50mm dual-range Summicron doesn't want to mount on the body

[LeicaBoss]

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My 50mm dual-range Summicron doesn't want to mount on my M240 anymore. Last time I had it mounted I couldn't more the focusring over 10m. It seems the inner brass barrel moves out when you focus to infinity, and I think that restricts the mounting of the lens.

 

When I set the focus to <1m it doesn't mount, when I put it in the close macro range it will mount (the inner brass barrel is completely in the lens then). See attached pictures.

 

Never had problems before with this lens... Anybody have a clue what's going on? Thanks.

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[lct]

I have no experience with this lens but it seems that the Summicron 50/2 "dual range" cannot be used on the M240 at normal focus distance w/o modification. See #56. 

 

 

[andybarton]

This is true. Mine won't focus to infinity on the M240. It won't mount at all on my MP

 

You can have them modified by a lens specialist, but it seems a shame to butcher such an old lens.

[Mijo]

I've had the same problem with this on my digital M's as well.  I usually set the normal focus some where between either end of the spectrum before mounting the lens on the body.  On a digital M it won't focus to infinity but it works fine on any film M that I've owned (M6 classic, M6 TTL, MP).  That thread that Ict posted is extremely useful, I remember reading through it prior to purchasing this lens.

[LeicaBoss]

Thanks guys, if forgot to mention it worked fine on my M6, and I'm fairly new to the M240 For now I will mount it when it's in close range, and maybe in the future a 1.4 Summilux might be an option

[AB007]

Mine won't focus beyond approx. 15 meters to infinity on my M240. I took some test shots yesterday with this lens on my M240. I never tried using it on my M9. I was using this lens solely on my M3. I was thinking about sending it to DAG but decided against doing it - didn't want to butcher such a beautiful lens. Maybe I'll get an adapter to use it on my A7r.

[BenMacPhoto]

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The dual range 50mm Summicron cannot mount on digital M's, unless modified which eliminates the close focus cam.

I have a modified dual range 50mm Summicron that I use on M8 and M9, have not used it on M240 though.

It makes it essentially a 50mm rigid Summicron.

[james.liam]

I had read somewhere that the DR was built to a more exacting spec (and heavier) compared to the Rigid because of the need to manipulate its components to alter the minimal focusing distance. 

 

Seems sacrilegious to grind down a true masterpiece of mid-20th century mechanical engineering. 

[thrid]

Don Goldberg can modify the DR to work on digital M bodies. But I do believe that you lose the close focus ability.

Essentially it becomes a Summicron Rigid (they share the same optical formula)

 

www.dagcamera.com

[james.liam]

Don Goldberg can modify the DR to work on digital M bodies. But I do believe that you lose the close focus ability.

Essentially it becomes a Summicron Rigid (they share the same optical formula)

 

www.dagcamera.com

 

So........get a Rigid. No costly Dremel action needed.

 

AFAIK, you cannot activate the close focus while adapted on an a7 either. It's purpose-built for film M, unless upcoming M cameras overcome the cam issue.

[tobey bilek]

It is not a better lens, simply one whose actual focal length is exactly the design length,  52.xx millimeters.   This avoids custom matching focusing mounts which is done for the rigid and many other lenses.

 

Lenses with removable heads have the serial # inscribed on the inside of proper focus mount, last 4 or 5 digits.  Normally there was always slight variation in focal in production,  but things were adjusted to make them work without compromise.

[adan]

Basically, film M's have a much lower "floor" to the chamber between the lens and shutter. The digital M's have a box that reaches up nearly to the lower edge of the shutter, and the 50DR's close-focus cam runs into the front of this box when focused near infinity.

 

The box in the digital M's includes the TTL flash metering sensor - but from what I can determine from pictures, the film M6ttl still has more space than the digitals, so presumably there is just more electronics eating up room (and blocking the 50DR) than in the film cameras.