on backorder for over a year due to unusually high demand. Summar's wide maximum aperture makes it a nearly modern lens in terms of specs but with the handling and performance quirks of early 20th century photography. In particular conditions, the Summar can flare heavily and produce captivating swirly bokeh as an effects lens. Even in the most favorable conditions, f2 is on the soft side with obvious edge fall-off, but not to an unacceptable degree. The Summar also exhibits that classic "Leica glow" to the highlights. The middle of this lens is reasonable sharp through its focus range and it's nearly as compact as the Elmar. These early lenses are all about condition. If you want to eek out every drop of performance, top dollar must be spent on an infrequently used, well-maintained example. I hear that having the Summar UV coated can really clean up it's tendency to flare, or maybe just using a yellow filter to recover contrast. And a proper hood is also encouraged. There were a number of interesting variations on Summar's barrel, so steer clear of the rigid, black nose and nickel copies to keep costs in check. This is a great daily carry and fun lens that is more versatile than the Elmar but will take a little more understanding and appreciation for quirkiness in brighter conditions. My particular copy is very early and exhibits some cleaning marks but remains quite sharp stopped down, particularly in indoor lighting where flare is less of a concern. The Leica 5cm Summar is an often overlooked classic with excellent size and handling with fun performance.
Reasons to buy the Summar - speed, compactness, economy, character
Reasons to avoid the Summar - veiling flare reduces sharpness/contrast
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f2 Summar Nickel | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summitar 5cm f2
Typical lens cost = $200 - $600 | SOOPD = $50 - $100 | SOOFM = $50 - $100 | ITDOO = $30 - $250
The Summitar is the sweet spot between budget and performance for many LTM Leica photographers. Noticeably larger than the Summar but it is also noticeably sharper, more controlled and consistent in its renderings. The Summitar is the height of 50mm lens development prior to the popularization of Petzval field curvature correction that brought the Summicron into historical status and lens design into modernity. Where Summar images can look dated and soft, Summitar images playfully blend crisp subjects and flare resistance with painterly backgrounds and moderate fall-off at wider apertures. I'd venture to say that a good copy of the Summitar, used at closer distances at middle apertures will deliver that 3d pop that is more commonly associated with 1960's and newer M lenses. There are roughly three flavors of Summitar - uncoated with 10 blades, coated with 10 blades and coated with 6 blades. The coated 10 blade copies are most desired for the "best of both worlds" character noted above, but I am very content with the coated 6 blade copy that found its way into my life. Unlike the speed-restricting Elmar and somewhat quirky Summar, I've never talked to a Summitar shooter who didn't praise this lens as an all-purpose 50. (except for Jeremy Zorns) The Summitar is small, reasonably fast and competitively sharp. It's aperture control is closer to a modern lens than the Elmar and Summar with modern f-stop scale, but it is still void of click-stops. Hoods can be a hot topic with Summitar, so be sure to read about your options. To me, the main reasons you'd want the Elmar or Summar over the Summitar could only be about budget, haptics and/or being deliberately anachronistic! The Summitar leans more to an affordable Summicron than just a Summar variant.
Reasons to buy the Summitar - speed, sharpness, compactness, economy
Reasons to avoid the Summitar - you insist on the Summicron!
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f2 Summitar 6 blade | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summarit 5cm 1.5
Typical lens cost = $350 - $1000 | XOONS $120 - $200
If you know my work, you know I like to shoot in the dark, which is why I sought out the Summarit. The 50/2's noted above are absolutely lovely and get plenty of use but if I were to keep just one Leitz 50, it would hands down be my enchanting, inspiring and controversial little 5cm Summarit 1.5. There's some context one has to know in order to understand this weird lens. It was 1949 and Leitz was under some pressure to answer Japan's excellent LTM offerings. Rather than let Nikon beat them to the punch, Leitz licensed out a design by Taylor and Hobson, the 50mm 1.5 Xenon. T&H's design included an aperture ring that was marked opposite Leitz's but I guess there wasn't time or motivation to change it. This, and perhaps the lack of Leica glow and just a harsher character in general, gives away that the Summarit was not a true blood Leitz product. That being said, Leitz added their own sophisticated coatings, tight construction tolerances and heavy chroming, to bring the T&H product up to snuff. In early literature, the Summarit was touted as a top tier lens that could take ones photography into a whole new realm. And while I personally agree, it seems that many decades of shooters' negative opinions of the Summarit's wide open performance and it's un-pure DNA turned Summarit into a bit of a dirty word; now used to name Leica's line of budget M lenses. And look, I get it. The dreamy wide open character of the Summarit is certainly not for everyone or every shooting situation. But I still strongly endorse it because I have never handled a lens that has been so enjoyable, rewarding and just plain fun to use. I tend not to run the Summarit on my Barnacks as it's quite dense and, with the beautifully crafted XOONS hood mounted, viewfinder blockage is unavoidable. But on my Canon ViL, Voigtlander Bessa R2 or particularly Leica M6 TTL, the Summarit feels not only at home, but like an enhancement to the camera body. It is wonderfully dense but very small for a fast 50. Focus throw via the knob is on the long side as expected and damping is on the heavy side but very smooth. The variable distanced aperture click stops are a mechanical delight. Matt Osborne, in particular, lamented in his 2020 review, the veiling flare or "milky" look with this lens, but I don't think he was using the XOONS hood and maybe you should lose that UV filter, Matt! This hood is pure art, made of brass with a rare black crinkle finish. It looks great and it cleans up the Summarit's performance keenly. Stopped down to f4-f8 with XOONS mounted, the bastardly Summarit of 1949 can easily be confused with a modern lens. Sharpness is not clinical but is quite pleasing. Pop is not exactly 3d but there is an inexplicable depth to Summarit's treatment of in and out of focus areas. Now, as you open it up, Summarit begins to drift. Out of focus points of light become ovals and crescents and swirl. Full aperture is the furthest thing from sharp. A good, well calibrated rangefinder like the M3 or M6 TTL .85 might be called into question by this lens. Focus is not obvious at wide apertures but more of a casual suggestion that sends ones eye around the frame to get lost in smooth bokeh. I'm a b&w guy but the muted tonality and delicate rendering of the Summarit is quite nice for fanciful color portraits that I've seen. And for me, running the Summarit is like having two lenses in one - a strong portrait lens and a dreamy art lens. If this isn't for you, I get it. But if this duality at all interests you, I would urge you to give the 5cm 1.5 Summarit a try!
Reasons to buy the Summarit - speed, character, hand-feel
Reasons to avoid the Summarit - you want a sharper/smaller lens or a more modern rendering
Leica M6 TTL 0.85 | Leitz 5cm f1.5 Summarit | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Voigtlander 50mm Nokton 1.5
Typical lens cost = $300 - $600 | hood usually included
If nothing above impressed you because you want a more modern look and are less concerned with the tiny sizes and the haptics for which Leica is known, Cosina Voigtlander's first version of the popular 50mm 1.5 Nokton might be for you. This lens is the largest in this list and is a bit silly looking on a Barnack but reasonably balanced on an M. The Nokton will make you forget about flaring and delivers generous micro-contrast and tone-accurate rendering all day, throughout its range. It's remarkably sharp at full aperture, minimum distance as many fast 50 shooters want. The Voigt 50/1.5 is a shockingly high-performing lens and makes a great go-to for someone who never wants to buy another 50mm again. That being said, my copy failed on me with fairly heavy use, not once but twice. You simply cannot expect the same Leica build quality with Cosina products but results are absolutely stellar, rivaled only by much more modern/expensive Leitz and Zeiss glass.
