Kids at the Manassas Train Festival - Leica IIIG, Summitar 5cm f2 Uncoated Lens

Last weekend, some friends and I attended a train event in Old Town Manassas, Virginia. I focused on photographing kids at the miniature train displays with my Leica IIIG and wartime Summitar 5cm f2 collapsible lens. All of these were shot on Agfa APX400 film, exposed at iso 200 level.

 

 

It's great to see these modern kids so deeply interested in trains and mechanical things.

 

Speaking of mechanical things, shooting with the IIIG was a pleasant challenge. Focusing quickly is not the forte' of Barnack cameras, especially in shade, but I did pretty well overall. My Agfa APX400 did pretty well here, as well, if a bit on the low contrast side. All in all, a very enjoyable photographic experience.

 

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Dancer - Leica IIIG and Uncoated Summitar 5cm f2

Dancer, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIG, Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

Agfa APX400 Film @ iso200

 

I think I have figured out this film. I actually like the grain it produces. Shooting it at iso 200 and developing for 10 minutes in undiluted D-76 does the job.

 

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What You May Have Found in a Photojournalist's Bag in 1945

As you probably can see, I love vintage cameras. I've put together a nice Leica kit, all with equipment that was made before or during World War II. Here it is.

It includes:

1. Leica IIIC (stepper) camera
2. 5cm f2 Summitar (uncoated) normal lens
3. 3.5cm f3.5 Elmar (uncoated) wide angle lens, with auxiliary finder
4. 9.0 cm f4 Elmar telephoto lens (black), with auxiliary finder

The 9.0 cm Elmar and IIIC body were made during the war years; the other two lenses were made earlier.

This is a very capable kit, still today. Covering wide to long focal lengths, it all fits in a small camera bag, and doesn't weigh much at all. It's a blast to use.

 

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Leica at the Sunday Afternoon Jam Session - Including Whole Lotta Leica Lens for July - Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible

I went to a jam session at Jammin' Java, a great music venue and coffee house here in Vienna, Virginia.

 

(Click Here) to check out Jammin' Java.

Margot MacDonald, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM

iso 800, f2, 1/125 sec.

 

I took along my WLL lens for this month, the Summitar 50mm f2 collapsible. Here's a shot from that lens.

 

 

Jam Session, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible LTM Lens (Coated)

iso 640, f2, 1/160 sec.

 

It was pretty dark in there, with bright afternoon light coming from the front windows, but very little additional light inside. It made for some dramatic lighting for those standing in that window light, just plain darkness for the others.

 

I was glad that I had thrown my Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM lens in my bag on the way out. I used it a lot more than the Summitar. Here are a couple of examples.

 

 

Nina, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM

iso 40, f1.4, 1/90 sec.

 

Margot MacDonald and Tony Moreno, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM

iso 1250, f2, 1/90 sec.

 

 

Bass, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM

iso 800, f1,7, 1/125 sec.

 

Margot MacDonald, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Canon 50mm f1.4 LTM

iso 800, f1.4, 1/125 sec.

I thoroughly enjoyed the session, and met a few new people.

 

For more images from the session, (Click Here).

 

I have always really liked my Summitar. However, the Canon f1.4 really came through for me. I think the Summitar is a street photography lens, not so much a low light, wide open shooter. I have shot it in dark spaces a couple of times recently, and am not really that happy with it wide open. At f5.6 or smaller, it excels. That wasn't going to happen at the jam session.

 

Guess I've got to get the Summitar out on the street this month!

 

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Whole Lotta Leica Results For July - Summitar 50 f2 Collapsible at Outdoor Concert - The Hot Seats in Warrenton, VA

On Saturday, July 6, 2013, I attended a concert by The Hot Seats, a band from Richmond Virginia that plays quite an interesting mix of bluegrass and old-time music.

 

(Click Here) to check them out.

 

I shot the evening with my Whole Lotta Leica lens for June, the Summitar 50mm f2 Collapsible from 1951, mounted on my Leica M9. I also shot some black and white film in my Skeletons From The Closet camera for July, the Konica I. Those pictures will come in a later post.

