M8 and collapsible Elmarit 50mm f2.8

[sbielecki]

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I recently bought a M8 body and the only lens I had was a Elmarit 50mm f2.8 from my M3.

Having read the official Leica recommendation not to collapse the lens into the body as it "may" damage the shutter (something I never understood as it either does or does not damage the shutter) I decided to find out myself. I measured both the distance from the lens mouting to the shutter and and the distance length of the collapsed lens when set on infinity. The distance from the mount to the shutter is 25mm, the length of the lens is 20mm (see attached image).

I am not an engineer, but I would think that 5mm clearance is sufficient to prevent any damage to the shutter and for those of you who are still of the nervous disposition I can assure you that it will remain 5mm today, tomorrow and in 100 years time.

I have been using the lens on my M8 for several weeks and there is not a single mark on the shutter as you can see from the attached image. I hope this breaks the myth surrounding this whole question for one lens at least.

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[jaapv]

It is not that you may damage the shutter, you might scratch the inside of the camera as it is more narrow than a film M.

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[luigi bertolotti]

Welcome to the forum !!

The question of collapsible lenses had been discussed many times (expecially at the times when M8 was "new") : and indeed the issue is like Jaap said : the shutter in itself is out of reach... the inner mouth is at risk of scratching if one mounts the lens when retracted , and with no much care on keeping it well coaxial/aligned with the flange "mouth" ; Leica is conservative in its advices... even the Elmar 90 (which, within the collapsibles, has the largest tube) can be (carefully) mounted and retracted.... so as the 135s can be used even not stopping down...

[620max]

Hi, I had a summicron 50mm (collapsible) and M9 before, and I will retract the Lens in to the M9 when I put back to bag. seen no problem at all...

 

but, few months later, I find some litter small black dot on the M9's sensor (CCD), and need to clean up, I am not sure is it the dust or oil from the lens's collapsing part, so just my opinion, if no need to collapse and don't do it

 

the collapsing maybe pull out something from the tube and will affect you expensive sensor.

[david strachan]

My collapsible Summicron 50mm from 1952, collapses easily enough into my Leica IIIc(f), film M6 and M8...without any problems. Leica and others made the collapsible style for "compactness" and ability to fit into the closed "ever-ready-case". Nowadays we don't tend to use these cases, so not much point in extending-collapsing, reducing the likelihood of scratching the chrome.

All the best and enjoy!

cheers Dave S

[friedeye]

The simple solution is to mount your lens with the lens extended and locked in shooting position. Your extension tube will then, obviously, be aligned when you collapse it and have zero chance of hitting anything inside the camera. I have an old Summar and Elmar and use them on my M9 all the time without a problem.