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Summicron 50f2 models

E

edwardvh

Hi, I am looking to buy a used Summicron 50mm f/2.
Do you know from what year and/or serial number the latest version/model is being build and/or came in the market.
How can I recognise the latest model (serial number)?
Also does the latest model have a retractable lens hood?
Thanks very much in advance for your answers.
--
Edward.
 
S

sridley

Member
The current optical version of the Summicron has been manufactured since 1979 and started at serial number 2,909,101.

A new barrel design (same optical design) was brought out around 1994 which lost the focusing tab and gained the built-in lens hood.

Hope that helps.

Steve
 
E

edwardvh

Steve,
Thanks very much for info. Sure helps!
I own a 35 f1.4 asph and a 90 apo ash.
Looking to get a 50 now.
What do you think about Summicron 50 f2?
I know the new 50 f1.4 asph is out but it's sure a big price gap.
Best regards, Edward.
 
S

sridley

Member
I think the Summicron f2 50mm is a fantastic lens. Unless you need the extra stop of the Summilux it's great value.

I have tended to go for the slightly slower lenses. 35mm f2, 90mm f2.8 etc. Although I have to confess to a 50mm Noctilux f1 and a 1960's 50mm Summilux f1.4.

Steve
 
E

ellie

Well-Known Member
I agree about the Summicron 50/2.0. I have owned the "latest" 2.0 for about as long as it has been available. It is a great lens at a "reasonable" price. You might well be able to find a very good "used" ex&le at a significant discount. As an aside, I am lucky to have the new M50/1.4 as well. The M2.0 and the M1.4 lenses have a very different ability to "paint an image". With NPH 400 I find the 1.4 to be somewhat sharper ( but not unpleasant ), and with a wonderfully accurate ability to separate out various colors in a very pleasant way. Better then the Summicon? No, simply different. The difference is not simply one of the extra "stop". Although I am still learning, for portraits of my wife I might well use the old and trusty 50/2.0 ( or the 75/1.4, but not the 90/2.0 Asph, and perhaps not the 75/2.0 if I owned one! ). For landscapes in Patagonia I used the 50/1.4 to wonderful effect. I think several of the "newer" designed M and R lenses ( the R 1.4, and now the new M 75.2.0 ) may well share a similarity in the images produced. Indeed, the glass used and the design (s) appear(s) to be very much the same. I cannot speak to the quality of the images on slide film, nor on black and white film. Although not completely germane to your question about the Summicron 2.0, perhaps another members can help us with further observations. To conclude: Have no worries about the M 50/2.0. The lens will serve you very well for many, many years to come. Try to read Erwin's reviews of the various M lenses. Although he has some technical details, many of his comments about the various lenses are interesting and demand no expertise in the reading of MTF graphs and the like. Best of luck, and let us know how you make out. One other caveat: Be aware that many of the well intentioned and sincere comments you will read about lenses are personal opinions, and there are very few absolute "rights and wrongs". Indeed, I have heard of increasing numbers of Leica photographers returning to some of the earlier 50mm lenses because they enjoy the quality of the images produced. Furthermore, we have all seen images produced with those older screw mounted 50mm lenses, and I for one would have been very proud to have created some of those images.

Sorry to be verbose.
 
E

edwardvh

Thank you all for commenting.
(Robert, I'll think about your offer.)
Without a doubt if I want the 'best' lens; in terms of speed, build quality, mtf charts, lines per mm etc. I should go for the new 50 f1.4 asph. The noxitilux has it virtues but it's to dreamlike painterly for me and weighs rather heavy.
I already own 2 asph lenses as you can read above. So with this luxury problem I'm trying to decide whether I want to spend all the extra cash for the new 50 asph.
If I don't we have three lenses left:
summicron 50 f2
summilux 50 f1.4 pre-asph
elmar 50 f2.8
The Elmar is nice and compact but for optimum performance you have to stop it down but I frequently use wide apartures so I don't think I will decide for the Elmar.
According to Erwin Puts the Summicron 50 f2 excels above the Summilux 50 f1.4 (pre-asph in about every aspect. So to make a long story short;
what do you think about SUMMICRON 50 vs SUMMILUX 50 (pre-asph) ?
Thanks again, best regards Edward
 
C

cmdr

Active Member
Dear Edward,

The 50 1.4 Summilux design dates back to around 1962. Yes, the current 50 2.0 Summicron would be a better performing lens optically than compared to the Summilux lens of 1962. If you feel that most of your work will require using an aperture of 1.4, I would suggest the new 50 1.4 Summilux ASPH lens. The current 50 Summicron 2.0 is an excellent performer, so unless you need that extra stop, I think the Summicron would suit you just fine.

From the comments that I have heard regarding the new 50 1.4 Summilux ASPH lens, shooting at 1.4 with this lens produces a unique contrast signature and bokeh that is different from any of the other Leica 50mm lenses, so perhaps this would be a good choice if you wanted your pictures to stand out more from the crowd so to speak at 1.4.

Regards,
Dale
 
E

edwardvh

Thanks Dale for commenting.
Another useful contribution towards my decision.
Best regards, Edward.
 
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