using 40mm lens in M6

[buckpago]

M6 has no 40mm frame line, I want to use my 40mm on my M6, which frameline should I use better? 50mm or 35mm?

 

[kshapero]

I would think 35 but I hear it comes up 50.

 

[JapanExposures]

A matter of personal preference. My lens brought up 50 lines, but I changed ring to 35. I am very pleased with the photos (Rollei Sonnar 40).

 

[Benjamin]

With an M6, with it's undersized framelines I would be inclined to use the 35mm frames. Be aware though that the focal length increases at close focusing distances.

If you had, for example, an M2 then I would use the 50mm frames so as not to crop unintentionally.

Enjoy the lens.

 

[Rob-F]

35mm framelines are ideal for 40mm lenses on the M6

35mm framelines are ideal for 40mm lenses on the M6

I also use the 35mm framelines of my M6 and MP with my 40mm lenses. The framelines for these models, and also late-model M4P, are a better match for 40mm than for 35mm. This applies at all but the closest working distance, where the 35mm lens is a better match.

In order to bring up the 35mm framelines with bayonet-mount lenses, some file work is called for on the lens mount. The how-to-do-it details have been well documented on this forum. For screw-mount lenses, just change the adapter. 🙂

 

[Ken Ford]

I didn't bother modifying my 40 Cron - I just frame tightly with the 50 framelines.

 

[sienarot]

I use the 35mm lines for my CV40 on my M6. I actually filed it down so that both the 35 and 50 lines come up 🙂

 

[Graybeard]

On my M6 and M3 using my 40mm Summicon, I frame tightly with the 50mm frame lines and sort things out in the darkroom. After all, I'm using a Summicron - modest enlargments will no be evident.

 

[sanmich]

I also use the 35mm framelines of my M6 and MP with my 40mm lenses. The framelines for these models, and also late-model M4P, are a better match for 40mm than for 35mm. This applies at all but the closest working distance, where the 35mm lens is a better match.

A bump for this thread, and a few questions:
(I am considering a 40mm Nokton)

Rob: at what distances do you feel that the 35mm frame stops being a good match to a 40 lens?

Does anyone use a 40mm lens on a 0.58x body? If so, what frame is the better one?

 

[Benjamin]

I do wonder just how many of these lenses have been modified now? I suppose it likely to only be a handful in comparision to the number produced, but it does seem that a lot of the 40mm Summicrons that appear for sale within certain circles have been altered to bring up the 35mm frameline.

Can the modification be reversed, and if so, at what cost?

 

[rdeleskie]

You would have to replace the flange, which I imagine is possible but likely not inexpensive. But why would you want to do that? I use a modified 40mm Summicron-C on my M6 and M8. With the 35mm frame lines, it is the most accurate lens I have for my M8 (in terms of framing), and its pretty bang-on with my M6 also. To my knowledge, the only camera adversely affected by the modification is the CLE, where the 40mm framelines will no longer appear. On the CL the 40mm lines will still appear even with a modified flange, and you can manually select 40mm on the Bessa R3M/A.

On other boards I have seen some squeamishness about modifying the flange, but really, it makes the lens much more useful to me, and it's the go-to for my M8. Presumably the purists would have it used only on a CL, which means it would be little more than a curiosity. If Leica had their way, the lens would not be used at all, but would have been consigned to the dustbin when they cancelled the CL some 35 years ago. As with all good lenses, the Summicron-C 40/2 deserves to be shot, not allowed to collect dust and mold on a shelf somewhere, or be fondled to death (and I don't mean to imply you are suggesting any of this!).

 

[lam]

When I used my 40's on my M6, I just toggled between 35 and 50 for a rough estimate of what I was going to get, regardless of how close I was. That's only if I felt like it.