Leica 5cm 2.0 Summitar: It has several versions

Raid

All-Pro
[edited: I mean the Summitar].
Hi,
Is anyone here a Summitar 5cm 2.0 vintage lens owner?
This lens came in different versions, having 6 or 10 or aperture blades.
I own a 1950 example with 6 blades.
Some claim a smoother OOF rendering with the 10 or 12 blade lens which has a circular iris.

Advise me whether it is worth it to get another Summitar with more blades or not.

Thanks.

Raid
 
Raid- you mean the Summitar- the Summarit is the F1.5 lens.

I had two coated Summitars with the "normal" aperture blades. Some of post WW-II Summitars used the double-blade, hex-pattern aperture of the Summar. By personal opinion: the oddly shaped aperture of the Summar, Summitar, and post-war Sonnar was to reduce focus shift as you stopped down. The non-round aperture shape has the same area of a round aperture, but picks up contribution of light from the outer parts of the lens.
 
Thank you, Brian. I meant the Summitar. For some reason, I wrote Summarit (which I also own).
One seller online wants over $450 for a clean Summitar with th curved blades.
 
that seems high, but prices are way up these days. I've seen them go for less, ~$300 or so. I prefer the collapsible Summicron over the Summitar. I would pass it up, unless it is absolutely perfect and you really want a Summitar.
 
I have a collapsible Summicron too. It has a small chip on the front that I filled with black ink. I ws told that Tamarkin has several Summarit at good prices. I may just not buy any lens now. There is a new CV 35/1.7 with 0.5m min distance focusing.
 
I just stumbled on this thread, wish I'd seen it earlier! Anyway I have a very late production Summitar, SN 980553, coated, dating 1952; I'm wondering if it's part of the group of late Summitars that overlapped in production with the new Summicrons of the same period.

It's in superb condition and one of my most often-used and favorite lenses!
 
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Can you post a picture of it?

The serial number of your lens is well after the start of Summicron production. It is in the second to last batch of 5000 lenses, the last batch was the same year.

So- yours was made during the last year of production.
 
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Here it is... it seems to be a rare occurrence to find Summitars in as good condition considering how most available today are scratched or have a fungus issue; I was fortunate to find this one. There are six aperture blades. I believe I read somewhere that prototype Summicrons were marked as Summitars (late)? But my memory is hazy in that regard.

33553268472_412ce6abfc_b.jpg


33709537775_fdd32dd5d4_b.jpg


A recent example while mounted on an M4-2 with the LTM adapter on Plus-X;

26193758506_165619a03b_b.jpg


And its classic swirly bokeh:

26324323532_716bc7f196_b.jpg


On a M4-2 again with Kodak Gold 400
 
Thankyou!

The Prototype Summicrons were marked "Summitar *" and used Thorium Glass.

I have a "Hot Glass" Summicron made the same year as your Summitar- mine is slightly later SN. The Summicron has "lesser Swirlies". The Summarit is the Swirly King.
 
Ah ok, so my memory wasn't too far off. ;) There are a range of opinions about the aesthetics of the "swirl," but I find it unique and fascinating. I was unaware the Summarit had it also, interesting, thanks.
 
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