 

(Click Here) to check out the Summitar.

 

The Hot Seats (Clockwise from Bottom Left: Graham, Josh, Jake, Ed, and Ben), by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 400, f6.7, 1/60 sec

 

The music started in the late evening, and was lit by lights from local buildings and a few garage mechanic's lights (really). So, I ended up shooting at high iso and wide open, or near to it, for most of the night.

Sunset on the Streets of Warrenton, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 400, f4, 1/180 sec

 

 

The show was introduced by the cheer team from Fauquier County High School. These two girls had a blast running back and forth in front of the band.

 

Joyous Youth, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 1250, f2.8, 1/180 sec

 

 

Stealing the Show, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 1250, f2, 1/180 sec

The action must have been contagious.

Dance, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 1250, f2.8, 1/125 sec

 

As the show drew to an end and I headed home, I caught this view of small town America as I turned around for one more look.

End of the Show, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible Lens

iso 1250, f2, 1/60 sec

Great fun. As I mentioned above, you'll be seeing some film pics from the Konica I as I get them scanned and online.

 

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Shenandoah Riverside Festival - My Photos and Writeup at Cosmic Vibes Live!

I recently wrote another piece for my favorite live music blog, Cosmic Vibes Live.

 

(Click Here) to read it and see all of my pics at cosmicvibeslive.com.

 

I'll use my own blog here to share a little info about the photographic details.

 

First, I decided to take it easy at this show, and shoot what I felt like. That included a Leica IIIC with Summitar 5cm f2 (the lens I've picked to pair up with my M9 for the Whole Lotta Leica series this month). Here's a shot from that combination:

 

The Woodshedders, by Reed A. George

Leica IIIC, Leica Summitar 5cm f2 Lens

 

I also shot my Skeletons From The Closet Camera for June, the Konica Auto S1.6, with color film:

 

Banana Express, by Reed A. George

Konica Auto S1.6

 

When nighttime came, I switched from the fun film cameras to the workhorse - Nikon D700.

 

The Hackensaw Boys, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 85mm f1.4 AF-D Lens

 

Like I mentioned above, click over to Cosmic Vibes Live to read the full story and see a lot more pics.

 

It was great fun shooting the Leica and Konica, especially wandering around backstage. The Nikon came through as always.

 

I am still really enjoying the combination of great live music and my photography hobby!

 

Happy Crowd, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 50mm f1.4 AF-D Lens

 

 

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Whole Lotta Leica Lens for July - Coated Summitar 5cm f2 Collapsible

 

My Coated Summitar

 

This month, I will shoot the Summitar 5cm f2 on my Leica M9. The Summitar replaced the earlier Leica Summar 5cm f2 in 1939, and was manufactured until 1953. I have two Summitars. This one is a late model (1951) with coated lens elements. The other is an early uncoated model. I love them both, but for different reasons.

 

The Summitar was the penultimate 50mm f2 design, coming directly before the benchmark Summicron. (Click Here) to read about the first version Summicron, which was my Whole Lotta Leica (WLL) lens for April. You can see lens and results posts for all of my WLL selections so far if you (Click Here).

 

Back to the Summitar. This is a collapsible normal length lens, and was used by countless Leica photographers as their fast lens, and many times only lens on their camera. It is a solid performer, and I think rivals the Summicron in many ways. My coated version is great for color or black and white.

 

This particular lens came with a Leica IIIF I both several years ago.

 

On the M9, I will have to be careful not to collapse the lens, as it can interfere with the sensor. Obviously, I'll also have to use an M mount adapter, as this is an LTM lens. Neither of these is a real issue, and I'm sure I can make some nice images with the Summitar.

 

In future months, I'll shoot the earlier Summar (which is one of my all-time favorite Leica lenses), and a more modern Summicron. So, we have plenty more to look forward to.

 

Wish me luck in getting some time to get out and shoot in July!

 

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