Image Sharpness of Summicron-C 40mm

[C4D]

Lately I have been photographing a lot with a CL Summicron 40mm and a Canon QL17 and I can also definitely confirm as mentioned above that the Canon lens performs much like the Summicron but less contrasty and a bit softer wide open. Now the one lens I have been using also lately that I think really has a look and feel of the Summicron is the Konica Auto S2's 40mm 1.8 lens... I find that lens to be very sharp with excellent image character.

 

[k__43]

It was said to be optimised for the CL and may or may not work on some M was the official line from Leica. However I have never seen any incompatibility issues with any M so I think it was more to try sway M users back to buying regular M lenses. The CLE and its lenses use a convention cam system the same an all M's however on their official notices as to lens compatibility Minolta list the steep sloped cammed Summicron C as being completely compatible so it does further suggest Leica was making it up. I have heard the odd user say they encountered this incompatibility issue but I have found over the years someone at least sometime has has a like issue with other Leica lenses and needed the lens to be matched to their particular camera body. I dont believe the 40mm can be singled out on this.

weird thing tho .. with my M2's RF the Cron-C doesn't hit infinity but it does so with the M6 of a friend. My other lenses do focus to infinity tho.

 

[marzipan]

If the Summicron-C works accurately with your M depends on how your rangefinder arm length (gain) is adjusted. If the roller is not placed in the exact center, the C lens with its sloping cam would be off. CLs and Ms are slightly differently constructed in this respect, and this I think is the reason for the warnings of incompatibility.