Reasons to buy the Nokton - speed, sharpness, micro-contrast, almost no flare, economy
Reasons to avoid the Nokton - size, build quality
Leica M6 TTL 0.85 | Voigtländer 50mm 1.5 Nokton LTM | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
You know, as I look at all my sample photos, I'm reminded that the major differences between these and pretty much all lenses of the same focal length are really only seen in very particular situations and in their physical handling - both of which are very subjective in regards to what and how one shoots. And hey, there are probably thousands of 50mm LTM and M mount lenses to choose from, and they are all probably pretty great in their own right. So don't be like me. Don't buy 5 different 50mm lenses expecting any truly significant difference! But hopefully, my journey can help inform your next purchase.
Thanks for reading and happy shooting!
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Ten Excellent Vintage Lenses That Work Great on Mirrorless Cameras
#educational #guides #100300mm #100mm #180mm #35mm #35mmlens #35mmlenses #45mm #50mm #85mm #90mm #canon #canonfd #contax #contaxzeiss #distagon #elmar #film #filmlenses #leica #leica50mm #leicalens #leicalenses #leicam #ltm #m39 #macro #minolta #minoltarokkor #nikkor #nikon #olympus #olympusom #sonnar #summicron #tessar #tokina #tokinaatx #vintage #vintagelens #vintagelenses #voigtlander #voigtlanderapo #zeiss #zeisslens #zeisslenses
Choosing Leica mount lenses is always a bit of a struggle for me. I can find things I like and don't like about them all. And the ones that meet my ideal specs are often out of my price range. So I will end up buying another lens as a reaction to something I did or did not like about the last one and eventually, I'll have spent on several lenses what I could have spent on just one all around general purpose lens.
When I bought my 1930 Leica, it came with a nickel Summar. I didn't really have any need or interest in the Summar because I already owned and loved my Summitar (also a 50mm f2 collapsible.) But because I had it, I wanted to try the Summar. It turned out that I enjoyed that uncoated, early Leitz look as well as the diminutive physical size of the Summar but wanting something more flare resistant, I was lead to purchase a nickel Elmar. For 12 hour weddings, I need a fast 50 though, something that can stay on my camera sun up to sun down if necessary. So when my Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 bit the dust, I got the Leitz Summarit 50/1.5. And lately, I'm kinda wanting to get another Nokton.
What's a picky, demanding photographer on a budget to do?!
So listen, I'm writing this blog to share my experience with these 5 LTM 50's for $500 or less because I accidently acquired this experience, not because I recommend repeating it! It might be wiser to just buy that multi-thousand dollar 50mm lens and be finished the search so that you can spend your time shooting. But maybe, one or two of these cheaper 50's will be perfect for your individual purposes and you won't have to buy 5 cheap lenses or 1 expensive one.
Maybe 50 isn't your go-to length, you're rocking a lower cost system or you already blew all your cash on that coveted Leica M but need something to mount on it. Regardless the reason for your interest in a budget lens, 50mm is one focal length that I still don't believe should require lifetime payment plans. There are so many to choose from and enjoy!
Generally, most any Leica mount 50 below about $700 is going to be LTM, rather than M mount. There are some exceptions such as those wallet-tempting 7Artisans but, aside from lower cost, in my opinion, it's smart to run LTM rather than M lenses where possible.
LTM lenses are shining examples of how good an investment the Leica rangefinder system is because LTM lenses can be used on cameras dating from the 1930's until this very day and across numerous brands. Seamlessly in most cases. I don't even own an M mount 50. You don't really need to either if you don't want to. And all you'll need to make your LTM work on the latest M body is an LTM adapter.
Oh, and just to let you know, all the example images below will be portraits taken on Kodak Tri-X three to four feet away for as direct a comparison that a scatter-brained stream of consciousness shooter like myself can offer! Obviously each lens will exhibit more obvious differences at full aperture but I hope these give you some idea of their "average" performance and character for real world use.
Here we go!
Leitz Elmar 5cm f3.5
Typical lens cost = $130 - $400 | FIKUS = $30 - $70 | FISON $30 - $250 | VALOO - $100 - $200
The Leitz Elmar 5cm (50mm) is essentially the first and one of the best Leica lenses ever designed or constructed, as agreed on by pretty much everyone. Due to it's modest maximum aperture and relative ubiquity, it's an affordable lens with many good deals to be had. What this lens lacks in speed, it makes up for with size and enjoyment. When collapsed into a Barnack, the rig is pocketable, and when extended, even with a hood mounted, viewfinder blockage is non-existent or minimal on most bodies. There is a certain gestalt to running the Elmar on a Barnack because the Elmar was originally designed as a non-interchangeable part of the first Leica cameras. The 5cm Elmar is really as much at the heart of early 35mm photography. These lenses are fantastic performers with excellent flare resistance despite little or no UV coating. Unlike faster lenses of the era, character is very consistent across the aperture and distance range, making them easier to use effectively regardless of the lighting situation. A Summar, for example, may be as sharp as the Elmar at the same settings but its rendering can be softened by veiling flare in conditions where the Elmar simply doesn't flinch. Yes, the aperture control is unusual but not as annoying as it may look, just a tad slower to operate than conventional ring-style aperture. Focus control is very smooth and classic Leica with the little focus knob and infinity lock. This is an ancient lens so most copies have non-standard aperture scales and of course, no click-stops or anti-UV coating. This isn't the lens for low light work of course but you might just be surprised how infrequently you need anything faster than f3.5 during the day. Many folks run their 5cm Elmars sans hood but none of its available hoods are really THAT big and the VALOO hood can even be used to change aperture faster/more easily. The Elmar remains a legendary, budget-friendly, and high-performing choice for any M39 screw mount camera body and isn't too shabby on an M either.
Reasons to buy the Elmar - history, sharpness, very little veiling flare, compactness, economy
Reasons to avoid the Elmar - speed
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f3.5 Elmar Nickel | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summar 5cm f2
Typical lens cost = $130 - $900 | SOOMP = $50 - $250 | FISON $30 - $25
The Leitz Summar was the company's first "fast lens" if one doesn't count the rare 5cm 2.5 Hektor. Released in 1932, the Summar is said to have been on backorder for over a year due to unusually high demand. Summar's wide maximum aperture makes it a nearly modern lens in terms of specs but with the handling and performance quirks of early 20th century photography. In particular conditions, the Summar can flare heavily and produce captivating swirly bokeh as an effects lens. Even in the most favorable conditions, f2 is on the soft side with obvious edge fall-off, but not to an unacceptable degree. The Summar also exhibits that classic "Leica glow" to the highlights. The middle of this lens is reasonable sharp through its focus range and it's nearly as compact as the Elmar. These early lenses are all about condition. If you want to eek out every drop of performance, top dollar must be spent on an infrequently used, well-maintained example. I hear that having the Summar UV coated can really clean up it's tendency to flare, or maybe just using a yellow filter to recover contrast. And a proper hood is also encouraged. There were a number of interesting variations on Summar's barrel, so steer clear of the rigid, black nose and nickel copies to keep costs in check. This is a great daily carry and fun lens that is more versatile than the Elmar but will take a little more understanding and appreciation for quirkiness in brighter conditions. My particular copy is very early and exhibits some cleaning marks but remains quite sharp stopped down, particularly in indoor lighting where flare is less of a concern. The Leica 5cm Summar is an often overlooked classic with excellent size and handling with fun performance.
