Let’s talk about SUPREMACY APO Cron 50mm

[M. Axel Wikstrom]

I find that MF doesn't have the "life" that 35mm has. But I use the ultimate 35mm enlargers & enlarging lenses.

Larger formats do require more mastery of the craft than "point&shoots" such as Leicas.

 

[darkosaric]

I was just reading about APO Summicron 50mm, and very interesting part for me is this statement from the designer:

“You point the lens and shoot, and where the focal plane is, the contrast should be high. The front and behind should fall off very fast. That is the difference between the older Summicron lenses and the APO-Summicron. Not in terms of sharpness but in terms of contrast behavior.“

Never tough about it, to be honest, but it makes sense.

 

[blockend]

I love medium format, kinda obtrusive though

Zeiss Ikon Nettar cameras are among the smallest I own, only beaten by 35mm clamshell Olympus.

 

[Guth]

It wouldn't matter if I'm shooting with a Summicron mounted to a Leica or a built-in lens on a point & shoot, I'm painfully aware that I'm the weak link in the photo making chain.

Zeiss Ikon Nettar cameras are among the smallest I own

I had to look that one up, cool cameras, I'd like to see some images made with one of these. For that matter, I wouldn't mind seeing images made with the APO Summicron-M 50mm ASPH in question.

 

[BMbikerider]

I' came into this topic late on and have not read all the posts, but if an APO version of the Summicron is better than a 'normal' version it can only be marginal. About 40+ years ago a magazine in UK published an independent test of half a dozen or more, 50mm prime lenses and the Summicron came out top in all counts. The lack of distortion, contrast, flatness of field, lack of optical aberrations, (Coma, astigmatism etc) showed it was head and shoulders above all others.

Second in the pile was the F1.8 Pentax SMC. but did not not even come near the Summicron. All the others including Nikon, Cannon and Olympus etc could be classed as 'also rans'. That is not to say they were rubbish but the Summicron was head and shoulders above the rest. The others tested included Minolta, Konica, Yashica and a couple of others. It is not to say all the others were junk, it was the Summicron was better than the rest.

In particular the definition test conducted on an optical bench showed that the Leitz lens performance graph for definition was very good, no make that extremely good, At F2 it was better than the Cannon at F8, then increased in performance up to F4, where, there after, the line of the graph was FLAT all the the way to F16 where it started to drop off again. This part of the test was demonstrated by it being able to define 'lines per millemetre' and even at F2, the lines detectable were above 90 LPM with only a littledfrop off at the corners. At F4 the graph showed no less tha120 lpm - right across the field. Now for me that is outstanding

 

[Huss]

40 years ago eh? That is some incredible memory you have!


Lensrentals did a bench comparison a couple of years ago, results here:

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/06/comparing-rangefinder-and-slr-50mm-lenses-version-0-7/

 

[NB23]

Anything to add regarding its SUPREMACY, folks?

 

[chip j]

Build Quality is supposed to be Supreme, too.

 

[Huss]

Build Quality is supposed to be Supreme, too.

The satin lined box it comes in certainly is.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Anything to add regarding its SUPREMACY, folks?

It's supremely expensive!
And it's one of the tiny handful of "finest 50s ever made".
But I guess I'm not really qualified to judge, for instance I prefer the Summitar (postwar coated version) to the first two (v1 & v2) Summicrons.
I really like the Helios 103, too.

 

[NB23]

I love my summitar, as well. It oozes its fine character all over my negatives.

 

[NB23]

So, dear Hombrerinos, any legendary shots to show-off from this fine lens?

 

[Huss]

So, dear Hombrerinos, any legendary shots to show-off from this fine lens?

I took this with my Leica M-A and Summicron Apo. Preeeeettttyyyyy sure it was that get-up.



Hmm, the lack of lens flare makes me think perhaps I used something else. Butt who can tell?

 

[NB23]

I took this with my Leica M-A and Summicron Apo. Preeeeettttyyyyy sure it was that get-up.



Hmm, the lack of lens flare makes me think perhaps I used something else. Butt who can tell?

No idea.

So this is your legendary shot, hombrerino?

 

[Huss]

No idea.

Then yes. It was definitely taken with a 50mm Summicron Apo. Worth every penny.

 

[film_man]

So, dear Hombrerinos, any legendary shots to show-off from this fine lens?

I've got two of those. I use both as paperweights. They are pretty and the right amount of weight and size for the stack of parchment I like to keep next to my quill. I tried using it at f/1.4 and the photo came about a stop underxposed. I thought it was sample variation so bought another one but it has the same issue. I'm frankly disappointed at Leica's quality control, I thought I was getting a SUPREME lens that will do everything.

 

[ced]

Almost as good as a pinhole in a bodycap...

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Come on, let’s talk about the Summicron’s 50mm APO Supremacy.

*Even if you’re jealous and in denial, you can participate.

I'm neither and now what? Supremacy? In what terms? Lab results? It is mesmerizing how a (al)most expensive lens is capable (all of the sudden) of capturing stupendously high grade photos shot by an otherwise so so photographer, it does make me laugh actually, which is also good.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I'm looking at a print I made in the 1980s, it's of a friend standing near the curb in front of his store, left arm resting atop a sandwich board sign, wearing a big grin. He yelled hello at me, I was across the street just past him - I raised the camera, framed and focussed, a true grab shot that turned out to be an excellent informal environmental portrait. 8x10 cropped the long way from 35mm T-max 100, probably f: 5.6 to f:8, and sharp from corner to corner. Not an apo-anything, but a prewar Sonnar on a Contax II. No lens would have improved this picture.

And a multitude of lenses would not have made it any worse (or shall I say - less stellar)

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I took this with my Leica M-A and Summicron Apo. Preeeeettttyyyyy sure it was that get-up.



Hmm, the lack of lens flare makes me think perhaps I used something else. Butt who can tell?

Looks to me like it was shot with a Domiplan, but I may be wrong as when trying to pop it up on screen I was asked to log into Yahoo! HO, HO, HO Not sure why people have to do this.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Build Quality is supposed to be Supreme, too.

That's what they said on Mango and I got 2 for the price of one ... wait, that was a spray mop ... and it was not so supremely built.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Anything to add regarding its SUPREMACY, folks?

Lab is working hard on trying to prove it, but they need guidance on what it means.

 

[NB23]

Bumping this thread, in search for more comments on the sUpReMe summicron apo 50mm

 

[darkosaric]

Right now I see used one for good price, only 5799€, instead of 7400€ new. Good deal!

https://www.photohaus.de/shop/leica-apo-summicron-m-20-50mm-asph/

 

[mshchem]

Right now I see used one for good price, only 5799€, instead of 7400€ new. Good deal!

https://www.photohaus.de/shop/leica-apo-summicron-m-20-50mm-asph/

Can you get it in chrome? That's the deal breaker for me