Leica Pocketbook error re. Summaron?

[mrtoml]

I recently bought a nice M-Mount 1959 Summaron 35mm/2.8 and it apparently focusses down to 0.7m according to the scale on the barrel. According to the Leica Pocketbook it is only supposed to focus down to 1m (or 65cm for the goggled version).

Presumably this is an error in the Pocketbook - or have a got hold of a strange lens?

 

[ben lloyd]

Hi Mark,

AFAIK, the screw mount version went down to 1m (as thats as close as the Barnacks go) The M3 body goes to 0.9m (for non-goggled lenses), and the M2 started the now traditional 0.7m.

See this p-nut thread also...
http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009ABX

Hope its treating you right so far!!

Best,
Ben

EDIT: I suspect that the pocketbook is wrong

 

[mrtoml]

Thanks, Ben. Not accusing you of anything BTW🙂 Looks like 0.7m is correct for the non-M3 version.

It's just that this sort of information (in the Pocketbook which is now in its 7th edition so you'd think this sort of thing would be corrected by now) is what I have been using to choose lenses and if it is not very accurate then obviously backup research might be needed in certain cases. In fact I was pleasantly surprised when the lens arrived and I saw that it went down to 0.7m rather than the 1m I was expecting. I had already checked all the specs on this lens in the PB before I decided it would suit my needs.

The data in the pocket book is as follows:
Min distance: 100cm (65cm for the M3 version)

No distinction is made between screw and bayonet mount.🙄

 

[ben lloyd]

No worries🙂

I think there are a few errors in the Hove guides, but I remember reading they have/had financial problems, I think there are/were quite a few authors who claim to have never been paid despite the issuing of new editions. (if memory serves me right, including Erwin!) It would certainly explain why errors haven't been corrected.

 

[mrtoml]

No worries🙂

I think there are a few errors in the Hove guides.

Thanks, Ben. Looks like you are right. I also have the Lens Compendium, which is a fascinating read, but has even less info on each individual lens than the Pocketbook in many respects. Looks like Google will have to supplement these sources.

 

[Vincenzo Maielli]

Hi, dear friends. Accordig to the Ghester Sartorius "Identifying Leica lenses" book, the Leitz M Summaron 35 mm f/ 3,5 focuses down to 1 m. The M Summaron 35 mm f/ 2,8 docuses down 0,70 m with the Leica M2 and 0,65 m with the Leica M3 (the same situation of the first version of the Leitz M Summicron 35 mm f/ 2).
Ciao.
Vincenzo

 

[mrtoml]

Hi, dear friends. Accordig to the Ghester Sartorius "Identifying Leica lenses" book, the Leitz M Summaron 35 mm f/ 3,5 focuses down to 1 m. The M Summaron 35 mm f/ 2,8 docuses down 0,70 m with the Leica M2 and 0,65 m with the Leica M3 (the same situation of the first version of the Leitz M Summicron 35 mm f/ 2).
Ciao.
Vincenzo

Thanks, Vincenzo.

Is the Sartorius book worth getting? Is there a better book on Leica equipment than the ones I have? (ie the pocketbook and the compendium).