40mm on M8

J

jw52tx

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Does anyone know which frame lines an uncoded 40mm lens will bring up on the M-8? Will you be able to select and hold other frame lines for uncoded lenses with the preview lever?
 
on an M3 the 40mm M.Rokkor which I believe is the same as the Leica 40mm brought up the 50mm frame lines. I am guessing similiar will happen on an M8, but I am guessing.
A 50mm will bring up the 40mm frame lines on my CLE.

Regards,
Robert
 
I'm banking on using my 40mm 'cron on an M8 in due course.

An unmodified 40mm Rokkor or Summicron will bring up the 50mm frame. A modified one can bring up the 35mm frame (just a 5 minute job with a small file). It's been said that the M8 frames show a little bit more than you get on the sensor - just like the old M6 frames - so the modified 40mm should be pretty close to an exact match for the 35mm framelines. 40mm x1.33 = 52mm. My favourite focal length. Bingo!

If you don't want to file your Rokkor you will, indeed, be able to nudge the frameline selector lever to get a 35mm frame.
 
It's an easy mod - nothing to be scared of. If I can do it anybody can. Happy to post instructions if anyone doesn't already know how it's done.
 
Andy Aitken said:
It's an easy mod - nothing to be scared of. If I can do it anybody can. Happy to post instructions if anyone doesn't already know how it's done.
Click to expand...


I'd certainly be curious how that can be done - the 40mm is one of my favourite lenses, and it would be more useful with the 35mm framelines.
 
devils-advocate said:
I'd certainly be curious how that can be done - the 40mm is one of my favourite lenses, and it would be more useful with the 35mm framelines.
Click to expand...

there is a complete set of instructions and photos on how to do it on photo.net (search 40 modify file )

I think it was either Huw or Monkey C who provided the instructions. Obviously irreversible, so think long and hard. It doesn't affect the optics, but might affect resale for some (albeit certainly not all) potential buyers.

Andy might be able to provide some for our RFF records.
 
OK, but before you try it realise that there are basically two kinds of 35mm frame on Leica M's.

1. The accurate ones on M3, M2, M4, M5 and M4-2 (possible exception of late M4-2s) pretty much match the true 35mm view, so a modified 40mm will crop a little tighter than these frames.

2. The later tighter "innaccurate" frames on M4-P, (all) M6, M7 and MP. From what I've heard the M8 is similar. The modified 40mm should be a pretty close match for these "35mm" lines.

So. Take your 40mm lens (Nokton, Rokkor or Summicron) and look at the rear end. There is one leg of the bayonet that activates the frameline lever in the camera body. Looking from behind the lens it is the prong at the 9 o'clock (OK more like half past nine) position and on the side facing down. This is also the bayonet leg on the gentle side of the slope for the rangefinder cam. Take a very fine file and remove a little bit of the metal from that prong. You don't need to take a lot off - much less than 1mm. Make sure you don't get any filings in the lens or camera - perhaps masking off the rest of the back of the lens. Keep checking it on the camera body 'til it brings up the 35mm & 135mm frames. If you take off too much metal it doesn't matter as there is no frameset "after" the 35mm one. I'll try to include a picture here but I've not tried that before.
 
I should add that then lens will amazingly still bring up the correct 40mm framelines on a CL/CLE etc. Happy days.
 
Andy Aitken said:
OK, but before you try it realise that there are basically two kinds of 35mm frame on Leica M's.

1. The accurate ones on M3, M2, M4, M5 and M4-2 (possible exception of late M4-2s) pretty much match the true 35mm view, so a modified 40mm will crop a little tighter than these frames.
Click to expand...

35 mm frame in a M3, I probably missed something during the last 60 years :D
 
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