Reasons to buy the Summar - speed, compactness, economy, character
Reasons to avoid the Summar - veiling flare reduces sharpness/contrast
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f2 Summar Nickel | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summitar 5cm f2
Typical lens cost = $200 - $600 | SOOPD = $50 - $100 | SOOFM = $50 - $100 | ITDOO = $30 - $250
The Summitar is the sweet spot between budget and performance for many LTM Leica photographers. Noticeably larger than the Summar but it is also noticeably sharper, more controlled and consistent in its renderings. The Summitar is the height of 50mm lens development prior to the popularization of Petzval field curvature correction that brought the Summicron into historical status and lens design into modernity. Where Summar images can look dated and soft, Summitar images playfully blend crisp subjects and flare resistance with painterly backgrounds and moderate fall-off at wider apertures. I'd venture to say that a good copy of the Summitar, used at closer distances at middle apertures will deliver that 3d pop that is more commonly associated with 1960's and newer M lenses. There are roughly three flavors of Summitar - uncoated with 10 blades, coated with 10 blades and coated with 6 blades. The coated 10 blade copies are most desired for the "best of both worlds" character noted above, but I am very content with the coated 6 blade copy that found its way into my life. Unlike the speed-restricting Elmar and somewhat quirky Summar, I've never talked to a Summitar shooter who didn't praise this lens as an all-purpose 50. (except for Jeremy Zorns) The Summitar is small, reasonably fast and competitively sharp. It's aperture control is closer to a modern lens than the Elmar and Summar with modern f-stop scale, but it is still void of click-stops. Hoods can be a hot topic with Summitar, so be sure to read about your options. To me, the main reasons you'd want the Elmar or Summar over the Summitar could only be about budget, haptics and/or being deliberately anachronistic! The Summitar leans more to an affordable Summicron than just a Summar variant.
Reasons to buy the Summitar - speed, sharpness, compactness, economy
Reasons to avoid the Summitar - you insist on the Summicron!
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f2 Summitar 6 blade | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summarit 5cm 1.5
Typical lens cost = $350 - $1000 | XOONS $120 - $200
If you know my work, you know I like to shoot in the dark, which is why I sought out the Summarit. The 50/2's noted above are absolutely lovely and get plenty of use but if I were to keep just one Leitz 50, it would hands down be my enchanting, inspiring and controversial little 5cm Summarit 1.5. There's some context one has to know in order to understand this weird lens. It was 1949 and Leitz was under some pressure to answer Japan's excellent LTM offerings. Rather than let Nikon beat them to the punch, Leitz licensed out a design by Taylor and Hobson, the 50mm 1.5 Xenon. T&H's design included an aperture ring that was marked opposite Leitz's but I guess there wasn't time or motivation to change it. This, and perhaps the lack of Leica glow and just a harsher character in general, gives away that the Summarit was not a true blood Leitz product. That being said, Leitz added their own sophisticated coatings, tight construction tolerances and heavy chroming, to bring the T&H product up to snuff. In early literature, the Summarit was touted as a top tier lens that could take ones photography into a whole new realm. And while I personally agree, it seems that many decades of shooters' negative opinions of the Summarit's wide open performance and it's un-pure DNA turned Summarit into a bit of a dirty word; now used to name Leica's line of budget M lenses. And look, I get it. The dreamy wide open character of the Summarit is certainly not for everyone or every shooting situation. But I still strongly endorse it because I have never handled a lens that has been so enjoyable, rewarding and just plain fun to use. I tend not to run the Summarit on my Barnacks as it's quite dense and, with the beautifully crafted XOONS hood mounted, viewfinder blockage is unavoidable. But on my Canon ViL, Voigtlander Bessa R2 or particularly Leica M6 TTL, the Summarit feels not only at home, but like an enhancement to the camera body. It is wonderfully dense but very small for a fast 50. Focus throw via the knob is on the long side as expected and damping is on the heavy side but very smooth. The variable distanced aperture click stops are a mechanical delight. Matt Osborne, in particular, lamented in his 2020 review, the veiling flare or "milky" look with this lens, but I don't think he was using the XOONS hood and maybe you should lose that UV filter, Matt! This hood is pure art, made of brass with a rare black crinkle finish. It looks great and it cleans up the Summarit's performance keenly. Stopped down to f4-f8 with XOONS mounted, the bastardly Summarit of 1949 can easily be confused with a modern lens. Sharpness is not clinical but is quite pleasing. Pop is not exactly 3d but there is an inexplicable depth to Summarit's treatment of in and out of focus areas. Now, as you open it up, Summarit begins to drift. Out of focus points of light become ovals and crescents and swirl. Full aperture is the furthest thing from sharp. A good, well calibrated rangefinder like the M3 or M6 TTL .85 might be called into question by this lens. Focus is not obvious at wide apertures but more of a casual suggestion that sends ones eye around the frame to get lost in smooth bokeh. I'm a b&w guy but the muted tonality and delicate rendering of the Summarit is quite nice for fanciful color portraits that I've seen. And for me, running the Summarit is like having two lenses in one - a strong portrait lens and a dreamy art lens. If this isn't for you, I get it. But if this duality at all interests you, I would urge you to give the 5cm 1.5 Summarit a try!
Reasons to buy the Summarit - speed, character, hand-feel
Reasons to avoid the Summarit - you want a sharper/smaller lens or a more modern rendering
Leica M6 TTL 0.85 | Leitz 5cm f1.5 Summarit | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Voigtlander 50mm Nokton 1.5
Typical lens cost = $300 - $600 | hood usually included
If nothing above impressed you because you want a more modern look and are less concerned with the tiny sizes and the haptics for which Leica is known, Cosina Voigtlander's first version of the popular 50mm 1.5 Nokton might be for you. This lens is the largest in this list and is a bit silly looking on a Barnack but reasonably balanced on an M. The Nokton will make you forget about flaring and delivers generous micro-contrast and tone-accurate rendering all day, throughout its range. It's remarkably sharp at full aperture, minimum distance as many fast 50 shooters want. The Voigt 50/1.5 is a shockingly high-performing lens and makes a great go-to for someone who never wants to buy another 50mm again. That being said, my copy failed on me with fairly heavy use, not once but twice. You simply cannot expect the same Leica build quality with Cosina products but results are absolutely stellar, rivaled only by much more modern/expensive Leitz and Zeiss glass.
Reasons to buy the Nokton - speed, sharpness, micro-contrast, almost no flare, economy
Reasons to avoid the Nokton - size, build quality
Leica M6 TTL 0.85 | Voigtländer 50mm 1.5 Nokton LTM | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
You know, as I look at all my sample photos, I'm reminded that the major differences between these and pretty much all lenses of the same focal length are really only seen in very particular situations and in their physical handling - both of which are very subjective in regards to what and how one shoots. And hey, there are probably thousands of 50mm LTM and M mount lenses to choose from, and they are all probably pretty great in their own right. So don't be like me. Don't buy 5 different 50mm lenses expecting any truly significant difference! But hopefully, my journey can help inform your next purchase.
Thanks for reading and happy shooting!
_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _
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Choosing Leica mount lenses is always a bit of a struggle for me. I can find things I like and don't like about them all. And the ones that meet my ideal specs are often out of my price range. So I will end up buying another lens as a reaction to something I did or did not like about the last one and eventually, I'll have spent on several lenses what I could have spent on just one all around general purpose lens.
