Summicron R 50/2 in Nikon mount

[Airy]

Two such lenses are for sale in a reputable Leica shop, 400€ each, 3 months guarantee.
Has somebody got any experience of such lenses ? there is also a 35/2 and 21/4, by the way.
I guess they will work in non-AI mode on the Df (or, more likely, as I used PC lenses on D800 : focus wide open, then close diaphragm, then meter and trigger, but with the disadvantage that the Leicas have no aperture preset ring)

[richardHaw]

http://www.leitax.com/leica-lens-for-nikon-cameras.html
 

[Akira]

I haven't used neither of these lenses.  But, according to my experience of using Leica M cameras and lenses in the 80s-90s, the Leica lenses (the then-latest, older or prewar) are prone to fog.  It was even fairly safe to assume that any used Leica lenses are more or less fogged.

What makes things worse is that Leica lenses (at least from that time or older) uses soft coatings on the internal elements which are easy to be scratched when you try to clean.

I would stay away from these.

Incidentally, the optical elements of the last, 6-element-4-group version of Summicron-R 50/2.0 was made by Minolta.

[Almass]

Two such lenses are for sale in a reputable Leica shop, 400€ each, 3 months guarantee.
Has somebody got any experience of such lenses ? there is also a 35/2 and 21/4, by the way.
I guess they will work in non-AI mode on the Df (or, more likely, as I used PC lenses on D800 : focus wide open, then close diaphragm, then meter and trigger, but with the disadvantage that the Leicas have no aperture preset ring)

The Leica R Summicron 50/2 is a very popular lens among photographers. Same goes for "most" of the Leica R lenses.
The 50/2 is a sharp len and a little jewel in as so much you can achieve the famous Leica glow look under certain conditions.

As far as I am concerned, Leica R glass is the best glass money can buy....I know. I have the 50/2 as well as all the top range of all Leica R glass including the Summilux 50/1.4 - E60.

The 50/2 is small enough to be carried in the pocket and has the built in telescopic hood, it can take the Elpro close up attachments.
You have to make sure that you get the newer version of the Summicron 50/2 by checking that the lens serial number is higher than 2777651. The reason being that there is an older version of the Cron 50 which is not as good.

As you are buying from a good Leica shop with the added safety of 3 month return then go for it and enjoy the Leica glass nirvana.....of course manual focus.
I use all my Nikon mounts adapters from Leitax,

The Summilux 35 3 cam needs a bit of filing in order not to hit the Nikon mount while the Summicron is OK not to hit the mount. The Super Angulon 21/4 is not worth getting.

Leica R Summicron 50/2 VII
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/50mm_f/2_Summicron-R_II

All Leica R glass
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/R_Lenses_x_Focal_Length

I haven't used neither of these lenses.  But, according to my experience of using Leica M cameras and lenses in the 80s-90s, the Leica lenses (the then-latest, older or prewar) are prone to fog.  It was even fairly safe to assume that any used Leica lenses are more or less fogged.

What makes things worse is that Leica lenses (at least from that time or older) uses soft coatings on the internal elements which are easy to be scratched when you try to clean.

I would stay away from these.

Incidentally, the optical elements of the last, 6-element-4-group version of Summicron-R 50/2.0 was made by Minolta.

Akira you usually make sound comments, but I need to call you out on this one.
I do not know from where and how you got your information on Leica R glass and specifically the Cron 50/2 which you admit to have never used or tried.
The Summicron 50/2 VII has nothing to do with Minolta, You are mixing up with the Elmarit 24/2.8. Sigma and Minolta produced some zooms.
I would be grateful if you direct me to your source of information as I would like to correct my information if applicable for the VI.

Fogged glass as a blanket statement.....really ?!?...My oh My.....

[Airy]

Thanks for all advice provided so far, with all niceties and caveats ! I'll definitely look at these and try them out.

[michel]

Mine was made in the late 60's early 70's.
I like it, it's small and quality is just fine but to use it you have to focus wide open, then close diaphragm, then meter and trigger.

[Akira]

Akira you usually make sound comments, but I need to call you out on this one.
I do not know from where and how you got your information on Leica R glass and specifically the Cron 50/2 which you admit to have never used or tried.
The Summicron 50/2 VII has nothing to do with Minolta, You are mixing up with the Elmarit 24/2.8. Sigma and Minolta produced some zooms.
I would be grateful if you direct me to your source of information as I would like to correct my information if applicable for the VI.

