New M-8, old lens

[bobrudolph]

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Hello,

This was taken this evening, JPEG, B+W.

Lens used: 35mm f 2.8 Summaron with eyes.

ISO 640, f4 at 1/60th.

I did PS and tried to tame some of the very white

surfaces, the hot spots. Very slight sharpening.

Very slight boost in contrast.

Bob

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[newyorkone]

How do the eyes affect usage on the M8? Thanks for the info...I'm very interested in getting some of the older lenses but I usually steer clear of the ones with eyes, but maybe I shouldn't.

[doubice]

How do the eyes affect usage on the M8?

 

The 'goggled' lenses will key in a 50mm frame. The 'eyes' convert the view to a 35mm lens - this was used on old M3's, which did not have a 35mm frame.

 

The goggled lenses can be actually used on all Leicas, including the M8. The relationship between the 50mm frame and the function of the goggles remains the same, no matter what M finder or M camera is used.

 

The only disadvantage is that the goggles introduce a 0.7 reduction to the finder, making the image rather small. A 0.72 magnification finder will effectively become a finder with 0.50 magnification. On the M8, with 0.68 magnification, you'll end up with 0.47 magnification. Viewing will still be accurate, focusing will require a little more care; with a 35mm lens it should not however, present much of a problem due to great depth of field.

 

From my deep well of useless information........

 

Jan

[davidmires]

A charming portrait Bob. Very nice. How the older lenses work on the M8 is something that really interests me.

 

Steve- Forgive me if you already know this, but, the "eyes" only need to be mounted for close focusing. For instance, my 50mm "Dual Range" Summicron focuses to 3'-4" without the eyes. The eyes are only mounted to focus between 3'-2" down to the minimum focusing distance of 17" or so. It's kind of a nuisance sometimes, but it is a really nice lens.

The 50mm DR Summicron is listed as one of the lenses that is a "no go" on the M8. I plan to find out, tomorrow or Thursday, if this is because of the eyes or if it is because of some other issue.

Bob, I would also like to know how the 35mm eyes work on the M8.

 

Cheers, David.

[davidmires]

The 'goggled' lenses will key in a 50mm frame. The 'eyes' convert the view to a 35mm lens - this was used on old M3's, which did not have a 35mm frame.

 

The goggled lenses can be actually used on all Leicas, including the M8. The relationship between the 50mm frame and the function of the goggles remains the same, no matter what M finder or M camera is used.

 

The only disadvantage is that the goggles introduce a 0.7 reduction to the finder, making the image rather small. A 0.72 magnification finder will effectively become a finder with 0.50 magnification. On the M8, with 0.68 magnification, you'll end up with 0.47 magnification. Viewing will still be accurate, focusing will require a little more care; with a 35mm lens it should not however, present much of a problem due to great depth of field.

 

From my deep well of useless information........

 

Jan

 

 

Jan- I just saw your post after making mine. Having never owned the 35mm, I had always assumed that it worked on the same principal as the 50mm "DR".

That pretty much changes everything I said about the 35mm just now.

Sorry Steve!

[doubice]

Having never owned the 35mm, I had always assumed that it worked on the same principal as the 50mm "DR". That pretty much changes everything I said about the 35mm just now.

 

David,

 

Yes, the DR eyes use different principle. The finder optical unit for the DR Summicron is in effect a sophisticated close-up lens, which also compensates for parallax at distances closer than 1 meter.

 

The jury is still out as to whether the DR Summicron will work on the M8. As far as the goggles are concerned, all one would have to do is to remove the small black ridge - held by a screw at the top back edge of the finder. This was meant to stabilize the finder unit on older (read lower) M bodies (pre-M6TTL and M7).

 

The other issue of the DR Summicron might be the dual focusing cam, which protrudes deeper into the camera body than regular lenses. Not having an M8 (yet....), I cannot check the clearance, but am sure that somebody will post the information.

 

All the best,

 

Jan

[tbarker13]

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I tried to mount my 50 DR onto my M8. But it will not mount when the focus is set at infinity - the point at which the lens extends the furthest into the body of the camera.

However, if you adjust the focus away from infinity (reducing the length of the lens extending into the camera body) it will mount. But what would happen when you move the focus back to infinity? I certainly don't want to find out on my new camera.

[davidmires]

David,

 

Yes, the DR eyes use different principle. The finder optical unit for the DR Summicron is in effect a sophisticated close-up lens, which also compensates for parallax at distances closer than 1 meter.

Thanks for the clarification Jan.

 

As far as the goggles are concerned, all one would have to do is to remove the small black ridge - held by a screw at the top back edge of the finder. This was meant to stabilize the finder unit on older (read lower) M bodies (pre-M6TTL and M7).

This is what I have done to mount the goggles on my M6ttl.

 

The other issue of the DR Summicron might be the dual focusing cam, which protrudes deeper into the camera body than regular lenses.

This is what I am afraid of. It barely works on my M6, because of the ttl meter.

 

 

I tried to mount my 50 DR onto my M8. But it will not mount when the focus is set at infinity - the point at which the lens extends the furthest into the body of the camera.

However, if you adjust the focus away from infinity (reducing the length of the lens extending into the camera body) it will mount. But what would happen when you move the focus back to infinity? I certainly don't want to find out on my new camera.

Thanks for the input, I agree that it's not worth the risk to try something like this on a $5000 camera. The extended, close range, part of the lens must contact something inside the body of the M8.

 

Pity, I was really looking forward to using this lens on my M8.

 

Best regards, David.

[tbarker13]

No doubt.

I just sold the DR (which I loved on my R-D1), to replace it with a 50 rigid summicron.

[luigi bertolotti]

I tried to mount my 50 DR onto my M8. But it will not mount when the focus is set at infinity - the point at which the lens extends the furthest into the body of the camera.

However, if you adjust the focus away from infinity (reducing the length of the lens extending into the camera body) it will mount. But what would happen when you move the focus back to infinity? I certainly don't want to find out on my new camera.

 

Well...I think the problem is related to the cam that protrudes deeply in the DR Summicron, and think this may damge something in the (precious...) body or in the finder mechanism; remember there is a good almost-macro solution with the prent Elmar 90 f4, clearly stated as a "fully supported lens". It costs not so much (relatively...). Want a cheaper macro solution for M8 ? Find a good Visoflex II or III (many in the marketplace, 250-300 $) : it works very well as a sort of additional tube with many lenses: I make use of it often with the so called "macro Elmar" 65: lot of other combinations work well

[jaapv]

Want a cheaper macro solution for M8 ? Find a good Visoflex II or III (many in the marketplace, 250-300 $) : it works very well as a sort of additional tube with many lenses: I make use of it often with the so called "macro Elmar" 65: lot of other combinations work well

Visoflex II: not so good an idea. The pentaprism is too low and will not mount on the M8. The straight finder will, however. No problems with the Visoflex III.

[luigi bertolotti]

Visoflex II: not so good an idea. The pentaprism is too low and will not mount on the M8. The straight finder will, however. No problems with the Visoflex III.

Thank You a lot for the info: so,definitely, Viso II only with vertical finder, but Viso III OK with the prism ? Good to know..expect rising prices on venerable Viso III.... Just another detail: with the Viso III the arm that activates the mirror movement fits correctly on the shutter release button as in the classical M series ?