When I bought my 1930 Leica, it came with a nickel Summar. I didn't really have any need or interest in the Summar because I already owned and loved my Summitar (also a 50mm f2 collapsible.) But because I had it, I wanted to try the Summar. It turned out that I enjoyed that uncoated, early Leitz look as well as the diminutive physical size of the Summar but wanting something more flare resistant, I was lead to purchase a nickel Elmar. For 12 hour weddings, I need a fast 50 though, something that can stay on my camera sun up to sun down if necessary. So when my Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.5 bit the dust, I got the Leitz Summarit 50/1.5. And lately, I'm kinda wanting to get another Nokton.
What's a picky, demanding photographer on a budget to do?!
So listen, I'm writing this blog to share my experience with these 5 LTM 50's for $500 or less because I accidently acquired this experience, not because I recommend repeating it! It might be wiser to just buy that multi-thousand dollar 50mm lens and be finished the search so that you can spend your time shooting. But maybe, one or two of these cheaper 50's will be perfect for your individual purposes and you won't have to buy 5 cheap lenses or 1 expensive one.
Maybe 50 isn't your go-to length, you're rocking a lower cost system or you already blew all your cash on that coveted Leica M but need something to mount on it. Regardless the reason for your interest in a budget lens, 50mm is one focal length that I still don't believe should require lifetime payment plans. There are so many to choose from and enjoy!
Generally, most any Leica mount 50 below about $700 is going to be LTM, rather than M mount. There are some exceptions such as those wallet-tempting 7Artisans but, aside from lower cost, in my opinion, it's smart to run LTM rather than M lenses where possible.
LTM lenses are shining examples of how good an investment the Leica rangefinder system is because LTM lenses can be used on cameras dating from the 1930's until this very day and across numerous brands. Seamlessly in most cases. I don't even own an M mount 50. You don't really need to either if you don't want to. And all you'll need to make your LTM work on the latest M body is an LTM adapter.
Oh, and just to let you know, all the example images below will be portraits taken on Kodak Tri-X three to four feet away for as direct a comparison that a scatter-brained stream of consciousness shooter like myself can offer! Obviously each lens will exhibit more obvious differences at full aperture but I hope these give you some idea of their "average" performance and character for real world use.
Here we go!
Leitz Elmar 5cm f3.5
Typical lens cost = $130 - $400 | FIKUS = $30 - $70 | FISON $30 - $250 | VALOO - $100 - $200
The Leitz Elmar 5cm (50mm) is essentially the first and one of the best Leica lenses ever designed or constructed, as agreed on by pretty much everyone. Due to it's modest maximum aperture and relative ubiquity, it's an affordable lens with many good deals to be had. What this lens lacks in speed, it makes up for with size and enjoyment. When collapsed into a Barnack, the rig is pocketable, and when extended, even with a hood mounted, viewfinder blockage is non-existent or minimal on most bodies. There is a certain gestalt to running the Elmar on a Barnack because the Elmar was originally designed as a non-interchangeable part of the first Leica cameras. The 5cm Elmar is really as much at the heart of early 35mm photography. These lenses are fantastic performers with excellent flare resistance despite little or no UV coating. Unlike faster lenses of the era, character is very consistent across the aperture and distance range, making them easier to use effectively regardless of the lighting situation. A Summar, for example, may be as sharp as the Elmar at the same settings but its rendering can be softened by veiling flare in conditions where the Elmar simply doesn't flinch. Yes, the aperture control is unusual but not as annoying as it may look, just a tad slower to operate than conventional ring-style aperture. Focus control is very smooth and classic Leica with the little focus knob and infinity lock. This is an ancient lens so most copies have non-standard aperture scales and of course, no click-stops or anti-UV coating. This isn't the lens for low light work of course but you might just be surprised how infrequently you need anything faster than f3.5 during the day. Many folks run their 5cm Elmars sans hood but none of its available hoods are really THAT big and the VALOO hood can even be used to change aperture faster/more easily. The Elmar remains a legendary, budget-friendly, and high-performing choice for any M39 screw mount camera body and isn't too shabby on an M either.
Reasons to buy the Elmar - history, sharpness, very little veiling flare, compactness, economy
Reasons to avoid the Elmar - speed
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f3.5 Elmar Nickel | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summar 5cm f2
Typical lens cost = $130 - $900 | SOOMP = $50 - $250 | FISON $30 - $25
The Leitz Summar was the company's first "fast lens" if one doesn't count the rare 5cm 2.5 Hektor. Released in 1932, the Summar is said to have been on backorder for over a year due to unusually high demand. Summar's wide maximum aperture makes it a nearly modern lens in terms of specs but with the handling and performance quirks of early 20th century photography. In particular conditions, the Summar can flare heavily and produce captivating swirly bokeh as an effects lens. Even in the most favorable conditions, f2 is on the soft side with obvious edge fall-off, but not to an unacceptable degree. The Summar also exhibits that classic "Leica glow" to the highlights. The middle of this lens is reasonable sharp through its focus range and it's nearly as compact as the Elmar. These early lenses are all about condition. If you want to eek out every drop of performance, top dollar must be spent on an infrequently used, well-maintained example. I hear that having the Summar UV coated can really clean up it's tendency to flare, or maybe just using a yellow filter to recover contrast. And a proper hood is also encouraged. There were a number of interesting variations on Summar's barrel, so steer clear of the rigid, black nose and nickel copies to keep costs in check. This is a great daily carry and fun lens that is more versatile than the Elmar but will take a little more understanding and appreciation for quirkiness in brighter conditions. My particular copy is very early and exhibits some cleaning marks but remains quite sharp stopped down, particularly in indoor lighting where flare is less of a concern. The Leica 5cm Summar is an often overlooked classic with excellent size and handling with fun performance.
Reasons to buy the Summar - speed, compactness, economy, character
Reasons to avoid the Summar - veiling flare reduces sharpness/contrast
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f2 Summar Nickel | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summitar 5cm f2
Typical lens cost = $200 - $600 | SOOPD = $50 - $100 | SOOFM = $50 - $100 | ITDOO = $30 - $250
The Summitar is the sweet spot between budget and performance for many LTM Leica photographers. Noticeably larger than the Summar but it is also noticeably sharper, more controlled and consistent in its renderings. The Summitar is the height of 50mm lens development prior to the popularization of Petzval field curvature correction that brought the Summicron into historical status and lens design into modernity. Where Summar images can look dated and soft, Summitar images playfully blend crisp subjects and flare resistance with painterly backgrounds and moderate fall-off at wider apertures. I'd venture to say that a good copy of the Summitar, used at closer distances at middle apertures will deliver that 3d pop that is more commonly associated with 1960's and newer M lenses. There are roughly three flavors of Summitar - uncoated with 10 blades, coated with 10 blades and coated with 6 blades. The coated 10 blade copies are most desired for the "best of both worlds" character noted above, but I am very content with the coated 6 blade copy that found its way into my life. Unlike the speed-restricting Elmar and somewhat quirky Summar, I've never talked to a Summitar shooter who didn't praise this lens as an all-purpose 50. (except for Jeremy Zorns) The Summitar is small, reasonably fast and competitively sharp. It's aperture control is closer to a modern lens than the Elmar and Summar with modern f-stop scale, but it is still void of click-stops. Hoods can be a hot topic with Summitar, so be sure to read about your options. To me, the main reasons you'd want the Elmar or Summar over the Summitar could only be about budget, haptics and/or being deliberately anachronistic! The Summitar leans more to an affordable Summicron than just a Summar variant.
Reasons to buy the Summitar - speed, sharpness, compactness, economy
Reasons to avoid the Summitar - you insist on the Summicron!
