douglasf13
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Gary Clennan wrote:
Yep - sure looks to be a great performer Douglas. Looks to have slightly more "jittery" bokeh than version V - correct? Where did you get the CLA done?
Hi, Gary. I'm not sure that I'd call the bokeh more jittery, but definitely more "swirly," since there is more field curvature and coma, although I haven't done any stringent tests or anything. I tend to like swirl in a lens wide open, and I like how it makes the DOF look more shallow. I've read that many feel that the collapsible has the best bokeh of the 50 Summicrons, but who knows?? It does have more aperture blades and a rounder aperture than my version V, so maybe stopping down a little is a different ballgame.
Apparently, this lens is also highly color corrected, compared to other Summicrons. While not quite an APO, Brian Sweeney says that it is achromatic and great for color, although most who use it tend to shoot B&W, it seems.
There seems to be very mixed opinions on the 50 collapsible on the web, so I was unsure about how it would perform. Most say that the 50 Rigid is much sharper, while others claim their 50 Collapsible is very sharp. Outside of sample variation, I have a feeling that much of the resolution criticism has come from lenses that aren't calibrated and/or have too much haze in the lens. The resolution seems good enough, to me, and I can always break out the version V if I need a flatter field at wider apertures.
Flare is also often a complaint with this lens, but I haven't had much issue with that, yet. My front coating looks pretty good, so maybe I'm lucky there. Again, it may just be because so many have haze inside, and that is pretty easily cleanable. The contrast certainly is tangibly lower than the version V.
I just love how the lens collapses to about the size of a 35 Summicron IV, and it is built like a tank. My only little handling complaints would probably be the 1m mfd and the longer focus through, but not too big of a deal. Really cool little lens for only a few hundred bucks. I should mention that my copy doesn't have the radioactive elements, and the front coating is purple. It's even possible that mine was recoated at some point, but I have no idea.
p.s. I got the CLA done by Steve's Camera in Culver City, CA.
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