summicron questions

Is there any practical difference between the older Summicrons when it comes to 8X10 prints? Not only

between the ridgid, dual-range, and the collapsible, but is there a difference between the collapsible M-

mount and the screw mount. If not, then having one screw mount Summicron would serve an M and screw

mount body equally well. Thanks

There are imaging differences. They weill not jump right out at you but they are there. They are more siginificant to some than to others. I have posted a number of examples, which are in the archives. You can see for yourself.

The same lens in screw or M is optically identical.

 

As we progressesd from one generation to the next, two things happened. Firstly the area of good definitation at the largest stops expanded from a smaller circle to one covering almost the entire frame. Secondly the contrast went up with each step.

 

There have also been some improvements with resolution at smaller stops, but nothing so dramatic as the above. Many consider the latest generation to sharp and contrasty and prefer using older lenses.

 

A clean Summitar (inside and out) plus shade, a 50 screw Elmar, or a 50 Screw summicron that does not have yellowed glass would serve you well on both cameras. There is no significant difference in performance between Elmars and Summicrons of the same period except F 2.0.

I sure love my collapsible, even if I am shopping for a DR. The collapsible was my intro to Leica photography (after 35 years with everything else) and it's been quite an experience! I really like the idea of having a cross-over lens like you propose. Seems a great solution. The collapsible DOES flare very readily when shooting into the light. The Rigid and Dual Range (optically identical with one another) show great improvement over the collapsibe (see Erwin Puts's Leica Lens Compendium.)

Good luck!

I'm going to knock on wood before typing this, but at the risk of inviting spirited disagreement, I'll hazard the following. Improved flare resistance is probably the one thing that [choose one: all? many? most? a significant majority?] would agree got better with each version of the Summicron. I own and shoot a 1954 collapsible, a 1969 DR and a 1970 "type IV". They're all great lenses though there are differences.

Stop down to f:6.3 and you won't notice any significant differences to 16x20. Wide open -- that may be another story, though.

My summitar shows considerably less resolution at the two larger apertures than my SUmmicron (both are clean)