1930 Leica I/III | Leitz 5cm f2 Summitar 6 blade | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Leitz Summarit 5cm 1.5
Typical lens cost = $350 - $1000 | XOONS $120 - $200
If you know my work, you know I like to shoot in the dark, which is why I sought out the Summarit. The 50/2's noted above are absolutely lovely and get plenty of use but if I were to keep just one Leitz 50, it would hands down be my enchanting, inspiring and controversial little 5cm Summarit 1.5. There's some context one has to know in order to understand this weird lens. It was 1949 and Leitz was under some pressure to answer Japan's excellent LTM offerings. Rather than let Nikon beat them to the punch, Leitz licensed out a design by Taylor and Hobson, the 50mm 1.5 Xenon. T&H's design included an aperture ring that was marked opposite Leitz's but I guess there wasn't time or motivation to change it. This, and perhaps the lack of Leica glow and just a harsher character in general, gives away that the Summarit was not a true blood Leitz product. That being said, Leitz added their own sophisticated coatings, tight construction tolerances and heavy chroming, to bring the T&H product up to snuff. In early literature, the Summarit was touted as a top tier lens that could take ones photography into a whole new realm. And while I personally agree, it seems that many decades of shooters' negative opinions of the Summarit's wide open performance and it's un-pure DNA turned Summarit into a bit of a dirty word; now used to name Leica's line of budget M lenses. And look, I get it. The dreamy wide open character of the Summarit is certainly not for everyone or every shooting situation. But I still strongly endorse it because I have never handled a lens that has been so enjoyable, rewarding and just plain fun to use. I tend not to run the Summarit on my Barnacks as it's quite dense and, with the beautifully crafted XOONS hood mounted, viewfinder blockage is unavoidable. But on my Canon ViL, Voigtlander Bessa R2 or particularly Leica M6 TTL, the Summarit feels not only at home, but like an enhancement to the camera body. It is wonderfully dense but very small for a fast 50. Focus throw via the knob is on the long side as expected and damping is on the heavy side but very smooth. The variable distanced aperture click stops are a mechanical delight. Matt Osborne, in particular, lamented in his 2020 review, the veiling flare or "milky" look with this lens, but I don't think he was using the XOONS hood and maybe you should lose that UV filter, Matt! This hood is pure art, made of brass with a rare black crinkle finish. It looks great and it cleans up the Summarit's performance keenly. Stopped down to f4-f8 with XOONS mounted, the bastardly Summarit of 1949 can easily be confused with a modern lens. Sharpness is not clinical but is quite pleasing. Pop is not exactly 3d but there is an inexplicable depth to Summarit's treatment of in and out of focus areas. Now, as you open it up, Summarit begins to drift. Out of focus points of light become ovals and crescents and swirl. Full aperture is the furthest thing from sharp. A good, well calibrated rangefinder like the M3 or M6 TTL .85 might be called into question by this lens. Focus is not obvious at wide apertures but more of a casual suggestion that sends ones eye around the frame to get lost in smooth bokeh. I'm a b&w guy but the muted tonality and delicate rendering of the Summarit is quite nice for fanciful color portraits that I've seen. And for me, running the Summarit is like having two lenses in one - a strong portrait lens and a dreamy art lens. If this isn't for you, I get it. But if this duality at all interests you, I would urge you to give the 5cm 1.5 Summarit a try!
Reasons to buy the Summarit - speed, character, hand-feel
Reasons to avoid the Summarit - you want a sharper/smaller lens or a more modern rendering
Leica M6 TTL 0.85 | Leitz 5cm f1.5 Summarit | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
Voigtlander 50mm Nokton 1.5
Typical lens cost = $300 - $600 | hood usually included
If nothing above impressed you because you want a more modern look and are less concerned with the tiny sizes and the haptics for which Leica is known, Cosina Voigtlander's first version of the popular 50mm 1.5 Nokton might be for you. This lens is the largest in this list and is a bit silly looking on a Barnack but reasonably balanced on an M. The Nokton will make you forget about flaring and delivers generous micro-contrast and tone-accurate rendering all day, throughout its range. It's remarkably sharp at full aperture, minimum distance as many fast 50 shooters want. The Voigt 50/1.5 is a shockingly high-performing lens and makes a great go-to for someone who never wants to buy another 50mm again. That being said, my copy failed on me with fairly heavy use, not once but twice. You simply cannot expect the same Leica build quality with Cosina products but results are absolutely stellar, rivaled only by much more modern/expensive Leitz and Zeiss glass.
Reasons to buy the Nokton - speed, sharpness, micro-contrast, almost no flare, economy
Reasons to avoid the Nokton - size, build quality
Leica M6 TTL 0.85 | Voigtländer 50mm 1.5 Nokton LTM | Kodak Tri-X 400 | Kodak HC110b | www.JohnnyMartyr.com
You know, as I look at all my sample photos, I'm reminded that the major differences between these and pretty much all lenses of the same focal length are really only seen in very particular situations and in their physical handling - both of which are very subjective in regards to what and how one shoots. And hey, there are probably thousands of 50mm LTM and M mount lenses to choose from, and they are all probably pretty great in their own right. So don't be like me. Don't buy 5 different 50mm lenses expecting any truly significant difference! But hopefully, my journey can help inform your next purchase.
Thanks for reading and happy shooting!
_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _
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Lens Hoods for the Leica Summitar
I touched on this topic a little bit in a previous blog about hoods for various LTM lenses entitled Throwing Shade, but I wanted to drill down on lens hood options for the Leitz 50mm f2 Summitar. As previously stated, I think that earlier Leitz lenses require a hood in many circumstances to perform their best. And there are a number of possible hoods for the Summitar that photographers may be interested in trying. The correct original hood is fairly unpopular due to its size, thus I often see photographers looking for an appropriate alternative. It's a little complicated a task though, because Summitars have an odd outer diameter of 41.5mm and their inner threads are 36mm and recessed within the front ring. This unusual design can make finding a well-fitting hood, or any accessory, a somewhat tricky.
The Leica Summitar is the predecessor of the fabled Leica 50mm f2 Summicron and later copies of the Summitar even share the lens barrel with the early Summicron. Consequently, most Summitars and the Version I 50 Summicron can accept the lens hoods that I'm about to discuss. I'm going to keep Summitar as my point of focus since it's what I use but if you're an early Summicron shooter, by all means, you're welcome to huddle in with us too!
And before we get into hoods, we need to talk about the two main versions of Summitars out there, because yes, which version you have will dictate which hoods you can run.
One might divide Summitar lens types into more categories, for the intens and purposes of this discussion, I'm going to simplify them into just two versions.
Summitar Version I (1939)
Summitars from the first decade of this models production run featured sought-after ten blade aperture diaphragms. The front element was uncoated until 1946. Summitars made in the small window between 1946 and 1949 are often regarded as the most desirable due to having both the ten blades and the UV coating. One problem, however, if you can call it that, is that these first generation Summitars do not have the provision for mounting clip-on hoods that Leica would develop and use for many following decades. Summitar Version II got this update.
If you want to use more common, clip-on Leica hoods, there's a simple way to do this. Screw an original Summitar filter onto your Summitar Version I. The tiny gap between the front ring of the lens and filter should create enough of a groove for the Leica clip-on hoods that we're about to examine, to fit onto Version I Summitars.
Being unfamiliar with this recommendation first-hand and wanting to provide accurate accounts here, I decided to try it with my Summitar Version II. I bought an original Type L green filter (GCYOO) in black paint, mounted it to my Summitar Version 2 and then tried both my ITDOO and SOOPD (hoods discussed below). It worked out great. The ITDOO clicked into place with a little play. The SOOPD fit pretty tightly though. Perhaps moreso than when fitted the standard way. I am unaware of any differences between screwing any Type L filter into a Summitar Version I, though admittedly, for every rule with early Leica, there do seem to be exceptions. Please do let me know in the comments if you know more!
