What is the 'best possible' condition of a LTM Summaron f3.5/3.5?

[robert_junghans]

Hello,

 

since I'm new to this forum (although I've been reading it with much

interest for some time now), allow me to start with a few words about

myself: I'm 33, live in Berlin, Germany and recently encountered the

fun of taking pictures with old finders. Started with Agfa Isolettes,

than came some Voigtlander 35mm film, now moving toward the Leica III

'system' (which will hopefully be the last move). Main reason for the

switch being that 50mm seems bit to much on the tele side for me

(don't laugh!)..

 

My first acquired item was a TM Leitz Summaron f3.5 3.5 (eb*y auction

no. 2946260529), 'glass perfect, all functions perfect, like new in

every aspect'. Because of this promise, I closed my eyes and bought

this one for approx. 400$. The delivered item looks real great, but I

discovered two things that make me think:

 

- dust inside. Lighting through the glass, an amount of dust is

visible on some inner surfaces behind the iris blades. Under normal

circumstances (without the light), this dust almost cannot be seen.

Since afaik all glasses are moving in one piece, this shouldn't be

normal, even when used much (and this item doesn't seem to have been

used).

 

- 'tolerance' on the f-stops. Closing down to let's say f16 and than

opening up to f11 leaves a smaller opening (compared to coming from

f8) by about one third of a stop. At f8 it's about one-fourth, at f16

about half of an f-stop, at f22 (know I won't use that one much)

around 1 f-stop (the f ring turns well behind f22 and coming back

doesn't change much).

 

Maybe I wouldn't care about both topics if it was a cheap garage sale,

but paying 'first price' I'd expect first quality (as described).

 

Users of old quality optics: do you think that the f-stop tolerance as

well as the dust topic is normal for the old ones or should a mint one

(is that the right description for 'better is not possible'?) come

without these?

 

Thanks for reading

Robert

[jay_.]

The dust you describe would have no noticeable effect on your pictures, but it probably got in there because someone took the lens apart to clean off the typical "haze" or cloudiness that befalls mnay if not most old Leitz lenses. THe danger in that, if it was not done by someone with knowledge of these lenses, is that the soft coatings on the internal elements is very easy to clean completely off along with the haze. The lens looks sparkling clear but all the antireflective qualitites are gone and so the lens exhibits higher flare and lower contrast than it was desgined. The aperture condition is suggestive of either dirty blades or possibly also an incompetent tampering. Since you are in Germany why not send the lens to Solms and have them give you an estimate. Maybe if you're lucky they'll tell you it just needs a cleaning and will be good as new. I've got a 3.5 Summaron in LTM I've had since I inherited it about 35 years ago and it is a remarkably fine lens and extremely compact.

[daniel_fusion]

@Robert,

ask Fotomechanik - Kielgas, Baumstrasse 19, 30171 Hannover

Telefon: 0511 - 814699, Fax: 0511 - 819936

E-Mail: post@fotomechanik-kielgas.de

 

Claus-W.Reinhardt ( Fotomechanik Kielgas ) knows a lot of leica cameras and lenses. He might help you.

[greg j. lorenzo]

Have you discussed your concerns with the Seller? I see in the posting that the lens' condition was described as "perfect". This Seller has a 100% Positive Feedback Rating and I doubt he/she wants a Negative post complaining about the lens condition. You should have some leverage with this person at least until Feedback is posted.

 

Regards,

 

Greg

[robert_junghans]

Greg, surely I would contact the seller before giving anything other than a positive ranking. My problem is: I'm not sure if the observed 'features' are not just pretty normal, even for a lens in so called perfect condition. If there's no chance of getting a better one, I don't need to complain by the seller. Asking the seller if this is normal doesn't seem the most objective approach to me - therefore I asked here. Maybe some others observed the slackness between the diaphragm and the aperture ring on their optics as well..

[robert_junghans]

Oh, it's me again.. I've rent a digicam today and tried to catch the 'feeling' looking against a light source. Don't get shocked, as mentioned above it's hard to notice something without the backlight (e.g. just holding against a window). During this approach I recognized the three-dimensional kind of this 'dust'. Looking very hard I would now rather suggest that these are air bubbles in the glass.

 

Thank you for answering to my question!<div></div>

[roger c]

Dust can be cleaned out, and the iris cleaned and adjusted, for a very modest cost by a specialist repairer - not more than 50 euros. If the specks are bubbles, remember this used to be considered a sign of high quality glass (well, according to Leitz manuals!)