EOD-M3 Posted February 25, 2020 Share #1  Posted February 25, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello, New guy and first post here. A few years ago I purchased a Leica M3, (#709970) in a kit with a Summaron 35/f3.5 and two other lenses. I don't really use the Elmar 90/f4 and generally stick with the Summicron 50/f2 on the M3. I am now interested in using the 3.5 on a digital camera. I was wondering what camera the forum might recommend for this purpose. I would like to stick with a rangefinder style form factor and would be willing to use the lens with an adapter on a non-Leica camera. Thank you.   Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 25, 2020 Posted February 25, 2020 Hi EOD-M3, Take a look here Digital Camera and Leica Summaron 3.5cm. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
andybarton Posted February 25, 2020 Share #2  Posted February 25, 2020 Welcome to the forum. You can use your lens on any digital Leica M camera (M8 - M10 with all variants along the way) and, with an adaptor, you can use it on a Leica L-mount camera. It's a "How long is a piece of string?" question really. How much do you want to spend on the new camera body? Do you want a new one, or are you ok with second-hand? Do you want a full colour sensor, or just a monochrome one?  Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 25, 2020 Share #3  Posted February 25, 2020 Add: If you have the goggled version, it will work flawlessly on any digital M. The dimensions are the same as a film M. I have one. Rather a nice lens, really, it performs well on a digital camera. Using it on a non-M camera might be less desirable. If you have the removable-goggles version, it will lock at infinity with the goggles removed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted February 25, 2020 Share #4  Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) There are different versions of the 1:3.5/35mm for the M. The first which came with the early M3 was to be used with a separate viewfinder since the M3 had no framelines  for 35mm.  The second version came with „goggles“ attached to the lens which used the 50mm lines but decreased the viewfinder‘s magnification so you got the field of view for 35mm. The last one came with the M2 and activates the lines for 35mm. All versions may be used with digital bodies but only the last one is a practical solution. Edited February 25, 2020 by UliWer Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 25, 2020 Share #5  Posted February 25, 2020 I disagree with the goggled versions being unpractical on a digital M. I use it unproblematically that way. SL and CL is a different story. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted February 25, 2020 Share #6  Posted February 25, 2020 Well, the Summaron‘s advantage is its small size. With the goggles this advantage is lost. Modern M cameras - since the M2 - have 35mm frames, so you  just don‘t need the goggles any more. Though I am not sure whether the original poster really wants to use the lens on a digital M. On another digital body, I’d rule out the goggles. With an M with 35mm frames you can use the goggles but don‘t need them. With any other digital camera you don‘t need them and can‘t use them, even if the lens fits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 25, 2020 Share #7  Posted February 25, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) . Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  Sans mot dire... Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  Sans mot dire... ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/306810-digital-camera-and-leica-summaron-35cm/?do=findComment&comment=3919628'>More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 25, 2020 Share #8  Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) Hi and welcome to the forum. "...I was wondering what camera the forum might recommend for this purpose..." IMO you would be well-served with buying an M9 for a few reasons. First-off it has a full-size sensor. The M8 was / is a very nice camera but it has a cropped sensor which means your Summaron - and everything else - would "go up one size" (x1.33) so the 35mm becomes (to all practical intents and purposes) a 50mm; the 50mm becomes (ditto) a 70mm and so on. Secondly if you are just going to test the water with a digital body you (probably) don't want to spend a huge amount of money in case it doesn't work out for you and at the moment the M9 can regularly be found from reputable dealerships at very attractive prices. If, for some reason, you find you don't enjoy the experience you can sell it on and, if you buy wisely, won't lose out too badly from a financial viewpoint - if at all. The most important thing to look out for if you DO go down this route is that the M9 has had the sensor changed for the 2nd generation version. If you buy from a dealership this should be a given but buying privately is a different matter. I've had my 35mm f3.5 Summaron for over 40 years. After I bought my M8 (many years ago now!) I noticed that the poor wee thing needed a CLA (it's a very early, 1954, non-goggled example) after which treatment I realised that it was still a wonderful performer even now. I realise that it's difficult t appraise anything on a screen but, FWIW, here is just something to look at in the spirit of 'Why Not?'