Should my old 35mm Summaron lens select the 35mm frame lines on an M2

[madNbad]

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7 minutes ago, MikeMyers said:

I read your story - wow!  I guess I'd never get a chance to capture candid photos when everyone came over to ask about my camera!  But the camera does look stunning in that dark red color.  Did you do the replacement yourself?  Where does one buy "coverings" for an old vulcanite leather that has long since started to come apart.  I guess I should look for a thread on this, and if I can't find one, start my own.......

Hugo Studios replacement leather is a good place to start: https://hugostudio.com/

 

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[pippy]

22 minutes ago, MikeMyers said:

I read your story - wow!  I guess I'd never get a chance to capture candid photos when everyone came over to ask about my camera!  But the camera does look stunning in that dark red color.  Did you do the replacement yourself?  Where does one buy "coverings" for an old vulcanite leather that has long since started to come apart.  I guess I should look for a thread on this, and if I can't find one, start my own.......

Thanks; glad you found it to be of some interest. Oddly enough there is a current thread where the Author of the thread in my PM has, himself, just bought a silver-chrome M9-P with Red Leather covering!

I bought the black replacement from Aki-Asahi. They do coverings for many different cameras. Here is the link to their main site; one for the M2 (they make coverings for different versions of the M2) and one to the special colours for some Leica M;

http://aki-asahi.com/store/

http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/M2-button/LeicaM2button.php

http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/material-list/LeicaM_ColorMaterialList.html

The swap was extremely easy and quick to perform So much so that I'd have no hesitation in recovering the camera if I get bored with the Black Leather.

Philip.

Edited August 27, 2021 by pippy

[Pyrogallol]

When you buy the 111f just buy the screw thread version of the same lens to go with it. The screw version has the older A36 clamp-on filter size. I have at least three of them.

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[MikeMyers]

I guess I need to do some more searching about Leica M2.

The M2 Leica's on his page have a button, not a rewind lever, and they lack the self timer.  My M2 looks more like my M3.  S/N is M2-1074691.  I assumed all M2 Leica's were like mine.  As to my M3, the S/N is M3 997291.

I think those leather colors look really nice, but if I ever get something different, it's likely to be dark brown, nothing "fancy".  Brown looks more....  ....natural.

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[Pyrogallol]

1. Yes, the first M2 cameras had a “button rewind” and were without the self timer, which became an optional extra, before it become standard and the rewind button was changed to the lever.

see https://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M2

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by Pyrogallol

[pippy]

32 minutes ago, MikeMyers said:

I guess I need to do some more searching about Leica M2....The M2 Leica's on his page have a button, not a rewind lever, and they lack the self timer.  My M2 looks more like my M3.  S/N is M2-1074691.  I assumed all M2 Leica's were like mine...

As you have seen there were different styles of M2 made over the years!

It is possible, however, to get leather for yours as these snaps - of my own long-suffering M2 - will testify! The poor thing led a hard life throughout my college days.

Before and After snaps. Knackered Leatherette and Mangled Top-Plate;

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NOS Top-Plate fitted to stripped body;

New Leather;

OK; Back to our scheduled Programme!

Philip.

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by pippy

[Pyrogallol]

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I rather like how it looked originally before being prettied up.

[MikeMyers]

Just from holding the camera while putting on the new strap, the vulcanite started falling off.  I was going to ask here if there was an online thread about how I could re place the vulcanite myself, but I think I'll just send it off to Don along with a "blank check".  Do the levers need to be removed first?  It's probably going to require special tools that I won't have.  Does DAG have new leather in stock, or do I buy some first, and send him along with the camera?

I want to run  one roll of film through it before I send it off to him.  It will be much more enjoyable once he gets rid of the "fog" in the viewfinder.  As soon as I  clean the lens, I'll shoot some photos with the Summaron.  The trick mentioned earlier, just using the entire viewfinder, should be good enough.

[pippy]

2 hours ago, MikeMyers said:

...I was going to ask here if there was an online thread about how I could re place the vulcanite myself, but I think I'll just send it off to Don along with a "blank check".  Do the levers need to be removed first?  It's probably going to require special tools that I won't have...

Yes; there is an easy-to-follow on-line clip which shows how to change the decaying vulcanite and no; the levers do not need to be removed as the new covering can be slid over-and-behind the levers.

As far as have someone else perform the swap for you? Not my position to say, of course, but the replacement cover costs under $30 and - once the body is cleaned and prep'd - the fitting of the new 'skin' takes merely a few minutes. Paying someone else to do that? Added to fact it's quite fun to do the whole thing onesself? Nope. Crazy idea.

Philip.

 

 

[pippy]

4 hours ago, Pyrogallol said:

I rather like how it looked originally before being prettied up.