Summitar Version II (1949)
Summitar received some revisions in 1949, the main one being what everyone talks about; the recycling of leftover Summar aperture assemblies. But the change that's important with regards to this discussion is the added groove around the front ring of the lens barrel which allows clip-on lens hoods to be fitted. In true Leica style, this tiny feature appears to be merely cosmetic as it perfectly fits the styling of the Summitar. But it adds considerable functionality to the lens, which can now accept both clamp-on and clip-on accessories. Which, as I'm about to get onto, opens up quite a number of options for future-built lens hoods.
SOOPD Version I (1939 - for 50/2 Summitar Version I)
The earliest hood made for Summitar was called SOOPD. SOOPD works with both Summitar versions because it employees a thumb-screw-adjusted circular clamp to attach to the outer circumference of the lens. SOOPD Version I was finished in either black paint or satin silver chrome. The rear section of black SOOPDS is finished in distinctive crinkle coat black. There were E. Leitz Wetzlar Germany and E. Leitz New York copies. Both feature the E. Leitz logo on the top-facing blade of this four blade barndoor assembly, along with the name "Summitar." The placement of this logo is an easy way to spot the difference between Version I and II SOOPDs in online listings. These hoods were sold in the old style, red boxes with gold text.
The old barndoor hoods opened and closed by means of a precise and elegant little spring mechanism. While this folding mechanism is intuitively useful for stowing the hood, what I find quite genius about it is that the closed position of SOOPD serves as a lens cap for Summitar. I like using SOOPD on faster-paced shoots where I wouldn't typically bother with lens caps. SOOPD can easily be closed very quickly to protect the vulnerable front element and cloth shutter, then opened again just as quickly, to get back to shooting.
SOOPD Version II (1949 - for 50/2 Summitar Version II)
The next version of SOOPD, features a faster push-button, clip-on mounting mechanism. As noted, SOOPD Version II is to be used with 1949/50 Summitars with the accessory groove around the front of the lens. Most of these Summitars, if not all, are the 6 aperture blade type.
On both sides of SOOPD Version II are rectangular, spring-loaded buttons. Press these in and, similar to most newer LTM and early M Leica hoods, little tabs are retracted from inside the circumference of the hood's collar. This allows the shooter to slip the shade over the front of the Summitar and release the buttons, deploying the tabs, such that they clip into the groove on the front of the lens barrel.
The push button arrangement makes for quick and easy installation and removal. However, of the two versions, I prefer the earlier, rarer clamp-on because the Version II SOOPD can rotate around the lens if jostled, throwing off it's proper positioning with the view and rangefinder windows.
The engraving on the top-facing blade of the barndoor of SOOPD Version I was relocated to the right-facing blade of the barndoor of SOOPD Version II. The location of the engraving is a GREAT way to tell SOOPD Versions I and II apart from one another in online listings. To my knowledge, there is not a New York copy of SOOPD Version II, only Wetzlar, Germany. And Version II was also sold in a variation of the textured red box with gold text.
SOOFM (1954 - for 50/2 Summitar Version II & 50/2 Summicron Version I)
In 1953, the Summicron was released and the Summitar was discontinued after a 14 year run. Accordingly, SOOPD was renamed SOOFM and repackaged.
The only difference between SOOPD Version II and SOOFM is the addition of "u. Summicron" on the right-facing barndoor blade text.
The box for SOOFM remained the plain red style for some time before upgrading to the mid-century modern style; beige with a stylized graphic of the hood on it.
SOOFM survived until 1960 when the 50mm Summicron shed the old 1930's style collapsible barrel and went rigid.
ITOOY (1956 - for 50/2.8 and 50/3.5 Elmar)
I've heard some fringe recommendations to run ITOOY with Summitar. Personally, though I haven't tried it because I expect that this hood is is too narrow. It was designed for use with the Elmar 50/2.8 and 3.5. While it would be very low profile in appearance on a Summitar, I have a feeling that it would vignette when used at full aperture. I'm noting it here simply because this hood will mechanically fit on the Summitar and might be an option for someone who doesn't use this lens at full aperture much and wants as small a hood for it as possible.
ITDOO (1956 - for 35/3.5 Summaron & 50/2 Summicron)
Before the presentation box for SOOFM was changed but after the Summitar had been discontinued, Leica released a more compact hood for the Summicron and 35mm Summaron, called ITDOO in 1956.
Like the SOOPD Version II and SOOFM, ITDOO was installed onto the lens via two little push-buttons that took advantage of the recessed ring on the front of these lenses. Unlike the push-button SOOPD and SOOFM, ITDOO is a circular shade, thus it doesn't matter if it is jostled while installed as it does not need to sit any particular way on the lens so as not to affect the viewfinder.
ITDOO originally sold with a plastic rear cap that was not available for SOOPD/SOOFM. And this is an important point of distinction in use between these hoods, in my opinion.
The idea with ITDOO was that the photographer could reverse mount it to the lens, then use the supplied rear cap to cap the hood and lens. I don't think most people even realise that ITDOO can be reverse-mounted and thus, you often see the hood for sale sans original cap. I prefer circular lens hoods whose front can be capped rather than needing to make a big effort to protect the lens. However, by reverse-mounting an ITDOO actually takes up less space in ones camera bag than a barndoor hood, providing that hte lens isn't collapsed. Because, when reverse mounted, ITDOO prevents Summitar from fully collapsing. So it's really just about personal preference at this point.
Capping inconveniences aside, ITDOO is more compact in use and just more conventional in appearance, and therefore has become more popular and more expensive than most copies of the SOOPD, which I feel, is one of the few undervalued Leica accessories available.
I am unaware of any cosmetic variation of the ITDOO. The conical part of the hood is black paint aluminum engraved with "Summaron 3.5cm Summicron 5cm" and the narrow chrome mounting ring is engraved with "Ernst Leitz GmbH Wetzlar" and "Germany" on the opposing face. ITDOO was packaged in the old textured red box with gold lettering and later, the beige box with graphics. Apparently it's not difficult to remove the black paint conical section of ITDOO from its silver chrome mounting band. So sometimes you'll see that someone has fitted another
SNHOO (1957 - for Summitar)
SNHOO isn't a hood but rather a special adaptor ring made specifically for the Summitar. You see, Summitar's filter thread is recessed and therefore requires Summitar-specific filters and accessories. The alternative is to screw in a SNHOO which is a step-up ring with a female 39mm thread. 39mm is a much more common accessory size and will then give the photographer access to any 39mm threaded hood.
Some nameless Chinese company makes cheap, modern aluminum SNHOO copies which are widely sold on eBay along with circular vented hoods that resemble the 1960's Summicron style hood. For lack of a simple list like I've compiled here, I stupidly purchased these poor quality, Chinese knock-off kits from a seller called heavystar and ran it on my Summitar until I found that the fake SNHOO got stuck and had to be twisted and cut out of the threads with wire cutters. The seller wouldn't return my messages, offering no help. So if you are going to run some other 39mm threaded hood on your Summitar, please, go to the trouble of tracking down a Leica-made SNHOO. Check the site or write to Tamarkin for help. Don't attach garbage to your Leica, it's not worth it.
