Leica MEV1: Best mirrorless for M lenses?

[lct]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Interesting to see how the MEV1 behaves with so-called difficult lenses.
135mm and 15mm lenses are not a problem on the MEV1, as shown above, but some lenses are not recommended by Leica.
One of them is the Summicron 50/2 Dual Range # 11918 from the 1960s.
It is a lens based upon the version 2 of the Summicron 50/2 Rigid # 11818 with 7 elements in 6 groups, which focuses normally from 1m to infinity. To that normal range, the DR variant adds a closeup range from 0.5m to 1m that needs special goggles to access it with a rangefinder.
Those goggles are not necessary when using an EVF, be it with the M11 + Visoflex2 or the MEV1. Suffice it to press the bearing ball of the lens to access the closeup range and focus accordingly.
The lens is not recommended by Leica though. It is considered « incompatible » in the instruction manual of both M11 and MEV1 cameras. Yet, when mounted and unmounted with care, it works perfectly well on those bodies. Suffice it to mount and unmount the lens carefully at the infinity position. By carefully i mean without hitting the roller cam of the camera. This way, the lens gives the same results as the Rigid v2 from 1m to infinity, but thanks to the closeup range, it does the same from 1m to 0.5m too.
Warning: In case of damage to the lens or the camera doing this, the damage should not be covered by the Leica warranty nomally, since the lens is considered incompatible by Leica.
Couple of snaps with MEV1 + Summicron 50/2 DR. Handheld. Details in exif data.

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!