Advice sought about lens use with my M11

[galleryg]

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I am considering buying a Summicron DR for use with my M11 and Visoflex. Is there anything I need to be aware of? Will the DR require modification to use on the M11 without the goggles? My plan is to use it only with the M11 as it is now my only M camera. Will the lens need to be recalibrated? I just want to be prepared and not surprised with the unexpected. Thanks in advance

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[a.noctilux]

When you have it, you would see that you can "calibrate" by yourself with Visoflex 2.

May I think that if the lens stays in good shape, calibrating would not be necessary.

I don't have M11, just in case before mounting the DR (SOMNI) on my digital cameras, need to set the focus ring to about 1.5m.

With M11, I can not see why this nice lens would not work fine.

[pegelli]

On page 34 of the (English) M11 user manual the "Summicron 50 f/2 with close-up function" is listed as an incompatible lens.

On my M246M the DR only worked between between ~1 and 7 meter (not closer, no infinity focus possible), I assume it will be similar on an M11. The problem is the additional notch for close focussing on the rim moving the rangefinder lever in the body, this touches some internal parts in the mount of a digital M restricting how much you can turn the lens and thereby limiting the range in which the lens focusses. 

I've asked Will van Manen (Kamera Service, Zoetermeer) if grinding off this close focus notch would solve the problem but he said there are some additional parts that still touch items within the mount, So I sold my DR lens and got another 50 mm.

Edited August 22, 2022 by pegelli

[ChampagneCharlie]

 

To put this post in context, I own both a Summicron DR and an M11. At the risk of stating the obvious, the DR has two focusing ranges. A ‘standard’ range of 1m to infinity, and a ‘close’ range of approximately 50cm to 90cm. To switch between them, you pull out the focusing ring and lift it over a notch. After attaching the goggles, the focus ring will move throughout the ‘close’ range. If used without goggles, there is a small round button on the top of the lens which needs to be pressed to unlock the close focus range, otherwise it stays stuck at 90cm. Focusing with OVF works normally in the ‘standard’ range. The goggles provide an optical correction which is required to focus properly through the OVF in the ‘close’ range. I do not have goggles and cannot comment on whether these mount on the M11, I understand they do not on certain recent M bodies. Personally, I use liveview to focus in the ‘close’ range, which works fine. I do not own or use a Visoflex; however, if this is showing what the sensor sees there should be no problem in focusing across the entire range.

The DR is stated as incompatible with the body in the M11 user manual. I don’t really know why. In my experience there are two issues with the use of this lens on M bodies. 

• When focusing at longer distances a section of the lens’s internal housing protrudes back past the bayonet mount (see the attached photo of the brass section sticking back, shown next to the current 50/1.4 for comparison. On the M11, this isn’t a problem but on earlier M bodies, this protrusion was obstructed by the meter (see meter in M9, with a nice big space in the M11 in comparison).

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• As mentioned in an earlier post, the lens mounts normally when set a distance of about 1.5m or more. At shorter lengths, the same protrusion blocks the mounting of the lens. As inconveniences go this, for me, is towards the minor end of the spectrum.

Ergonomically, the lens feels extremely solid and well made. It’s made of brass, appropriately heavy, and balances nicely in hand on the M11. The images are lower contrast than current lenses, very sharp and with a decidedly ‘vintage’ look (I don’t mean this in either a positive or negative way, merely a statement of opinion). I gather from the phrasing of your question that you already own an M11, and presumably at least a lens to go with it. Many of the newer lens have a very similar look, adding a DR gives the option of something quite different.

To answer your specific questions, I cannot think of any reason a DR should require modification to work on your M11. Similarly, if used with an EVF, I cannot think that any recalibration would be required either. As a probably 60+ year old lens, I’m sure that copies may go out of alignment and require recalibration for use with the OVF- as with any lens. My copy works perfectly on my M11. As a final comment, it is a beautiful combination; it looks very pretty.
 

[galleryg]

My main concern was if I could use the DR without damaging the sensor

[lct]

My main concern would be if i can use the DR w/o voiding the Leica warranty knowing that it is considered "incompatible" by Leica. Excerpt of the instruction manual below. 

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[M11 for me]

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vor 9 Stunden schrieb galleryg:

My main concern was if I could use the DR without damaging the sensor

I think that when Leica says (see @lct) its incompatible then the answer should be given. You can of course do whatever you like (I would not use such a lens). To me its unfair to look for any kind of answers where someone tells you this or that. You bought a great camera. Please use it with a proper lens.

[jdlaing]

13 hours ago, galleryg said:

My main concern was if I could use the DR without damaging the sensor

If you look at the lens for a minute you’ll discover the sensor is not the problem.

[galleryg]

I thank everyone for all the great input. As much as I want to try  it with my M11, I will skip this pursuit moving forward.