IROOA/12571 (1959 - for 35/2, 35/2.8, 35/3.5 and 50/2, 50/2.8, 50/3.5)
Riding off the coattails of ITDOO, Leica came up with IROOA in 1959. Same basic shape/concept as ITDOO but the chrome band on IROOA is wider and sports two rows of tabs instead of just one row. This allows one to lengthen or shorten the hood and to fit a few other lenses. Additionally, when the IROOA is reverse-mounted to the lens for storage, that second set of tabs can clip onto the lens securely. Whereas when ITDOO is reverse-mounted to the lens, there is only a section of velvet lining in the hood that pressure fits it in place.
There were two versions of the IROOA but they differ only in their engravings and were always sold in the graphic laden boxes
Interestingly, I've noticed that there are some quite nice modern aftermarket IROOA copies for sale on eBay. They are made by a Japanese company called UM, look close to original and some even come in 1950's Leica style boxes. There are also IROOA copies made by a Chinese company called Light Lens Lab. They sell for considerably more than the UM copy, and even it seems, more than some original Leica copies. But Light Lens Lab makes their IROOA's in three colors; all black, all chrome or all gold. And of course, not to be outdone in obscurity, Japan Camera Hunter has shown off a rare distressed black and gold IROOA copy.
IROOA is a useful hood because it fits 50mm f2, 2.8 and 3.5 as well as 35 f2, 2.8 and 3.5 lenses.
12585 (1963 - for 35/2, 35/2.8, 35/3.5 and 50/2, 50/2.8, 50/3.5)
This is probably the hippest looking lens hood that anyone can own. The Leica 12585, when paired with a 50 or 35 Cron and a black and brassed M4 practically defined smart and stylish in the 1960's. Zeiss copied it. Voigtlander copied it. You even see some crazies using a hood this shape on their SLR's. The Leica 12585 is a work of art. Form and function fall in love. This circular hood contains the original ITDOO DNA in terms of its mounting and shape but features a reverse conical nose with three cutaways. It eliminates flaring and reduces viewfinder blockage, but is compact. The unusual shape also makes for a good grip when carrying a Leica by its lens. The 12585 simply redefined what a simple lens hood could look like. I run this hood design on my Voigtlander 40mm Nokton and used to run it on my Summitar. I found the 12585 a little large and modern looking for the 1930's style Summitar. But hey, maybe you have one for your newer lenses and don't feel like buying another hood. It will work fine with the Summitar.
CONCLUSION
From my research, that about wraps up all the hoods that I'd recommend to run on your Leica Summitar. Please don't hesitate to give me a shout if there's anything that I missed!
So, what Summitar hood am I using, you might ask. Well, I am tied between my push-button SOOPD and ITDOO. For sheer pragmatics, the SOOPD gets my vote. But so as not to cause my subjects to stare at my camera in bewilderment, which, yes, sometimes they do and it's distracting, the ITDOO serves nicely. If I were to make a single recommendation, I'd probably recommend the clamp-on SOOPD. Leica really did everything right with the first version of the Summitar hood. If I'd picked it up first, I probably wouldn't have sought out the ITDOO. But on a cosmetic level, the ITDOO seems to look the best on a Summitar in my opinion. While I wouldn't normally go out of my way to buy a camera accessory for mere cosmetics, I do find that the SOOPD draws more attention than I'd like, to the point of it being distracting. Old cameras inspire some amount of conversation with subjects but the SOOPD has a habit of really getting people engaged to the point that I've wound up talking about it with them more than actually shooting. Your mileage may vary though!
Much of the information I've noted here came straight from page 106 of the Leica Accessories Guide, exhaustive eBay window-shopping and talking to Leica experts like rock photographer Jason Nicholson.
All photos were taken with my Olympus OM-1n and 55mm 3.5 Zuiko on Kodak TMAX P3200 rated at 1600 and processed for 3200 in Kodak HC110b. Pictured is my 1947 Leica IIIc and 1954 Summitar with a SOOPD Version 2 hood, ITDOO and GCYOO green filter in black paint (I figured a black paint copy would look more distinct in photos for this blog!).
Thanks for reading and happy shooting!
_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _
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An Odd Length; Voigtländer 75mm 2.5 Heliar
Most prime lens SLR kits are a 28-50-85 or 135. Most rangefinder kits are a 28 or 35-50-90. 75mm is an odd focal length. I don't think it's even available for SLR's and most rangefinder shooters fall on the side of either 50 or 90 - the distinction between normal and portrait focal lengths. 75. What is it? Is it a short portrait lens or a long normal lens? Is it for capturing details, documenting events or posed portraits?
Lately it seems that most shooters who are daring or confused enough to hazard this question are using a Cosina Voigtländer 75mm 1.8 Heliar. Reviews generally concede that this popular lens is quite fine. A buddy of mine, photographer John Nelson lent me his for a few weeks and I honestly didn't take a single frame behind it. Optically, I'm sure it's great but the Heliar 1.8 is just too long, particularly with a hood. I didn't find that it balanced well on any of my cameras.
Admittedly, I am biased because I cut my rangefinder teeth on the older Voigtländer Heliar 2.5. Yes, obviously the 75 Heliar M is a good deal faster than it's LTM predecessor but what I really enjoyed about the 2.5 was it's size and handling, which seemed totally ignored in the speed-centric upgrade. Big apertures are wonderful, but they aren't everything!
A candid that I'd have never gotten with a wider or larger lens - Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Kodak TMAX P3200
You see, the CV 75/2.5 is about the size of most 50/2's, even with it's smart-looking circular hood screwed on. The lens balances very nicely on my Leica M6 TTL and also my Voigtländer Bessa R2, keeping the weight of the camera planted in the palms. The 75/2.5 even seems right at home on my Leica IIIc. A proper brightline finder is rare and costly but how cool to have a telephoto on a Barnack that is not front-heavy or blocks the finder?
So while the 75 is very short for a telephoto, I like that it gives you some reach while maintaining compactness and discreetness that not even a Pinocchio 90/4 Elmar or Elmarit can offer. This is great for preserving a casual approach while still getting in tight on a subject. Additionally, the 75/2.5 was one of the few lenses that that I also felt comfortable with shooting handheld below the reciprocal. I'd often use it a 1/60th or even 1/30th and was satisfied with the results.
This photo was featured in PhotoKlassik in a discussion about CV 75's. I believe I was at 1/60th. - Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Fuji Pro 400H
The 75/2.5 is one of those special lenses that really delivers the sharpness of in focus areas and the smoothness of out of focus areas in healthy amounts. The multi-coating and relatively complex 6 element/5 group design prevents veiling flare and highlight blooming too.
Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Kodak TMAX 100
This balance and precision makes it wonderful for detail shots as well as portraits. And with regards to portraits, it's stealthy enough to be as adept at candids as its performance is for posed work.
Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Kodak Ektar 100
But to answer the initial question, I may still be scratching my head as to what subject matter, exactly, the 75mm length is best suited for. As I look through my images with the 75/2.5, subject is rather all over the place!
Voigtlander Bessa R2 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | CVS 200
Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Kodak Portra 160
Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | CVS 200
Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Fuji Superia 200
Sadly, I'm currently without this wonderful little lens. My copy seemed prone to the aperture assembly falling apart for no good reason. Twice, while minding its own business in my camera bag, I reached for it and happened to see that aperture blades had scattered around its insides. Once, I sent it back to Stephen Gandy for repair and then the second time, I decided to put more effort into my expensive, tough-as-nails 90mm f2 Summicron Pre-ASPH instead of labor over this cheap troublesome Cosina product. I sold my copy of the 75/2.5 as it was and wiped my hands of it for several years.