Fogged glass as a blanket statement.....really ?!?...My oh My.....

Almass, while I used Leica M at that time, I've often heard in the retailers and read in magazines here in Japan that the optical element of Summicron-R was ground at Minolta for lowering the cost.  So, I've taken it for granted that it is a common knowledge.  I quickly looked for any info on this, but found nothing to support that.  Apparently I should take back my previous comment.  Thanks for the correction and I'm sorry for the confusion.  I didn't know that the Elmarit-R 24/2.8 was designed by Minolta and its early versions were also made by Minolta.  I do know some zooms were designed (and some were made) by Minolta.

As for the fogging, this is based on my solid experiences of looking for various second hand M or L mount Leica 50mm lenses (as I was mostly using standard lenses).  It was very difficult to find clean ones.  Sometimes the sealed, brand new ones turned out to be a bit foggy.  That is very different from the case with Nikkor lenses, for example.

Some said that Leica products were not very resistant to the humidity.  As well as the coatings, the copper printed patterns of circuit boards in Leica R4 or M6 were corroded too easily, compared to those in the cameras of Japanese brands.

[Airy]

"Overseas" conditions like those commonly encountered in Taiwan or in at least the southern parts of Japan used to be a challenge to "western" train (rolling stock) makers, that were prompt to underestimate the effects of high temperatures and high humidity. I guess camera-makers may have encountered similar difficulties, so I am not surprized at Akira's comments.

[Akira]

Yes, my friend found a similar problem with his BMW about 10-15 years ago: the contacts of its fuse box corroded too easily.

[Hugh_3170]

Mmm - I wonder if this is why BMW car and motorbike electrics have caused more than their fair share of problems out here compared to those encountered in other makes?

Yes, my friend found a similar problem with his BMW about 10-15 years ago: the contacts of its fuse box corroded too easily.

[Akira]

Mmm - I wonder if this is why BMW car and motorbike electrics have caused more than their fair share of problems out here compared to those encountered in other makes?

How is the general climate of your area?  Here in Tokyo, it is terribly humid from June to September.

[Hugh_3170]

The top half of Australia, especially in the vicinity of the coastal regions, can be both warm and humid in the wet season, i.e. our late spring through summer.

[Akira]

I see.  During the late spring to late summer, we have rainy season as well as many typhoons that supplies huge amount of moisture.  Japanese manufacturers, of course, are well aware that, but, as Airy pointed out, some European manufacturers were less serious about that.  Leica seemed to have been one of them.  I think they new how to deal with the very dry conditions, but not so with the humid  climate.

[Hugh_3170]

Certainly Japanese vehicles are to be preferred for outback / off road motoring in Northern Australia and Queensland.  As well as being mechanically and electrically reliable, the dealer and support networks are superior to those from Europe or the US.  Toyota Landcruisers are the most popular, followed by Nissan.

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I have seen Leica R macro lens glass deployed with great results on Nikon and Canon DSLR bodies, especially the Leica Macro Elmarit-R 60mm f/2.8 and the excellent Leica APO Macro Elmarit-R 100mm f/2.8.  I have no knowledge of how well the Leica 50mm f/2.0 Summicron-R would fare on a Nikon or Canon DSLR, other than the images posted here by Michel.  The stop down metering might put some off, but for close up work, you are manually focussing anyway, so stop down metering is not a deal breaker.

[Thomas Stellwag]

the old L39  and M lenses were very often stated foggy inside. I have  a 2.0  50mm  Summar and  a dto. Summitar, were you might see it, my 2.0  50mm Summicron rigid has no fog, but you see regularly in ebay such lenses decribed having light fog inside.  The Summar have soft glas, you could destroy it while cleaning, that´s true.
My 2.0 50mm R Summicron  has nothing of all, it is a truely modern lens with totally different drawing than the M version. I have not modified it to Nikon, using on the NEX give crisp and colourful pictures, which I like very much. I still see nothing beeing mechanically better than Leica R and if you can give yours back after a few days testing, go and test it. The R lenses were the glass was made by Minolta are imo,  the 24mm and the 28mm, 35-70mm   and the 16mm fisheye  (which is my best fish for NEX)