rodflower Posted April 20, 2015 Share #1 Posted April 20, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) One of my favourite lenses is the 50mm f2.8 collapsible Elmar. I use this a lot with my M7, but in the instruction books Leica explicitly prohibits its use on the digital M models as, apparently, it impinges on the sensor when retracted. However, I have been informed by one who should know, that it is actually safe to use this lens with the Type 240 and other digital models and that collapsing the lens does not harm the sensor. Naturally, I dont want to learn the hard way that this isn't correct. Has anyone had any experience with this? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 20, 2015 Posted April 20, 2015 Hi rodflower, Take a look here 50mm collapsible f2.8 Elmar with Type 240. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted April 20, 2015 Share #2 Posted April 20, 2015 It cannot harm the sensor, as the distance cannot be but the same as the distance to film. However, The camera mouth is a bit more narrow, so Leica advises to mount and unmount the lens extended, to avoid scratching the inside of the camera. Once on, it can be collapsed without problem. Furthermore, there is a lip on the shutter mechanism which precludes the collapsing of the ancient 90 mm collapsible. (no problem with the 90 Macro!!) See the FAQ, where this is explained extensively. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/216580-leica-m8-m82-m9-m9p-mm-mtyp240-faqs-questions-with-answers/?p=2464102 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted April 20, 2015 Share #3 Posted April 20, 2015 As Jaap says the sensor distance is no problem. There is however only about a mm or so of clearance between the barrel and the camera innards at the sides. If you have a nice firm 50/2.8 it will retract easily ...... if you have a wobbly one you need to take a bit more care ..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted April 20, 2015 Share #4 Posted April 20, 2015 I use it all the time on the Monochrom, M240 (and of course the M7) without problems. However, I am in the habit of always mounting it to the camera whilst extended (but not necessarily locked). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 20, 2015 Share #5 Posted April 20, 2015 OTOH a scratch is easily cured by a dollop of matte black paint Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted April 20, 2015 Share #6 Posted April 20, 2015 Ah, I could use some black paint for my life! Rod, there are several posts about collapsible lenses here. Many have posted that they wrap something around the moving barrel to keep it from collapsing all the way. Regards to all, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 20, 2015 Share #7 Posted April 20, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Yes - that was Leica's advice for the M5, as it had a light sensor swinging in behind the lens. I don't think there is any need for that with any digital M camera, except for the 90/4.0 LTM(up to 1969), 50/2.5 Hektor and Elmar 50/3.5 red LTM (1950ies), as long as you mount them extended. (actually I disregard that advice systematically and never had any problem but it is your own (scratch) risk... )) Wrapping them up rather defeats the purpose of a collapsible lens IMO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted April 20, 2015 Share #8 Posted April 20, 2015 ... Wrapping them up rather defeats the purpose of a collapsible lens IMO. Well, sure ... if you were to use some 1-2mm string, you could also attach the lens cap to it for a completely elegant appearance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thsc Posted April 20, 2015 Share #9 Posted April 20, 2015 I use the 2.8 / 50 for several years on the M9 and occasionally on the M240. When attaching it should be extended. There are no problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 20, 2015 Share #10 Posted April 20, 2015 Well, sure ... if you were to use some 1-2mm string, you could also attach the lens cap to it for a completely elegant appearance. Sure, but with the Elmar-M collapsed I can slip the camera into my coat pocket, unlike for instance the Summicron 50. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted April 21, 2015 Share #11 Posted April 21, 2015 I use the 2.8 / 50 for several years on the M9 and occasionally on the M240. When attaching it should be extended. There are no problems. Same with all the collapsible 50s. Used them all on the M8, no issues there at least. Believe the collapsible 90s are an issue though. But, as others have mentioned, mount the lens extended and not collapsed. Used my 1930 Elmar on the M240, no problem. Cheers, Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted April 21, 2015 Share #12 Posted April 21, 2015 The current collapsible, 50 and 90, are superb lenses and they are designed such as to not collapse not much further than the lens mount inside. I use both regularly. This is absolutely not true of the originals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted April 21, 2015 Share #13 Posted April 21, 2015 The whole 'can I collapse the lens' thing is very misleading. Leica instruction manuals from the Barnack camera days advise you to only change lenses in an extended state, in case of damaging the internals. It's nothing new. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 22, 2015 Share #14 Posted April 22, 2015 The difference is that the M8 and M9 manual said one cannot use collapsible lenses on the cameras. It was only years later, when people turned out to be using these lenses without problems that Leica reversed that position. Hence the collapsing FUD. It was really a silly situation. They were forbidding the collapsing of lenses, but they were selling the Elmar-M coded. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pop Posted April 22, 2015 Share #15 Posted April 22, 2015 The difference is that the M8 and M9 manual said one cannot use collapsible lenses on the cameras. I just went and had a look into my German M8 manual. It clearly says on p 18 or thereabout which lenses you can use, which ones you can not use and which ones may damage your camera. The collapsible ones are in the third category. IIRC, some addendum later specified that certain batches of lenses would not couple to the RF of the digital M-type cameras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS Posted April 24, 2015 Share #16 Posted April 24, 2015 I have used mine on both the Monochrom and M240 without any issues and without the string Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted April 26, 2015 Share #17 Posted April 26, 2015 The current Elmer 2.8 is one of my currently most used lenses. Great for trekking / general walkabout. No issues on M9 or M240. I put on the biopsy collapsed and i extended without any concerns. Get one and enjoy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS Posted April 26, 2015 Share #18 Posted April 26, 2015 I did forget to mention that my lens on either the MM or the M240 is soft........................ it gives a nice picture but its defiantly not sharp Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted April 27, 2015 Share #19 Posted April 27, 2015 Samples of the older (1957 to 1972) 50/2.8 Elmar can be a little soft and some now suffer from haze but the newer (1994 to 2007) model has a reputation for being very sharp and mine certainly was. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 27, 2015 Share #20 Posted April 27, 2015 I did forget to mention that my lens on either the MM or the M240 is soft........................ it gives a nice picture but its defiantly not sharp Don't confuse the Elmar 50/2.8 with the Elmar-M 50/2.8. The former can indeed be sightly soft, but the latter is a completely new computation and one of the sharpest lenses Leica ever offered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.