DR Summicron eyes/no eyes

[jmooney]

Hi all,

I'm new to this whole Leica thing so excuse the potential ignorance but I see some DR summicrons with goggle and some without. Are they the same (other than the goggles) and can they be used without the goggles?

Thanks for your help.

Jim

 

[payasam]

A DR can be used without the goggles, but then it does not remain a DR.

 

[Film dino]

A DR Summicron without goggles functions just like any other 5cm Summicron, but you need the goggles to focus down to 19 inches: The goggles are used only to provide parallax correction & allow focussing in the near range via an interlock system (easier to demonstrate than describe)

DR Summicrons would originally have been supplied with goggles

David

 

[Benjamin Marks]

The goggles are a close-focusing accessory that are not used during normal use (e.g. distances from 3 feet to infinity). When you slip the goggles on, they depress a spring-loaded ball bearing in the mounting plate for the eyes, which allows close focusing of the lens. In addition to engaging the close focusing capabilities of the lens's focusing helical, the goggles correct for the parallax problem of doing macro photography with a system that does not let you see through the lens.

To answer your question plainly: the lens functions perfectly as an ordinary 50mm lens without the goggles, but you won't be able to use the lens's close-focusing ability reliably without it. BTW, this lens does not work in normal mode on the M8 without modification to the lens mount, but mounts just fine for macro when the eyes are on. If you buy a DR 50 without the eyes, you can purchase them for a lot of money used (e.g. ebay or Kevin Cameras or sometimes KEH). There is more than one type of DR 50, reportedly, and you must be careful that the eyes you buy match it. Also the lens head unscrews on this lens (for use with a Viso?) and the serial numbers on the head and focusing helical should match for best performance and resale value.

good luck,

Ben Marks

 

[jmooney]

Thanks for the quick responses! So how close can you focus without the eyes?

 

[Shac]

You can focus to 3' 4" (ca. 1 m) without the goggles

 

[M. Valdemar]

If you keep checking eBay the goggles alone usually come up for sale once in a while.

I've seen them sell for anywhere from $80 to about $300.

 

[Vincenzo Maielli]

Hi, dear friend. I own a 1962 Summicron 50 DR from 15 years. I love very mutch this spectacular performer. Mine is equipped with the special goggles, but i use the DR only without the goggles, in the normal focusing range, from 1 m to infinity. If i mount the special goggles, the focusing range go from 48 cm to 88 cm.
Ciao.
Vincenzo

 

[RichardB]

Dealers and sellers break up any lens purchased and sell as individual components including boxes labled to a lens and instruction manuals in the quest for maximum profits.
So purchase a DR, you need the Optical Unit, front & rear covers, box, instructions and possibly a case.
BTW, I have one with Optical Unit and have NEVER used it! SLR works much better at close distances.-Dick

 

[Vics]

When I bought my DR, I got the wrong goggles (KEH.) I never use them anyway so it doesn't really matter, except that I'd like to sell the lens and buy a rigid because it's the same lens but lighter and has a tab for focusing, but I'd be selling it with the wrong goggles, so now what? Check out CameraQuest for more ingo. Close focusing is whay God invented the Nikon F!
Vic