However, as I look through my photos taken with the Voigtländer 75 and remember how much I liked that lens, I have found myself scanning the interwebs for a replacement. As noted, I find the Voigtländer 75/1.8 Heliar too large. It's actually about the same physical length at my 90 Cron and that seems ridiculous. The 75/1.5 Nokton looks even more bloated and heavy. Bessa rangefinders probably don't have enough EBL to even focus these lenses and they're both M mount, so I could only use them on my M6, not my R2 or LTM's. The Leitz 75's are beautiful but crazy expensive. And while I like this odd length, I'm not sure I like it THAT much! There are some weird new 75 M lenses by Kipon, 7Artisans, and Meyer Optic. I don't know, I am just not taken with rendering I've seen with any of these. And honestly, I do like buying LTM lenses when possible because it's fun to use them on my knob-wind Leica's.
Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Kodak TMAX 100
This image of an abandoned house was picked up by 120 Clicks. - Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Ilford XP2
So where does all this leave me? Well, I think that if I found one at a low enough price to gamble my negative perception of its durability again, I'd still choose a Voigtländer 75/2.5 Heliar. I see from eBay listings that it's very common for these lenses to show some hazing, presumably from lubricant evaporation. I have yet to see any discussions of the aperture blades falling out like mine did though, so maybe I had a lemon. Haze is something that's easy enough to address with cleaning and re-lubricating, so maybe I should add the cost of a CLA to the purchase. But do I really need an unreliable lens with an odd length in my kit? Would it serve merely as a distraction from the 50 and 90? Or could it be that perfect hybrid of length, size and performance that would make it a daily carry, general purpose lens?
Leica M6 TTL .85 | Voigtländer 75mm 2.8 MC Color-Heliar | Kodak Tri-X - This was the last photo that I took with the Heliar 75/2.5 and was perhaps a great end to a meandering path.
Currently, with the pandemic largely shutting down my paid photography work, I have no good reason to buy another 75, or any photo gear at all really. But when I look at this last photo that I took of my daughter with the 75 Heliar, and remember how much I used to use this lens, I can't help but consider picking one up again!
Oh and by the way, I usually used my 75/2.5 with an LTM adapter on my M6 TTL. If you want to use this lens on a screw mount body, you'll need a brightline finder.
How about you? Do you use a 75mm lens? Which one? Would you consider using one if you don't currently?
Thanks for reading and happy shooting!
_Follow, Favorite, Like, Add, Insult, ContactJohnny Martyr _
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The Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM – Don’t Call it the Japanese Summilux
The one constant in the universe is change, and the year 1957 was no exception. The USSR launched Sputnik, humanity's first artificial satellite, ushering in the Space Age. In Europe, the European Economic Community was established with the Treaty of Rome. In America, federal troops were dispatched to Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas to enforce anti-segregation laws. The number one song in America was, “All Shook Up” by Elvis Presley, and television's highest rated show was Gun Smoke.
In the world of photography and on the other side of the globe in Japan, Canon introduced the 50mm f/1.4 Leica Thread Mount (LTM) lens. It was then, and remains now, a jewel of a lens; a timeless and compelling photographic tool despite our ever-changing world.
Production History and Types
The Leica Thread Mount Canon 50mm f/1.4 is widely referred to as the Japanese Summilux. This is both deserved praise and a disservice. Praise because it speaks to its optical quality, and a disservice because it subtly implies that the Canon was nothing more than a Japanese copy of the German original. However, Canon's 50mm predates Leica’s venerable lens by about two years.
Leicas first version Summilux was made for just three years, from 1959 to 1961. Its re-engineered second version was produced in 1961 and continued until 2004. One could argue that Leicas desire to re-engineer their 50mm f/1.4 Summilux so soon after it debuted was a direct result of the increasing quality of Japanese lenses.
Canon introduced Type I of its lens in 1957 and its production ran until the following year (serial numbers 10000-29390). Type II was introduced in 1959 and was produced until 1972 (serial numbers 29681-120705). After 1972, Canon would abandon the production of rangefinders and focus almost exclusively on SLRs.
Type I and Type II lenses use the same optical formula - six elements in four groups, based on the Planar design developed by Paul Rudolph at Carl Zeiss. The only difference between the two Types appears to be cosmetic. On the Type I lens, the distance scale is represented in meters only, while on the Type II the distance scale is represented in both meters and feet. My review is based on the Type II lens. As of this writing, prices for both versions range from around $200 USD for a fair copy, to around $350 USD for a mint piece.
The lens was made for the (M39/LTM) Leica thread mount. As such, it will naturally mount to any LTM mount camera. In addition, it can easily be adapted to other film cameras and today's mirrorless digital cameras by way of numerous inexpensive adapters.
Specifications of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM
-
* **Mount** - M39 (LTM) Leica Thread Mount- Filter Size - 48mm
- Elements/Groups - 6/4
- No. of Aperture Blades - 9
- Aperture Range - f/1.4 – f/22
- Minimum Focusing Distance - 1 Meter (3ft)
- Weight - 246g (8.7 oz)
- Finish - Black, white, and chrome
Build and Use
Those who have used vintage lenses or those who are collectors of vintage lenses will immediately recognize the weight and feel of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM in the hands. The build of this glass is pure old school. It’s a completely manual lens. It's compact. It's all metal and glass. It has a good solid weight (246g) but it's not too heavy for a lens of this type. The aperture ring is tight with full stop clicks. There is an infinity lock on the lens barrel (which can be distracting, but is easily removed if desired).
The focusing ring, at least on my copy, is firm. It’s textured, which allows for a confident grip throughout its focus throw, which is long. This is great when we need pinpoint focus, for example, when doing portrait work or have a slow moving or stationary subject. However, this long throw also makes it unfortunately easy to miss a shot in scenarios where rapid focus is required - running after small children or doing street photography.
Images
The lens is sharp, especially for a lens from its era. Even when shot wide open it retains sharpness. At f/1.4 it also presents that vintage glow so characteristic of lenses from the 1950s. At this, its maximum aperture, it makes images with vignetting and lessened contrast. Naturally this vignetting becomes less apparent and contrast increases when the lens is stopped down.
Many lenses from this time period are prone to flare, and this lens is no exception, but the Canon 50mm does a satisfactory job at controlling it. But let’s get real, we shoot a vintage lens for its character, not for its corner to corner clinical sharpness.
The bokeh is smooth, organic, buttery and dreamy. But it can turn busy if you have a background with high contrast.
Shooting on color film, the lens renders colors quite well but a bit pastel and cool (the temperature can be corrected these days easily in Lightroom or your preferred photo editing software). With black and white film, it truly shines. I swear every time I view black and white images from this lens on my computer screen it cries out to be printed. I’m taken back in time. I desire to put on an old 12-inch vinyl record of John Coltrane or Chet Baker and savor an old-fashioned whiskey cocktail (on the rocks).
Final Thoughts
Is it fair to compare the Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM to Leica’s 50mm f/1.4 Summilux? Not really. The Canon came first. And it's still a better value. The original Summilux can't be bought today for less than $2,000 compared to Canon's (approximate) price of around $250. (An interesting side note - Leica’s current version, the Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, is arguably the best 50mm lens on the planet and its price tag of $4,395.00 USD testifies to the claim.
All things considered, for its low price and the quality of images it delivers you can’t do much better than the Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM. Here’s what you do - buy yourself a mint copy of this lens and take care of it, because it will take care of you for the next fifty years. It’s a lens that has character, it has class and it has remained timeless.
Buy your own Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM lens on eBay here
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