I didn't mind it at all but, latterly, the vulcanite was so prone to disintegration on every outing that it became an issue in terms of decaying detritous possibly entering lens-throat / internals and so forth. As such ridding the body of the original covering was a sensible choice.

By far the biggest issue, however, was the damage done by the top-plate dent. But that's another derailment...

Philip.

Edited August 27, 2021 by pippy

[Mute-on]

2 hours ago, MikeMyers said:

Just from holding the camera while putting on the new strap, the vulcanite started falling off.  I was going to ask here if there was an online thread about how I could re place the vulcanite myself, but I think I'll just send it off to Don along with a "blank check".  Do the levers need to be removed first?  It's probably going to require special tools that I won't have.  Does DAG have new leather in stock, or do I buy some first, and send him along with the camera?

I want to run  one roll of film through it before I send it off to him.  It will be much more enjoyable once he gets rid of the "fog" in the viewfinder.  As soon as I  clean the lens, I'll shoot some photos with the Summaron.  The trick mentioned earlier, just using the entire viewfinder, should be good enough.

Mike, in relation to cleaning the lens - if it has internal haze, any external cleaning will not touch it.
 

More importantly, no matter how careful you are, there is a very good chance that cleaning the front and rear elements yourself will do more harm than good by leaving fine scratches in the coatings, or worse, etching the glass.  
 

In short, don’t mess with it. Try it as is for fun, and if you like the feel of using it, send it in to Don along with the M2/3. 
 

Good luck!

[MikeMyers]

Agreed - I will try it before I do anything.  No rush.

Most of my filters and any lenses without caps on them needed at least a light brushing, to get off the dust.  I guess a rocket blower will do that.

[MikeMyers]

1 hour ago, pippy said:

Yes; there is an easy-to-follow on-line clip which shows how to change the decaying vulcanite

Any suggestions where I might find this?

[Pyrogallol]

See 

http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/M3_buddha/install-4008/index.html

Edited August 28, 2021 by Pyrogallol

[MikeMyers]

That makes it seem easy!  Thank you for the link.

[lct]

4 minutes ago, MikeMyers said:

That makes it seem easy!

Matter of skills.

 

[Anthony Miller]

If the 1954 Sumarons don't bring uo the correct framelines on an M2 what model were they designed for?  

This did not look like a "goggle" lens so I don't understand there application.

I am looking at one for sale now (1954) so concerned that should I buy it I will be in the same boat with no 35mm framelines

[spydrxx]

On 8/27/2021 at 12:29 PM, MikeMyers said:

I read your story - wow!  I guess I'd never get a chance to capture candid photos when everyone came over to ask about my camera!  But the camera does look stunning in that dark red color.  Did you do the replacement yourself?  Where does one buy "coverings" for an old vulcanite leather that has long since started to come apart.  I guess I should look for a thread on this, and if I can't find one, start my own.......

Aki-Asahi and Camealeather sell replacement camera covers. Likewise, if you're having your camera body serviced by DAG or Youxin they can recover it at the same time. OTOH, if you are the least bit handy, recovering a camera in most cases isn't a very difficult job....I'm often all thumbs, but have recovered several over the years...Leicas and other brands. I got this iif dirt cheap due to its cosmetic condition, cost to recover it myself was less than $30 USD, and several hours work.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[MikeMyers]

2 hours ago, spydrxx said:

if you're having your camera body serviced by DAG or Youxin they can recover it at the same time

My M3 is with Don, and I suggested he use any material he liked.  He said something like "Great, let's do green and purple!"  

He was kidding, but I settled on black.   Not too original, eh?

 

Thank you!

[pippy]

2 hours ago, Anthony Miller said:

If the 1954 Sumarons don't bring uo the correct framelines on an M2 what model were they designed for?  

This did not look like a "goggle" lens so I don't understand there application.

I am looking at one for sale now (1954) so concerned that should I buy it I will be in the same boat with no 35mm framelines

It was designed, originally, for use with the M3 which had / has no 35mm framelines in the VF.

In 1954 there was only the M3. The Summaron focussed accurately on the M3 but the M3 VF didn't cover the 35mm angle-of-view. If the 35mm lens was to be used an external finder showing field-of-view was advised. The 'goggled' version arrived subsequently for use with the M3 and when the M2 was released the rear flange of the non-goggled Summaron was changed so as to bring-up the 35mm frame-lines featured on this new model. Later Summarons all bring up the 35mm frame-lines.

Earlier lenses - such as my '54 - can easily be modified; it merely requires (careful!) removal of a few millimetres of metal from the frame-selecting flange. There are many clips available on the www as well as still-frames ot the areas in question showing how it should be done.

Philip.