. This image was taken literally just a few minutes after I had collected the lens after its CLA to give it a test so No Prizes for Artistic Content(!). First is the whole frame and second is 100% crop. Notice how there is an almost complete absence of pincusion/barrel distortion; the lens is practically rectilinear - which is not often encountered with the vast majority of 35mm lenses even now. The apparent 'dithering' in the full-size view is actually caused by the writing being printed on to a mesh fabric and it is the nature of the mesh which causes the raggedness! Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! I don't know where in the world you live but if you are in the UK then this place has a fine reputation and they currently have a few M9s a good prices; https://www.ffordes.com/c/496/digital-rangefinder?p=1&q=496&by=5&me=st&f=srt:3&x=srt Lastly....Cue - yet again - a gratuitous snap taken just the other week of my Summaron here mounted on the M9M; Philip. Edited February 25, 2020 by pippy Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! I don't know where in the world you live but if you are in the UK then this place has a fine reputation and they currently have a few M9s a good prices; https://www.ffordes.com/c/496/digital-rangefinder?p=1&q=496&by=5&me=st&f=srt:3&x=srt Lastly....Cue - yet again - a gratuitous snap taken just the other week of my Summaron here mounted on the M9M; Philip. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/306810-digital-camera-and-leica-summaron-35cm/?do=findComment&comment=3919690'>More sharing options...
Kwesi Posted February 25, 2020 Share #9 Â Posted February 25, 2020 As beautiful as that Summaron looks on that M9, Â I think the OP would be better served with an M240 series camera. Here in the US, they are both the same price on the used market. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 26, 2020 Share #10 Â Posted February 26, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, Kwesi said: ...I think the OP would be better served with an M240 series camera. Here in the US, they are both the same price on the used market... Very possibly, Kwesi. In fact on reflection yours is probably a much better idea. I don't have experience with the 240 (I skipped from the M9-P to an M-D 262) but, of course, the 240 has one or two features not offered on the M9 - not least a larger sensor - and going down that route would circumvent any possible sensor-corrosion issue of the M9. Official 240 batteries are also currently available new. Philip. Edited February 26, 2020 by pippy Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted February 26, 2020 Share #11 Â Posted February 26, 2020 41 minutes ago, pippy said: Very possibly, Kwesi. In fact having thought it over yours is probably a much better idea. I don't have experience with the 240 (I skipped from the M9-P to an M-D 262) but, of course, the 240 has one or two features not offered on the M9 - not least a larger sensor - and going down that route would circumvent the (possible) sensor-corrosion issue of the M9. Official 240 batteries are also currently available new. Philip. Both the M9 and the M240 are full frame sensors. "Official" Leica batteries for the M8/M9/... are also available new from any dealer or online. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 26, 2020 Share #12 Â Posted February 26, 2020 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Ecar said: "Official" Leica batteries for the M8/M9/... are also available new from any dealer or online. Ah! I wasn't absolutely sure about that, Ecar. Thanks for the clarification. As it happens I have quite a few already which I still need for the M9 Monochrom but it's good to have it confirmed that they are still readily available from dealerships. Philip. EDIT : by 'larger sensor' I was simply referring to the 24mp of the 240's CMOS as opposed to the 18mp of the M9's CCD - the full-frame nature of the 9 being the first thing I mentioned in my earlier post. Apologies if my erroneous terminology caused any confusion. Edited February 26, 2020 by pippy 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbaruche Posted May 18, 2020 Share #13  Posted May 18, 2020 great lens on the M8  Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/306810-digital-camera-and-leica-summaron-35cm/?do=findComment&comment=3976054'>More sharing options...
tsleica Posted May 20, 2020 Share #14  Posted May 20, 2020 Summaron f3.5 35mm Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/306810-digital-camera-and-leica-summaron-35cm/?do=findComment&comment=3976837'>More sharing options...
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