sumicron DR 50mm..HOW CLOSE?

Yes, that is about right. I bought mine new, yes a number of years ago. Make sure if you get one that is isn't hazy. I have watched my "new" DR go hazy over the years. I will send it in when I get it out of storage and see if it can be cleaned. Other than that it is still like new. They are beautifully made but the coating isn't very hard and as mentioned, they go hazy frequently.
 
The DR will focus to 1m as standard, and .5m's with the goggles on.

I think that you can only focus between 50cm and a metre once goggled though.


A 90mm (lens) at one metre will give you the same coverage as the DR at .5 metres, so that may or may not suit you better.

You'll need a later Summicron if close focus is that important, with those focussing up to .7metres.

Then again, the eyes do look cool..
 
The DR is not really a "macro" lens - it is "enhanced" close focus from about 50 cm to 100 cm with the eyes on it. For true close focus you are better off with a dedicated SLR and a macro lens (my favorite here is an old Nikon F and the 55f3.5 Micro Nikkor).
The DR works well if you travel and you need some closer stuff - but not true macro.
This said, they are gorgeous lenses! Probably among the best built of any M lenses -ever.
They were "hand picked" (all are 51.8 mm FL) and assembled and checked and double checked. The complexity of the interlock required that they were assembled by hand.
I have always found them just a bit better built and collimated than the "straight" rigid Summicrons. Heavy though!!! If you only want 1 Leica 50f2 - thats the one I would go for.
The modern modern offerings from Leica/Zeiss/VC/Konica will focus down to 0.7 m - so the complexity and "hassle" of carrying the goggles and putting them on and taking them off makes it a lens that I use only occasionally.
As stated, check that the glass is clean and that aperture ring/focus is smooth and that the goggles are the correct ones. Sometimes you get mismatched pairs and they wont go on easily - or even worse - wont come off (and you are stuck having to shoot everything between 50 cm and 100 cm).
With the "correct" hood - it makes the aperture ring difficult to operate - I tend to use cheap threaded 39mm hoods instead.
 
As I just posted on the "best B&W lens thread" I recently picked up one of the earliest version DR and eyes. The early vesions focis to 19 inches, the "later" ones to 20 inches. As Tom says, it's a wonderfully crafted lens, and a beautiful image maker. I am actually using it's "close but not macro" capability a lot. best....Peter
 
this shot was taken at the closest distance possible, around 45cm. it feels REALLY closer once you get used to the 70cm focusing limit.

4481161961_5c53164b48.jpg
 
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