I have followed this forum for a while and have decided to try to get into Leica photography and take up B&W (not only). Therfore I bought a IIIf body near mint and newly CLAīd for $ 355. Hope I didnīt overpay. (I have shot a little with a Zorki 1 so I am familiar with the worst quirks) Now to the question which lens to buy; Elmar or Summitar? Thankful for information on pros, cons and characteristics for each lens since I havenīt found any systematic comparison of these two lenses in the files.

Regards Christer

-- Christer Persson (christer.persson@kau.se), May 11, 2002

Answers

Good price--you didn't overpay. Try to pick up a mint- Elmar. The Summitars are soft at the edges, a lot of light falloff. The Elmar is the premiere classic lens. I shoot a fair amount of B+W film with two IIICs, using an Elmar 35/50/90. The look is much different than today's "sharp" Leica lens, w/ rich color saturation & a glow that seems absent in today's glass... Good luck!

-- Patrick (pg@patrickgarner.com), May 11, 2002.

Given the choice, I'd get the Elmar--the Summitar is a pretty rotten lens by modern standards. But how about a 50/1.8 Canon, a much better lens than the Summitar, at about the same price?

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), May 11, 2002.

i got a canon serenar 1.8 on ebay for $40. its a great lens for that price. if you got the doe, id get a summarit 1.5 50mm.

-- grant (lotusphotography@yahoo.com), May 11, 2002.

Thanks for your answers. It ended with a mint Elmar coated (1948) on e-bay Germany. Much too expensive! but I suppose thatīs Leica.

Christer

-- Christer Persson (christer.persson@kau.se), May 14, 2002.