FISON or FIRKUS lenshood with a 5cm Summar?

<p>Will either of these work even though neither is marked for the Summar? The rectangular hood recommended for the lens is not only cumbersome it is also very expensive. My uncoated Summar has been cleaned but I am quite sure a lenshood is essential. Thanks, Simon</p>

<p>FISON would almost certainly vignette. FIKUS (adjustable hood) works fine at 50mm setting. Some rare ones are even so marked. The FIKUS is heavy. </p>

I have both hoods and the Summar. The FISON is a perfect match for the Summar and does not vignette.. The FIKUS is way too big for

such a small lens, I find.

 

Soeren

<p>Back at my PC, here's a recent Summar shot - shot with strong backlighting at F/4.0 with a FISON hood attached. No sign of vignetting at all, fortunately. Incidentally, the filter fit is called "A36", so hoods for lenses that fit this filter size can be mounted on the Summar. The FOOKH (for the 35/3.5 Elmar) also fits, but is shorter, hence less effective.<br>

Soeren</p><div></div>

<p>I am guessing that there would be a risk of vignetting at F2 especially if you are using a filter but that other apertures may be okay. Thanks for you answers.</p>

<p>I had trouble with the FIKUS on the SUMMAR lens, it would cover up the Aperture indicator dot when pushed on all the way. Installing it a little more forward on the lens helps.<br>

But as said, it's kind of big for this lens...</p>

<p>The FIKUS is fine for the Summar. I have used one for 30 years and no other lenshood. There is a slight loss of vision but it is minimal. There is a box type sunshade especially for the SUMMAR, I think it is called a SOOMP but it is big and clumsy.</p>

<p>There is no vignetting. It is just that it very very slightly obstructs corner of the viwfinder. It's a first class hood and of course is designed for other focal lengths.</p>

Based on Soeren's 7 year old advice and excellent photo, I just yesterday picked up a nice black FISON for my nickel Summar.

 

The larger hoods may be more effective at preventing flare but the tiny FISON is only slightly visible in the finder and doesn't add much size to the camera as a whole. Maintaining a diminutive form factor is a critical element of the beauty of Leica cameras.

 

My copy of the FISON fits and locks easily and securely to the Summar lens, though as Rick mentions with the FIKUS, the engraved black paint-filled dot aperture indicator is obstructed when the hood is slid tightly into place. I don't see this as a bother though because the Summar also features a small protruding metal tab opposite the dot which also serves to indicate the selected aperture. This is not obstructed in any way by the hood.

 

One potential issue is that when the FISON is installed such that the Leitz engraved script is facing up, the thumbscrew is on the side of the lens at about where I am accustomed to holding the aperture ring for adjustment. The simple solution is to rotate the hood so that the thumbscrew is facing down and not interfering with aperture adjustment, however, its interference is slight and probably not cause for alarm.

 

Another point that I love about the FISON is that its front diameter matches that of the lens. What this means is that one can use the correct Summar lenscap on the FISON hood. Cosina Voigtlander lenses usually come with a lenscap that fits onto the hood also. I like this setup because the hood can live on the lens permanently and the cap will be used more often as it's easier to add and remove.

 

I have yet to process any film from this setup but am expecting it to be favorable. Many thanks to Soeren for his perfect recommendation!

Dang, that is pretty.

 

I'm afraid I've only got a chrome FISON these days.

Boy, would I like to have a black FISON (hint, hint)..

There is a number of FISON lens hoods on eBay, but I only saw one in black.

 

When I got my Summicron 50mm f/2 I was able to choose among a vast array of clone lens hoods, but apparently not so much for the Summar.

 

I guess the proper hood for LEICA SUMMAR 50mm f/2 is the SOOMP hood. It's not a very attractive one in my eyes. BIN prices on eBay start at $70 or so.

What. Beautiful, classic outfit to be shooting with. Well done. That hood is the perfect topper.

There is a number of FISON lens hoods on eBay, but I only saw one in black.

 

When I got my Summicron 50mm f/2 I was able to choose among a vast array of clone lens hoods, but apparently not so much for the Summar.

 

I guess the proper hood for LEICA SUMMAR 50mm f/2 is the SOOMP hood. It's not a very attractive one in my eyes. BIN prices on eBay start at $70 or so.

 

This made me look for my SOOMP. Found it in the original red box, still wrapped in CELLOPHANE! (Strange, since I distinctly recall trying it once, and deciding that it wasn't anything I was going to ever use.)

My SUMMAR, incidentally, is a 1936 model which was sold to me as having been factory coated after WW2. Virtually as good as the first series Summicron.

Glad you gentlemen seem to find the cosmetics of the black FISON agreeable on my black and nickel body/lens. It took about six months of hunting for the black FISON to turn up in good condition and a fair price. The brushed chrome ones are much more common and I'm sure look quite fine with chrome or black and chrome bodies/lenses but I needed that black paint!

 

But more importantly, with plenty of film shot through it, I'm happy to report that the FISON works very well with the uncoated Summar. So much so that, I have a hard time understanding why Leica designed such a large hood for this lens originally. Mathematically, I'm sure a large hood makes sense at full aperture but I really haven't noticed, in real world use, any distracting vignetting at full aperture with this hood. Meaning, yes, in conditions at full aperture with bright corners of the scene, there may be slight vignetting but the lens without the hood would probably be doing this too. And it seems to help with flare protection as intended as well. I have been successful with shooting in bright sun at 100 ISO, with no or minimal flaring.

 

As noted previously, there is little finder blockage and the correct 36mm cap can fit onto the hood and protect ones shutter easily. That thumbscrew, I keep pointing down instead of at the side as is designed. Unlike XOONS for my 5cm 1.5 Summarit, the FISON hits a stop when pushing it onto the front ring of the lens. This gives a definitive placement of the hood. So I'm not sliding it back and forth to get it to fit well, as I do with the XOONS.

 

And yeah, that's about all I can think of that might be useful to mention. FISON for Summar for the win!

Another point about FISON is versions. Not only are there the chrome and black but there appear to be at least five variants of black paint FISONS.

 

One version without the thumbscrew, just a push-on. It's made of all brass.

 

Then the versions with the thumbscrew are made either of all brass, all aluminum or brass and aluminum. The brass clamp ring and aluminum barrel FISON seems to be the most common. The all aluminum copy is inscribed New York and 50mm instead of 5cm. The inscription is also on the clamp ring, not the barrel like all other variants.

 

Finally, there is a super rare black crinkle paint version. This version also has a nickel coated thumbscrew whereas the other variants have chrome plated thumbscrews.

 

My copy is the brass/aluminium version with the chrome thumbscrew. All the versions are currently represented on eBay.

That Summer has been loved enough to be "real." Great braising on the barrel, meaning someone was happy with it and used it a lot. I think it's a dandy little lens, so long as you view apertures wider than f/4 as "emergency." But it has to be clean, and the front element not scratched up. Otherwise pitiful low contrast. Most are ruined.

Both FISON and FIKUS work properly with the Summar. The only issue is that a slight part of the hood appears in the viewfinder.