Summaron 35/2.8 Close Focus Stop, It's Adjustable

[GMOG]

Today I went through a Summaron 35mm f2.8 lens in LTM mount and discovered that the close focus stop is adjustable. The lens comes with the stop set to 1.0 meter. I was able to make mine focus down to the closest distance, which is at 0.65 meters. The same basic focus mount was used for every version of this lens so this discovery didn't surprise me.

After making the change I found that on the M6 the focus cam decouples at about 0.7 meters. I've not tried it on an LTM body yet. The distance scale stops at 1.0 meter, so I lose reference to distance when going closer but this isn't important to me. Sourcing another scale ring that has the closer distances marked would be cool, though.

The adjustment is simple. A screw is used for the stop, and there are three holes available for it. All I had to do was move the screw to another hole.

Here's how it came to me. Notice the black screw at the top of the ring positioned in the far right hole. See the other two holes to the left?


And here's where I placed the screw during assembly after cleanup.


Here's where it stopped originally.


And here's where it stops now.


Works great on the Z5!

 

[splitimageview]

Hmm. Well they did make a version that focused to 0.7m so this makes sense. Cool!

 

[GMOG]

Hmm. Well they did make a version that focused to 0.7m so this makes sense. Cool!

I looked them up on the 'Bay and found that goggled versions go down to 0.65. Splitting hairs, I know . . . 🙂

 

[qqphotos]

you have to be careful shopping for the LTM version on ebay because many of them (the ones marked down to 0,65) are ripped out of goggled M-mount ones, and they don't work on an LTM body except at infinity, because the focusing helical is meant for the goggled viewfinder.

 

[GMOG]

Here's one shot with the lens set at its new close focus distance.

 

[GMOG]

you have to be careful shopping for the LTM version on ebay because many of them (the ones marked down to 0,65) are ripped out of goggled M-mount ones, and they don't work on an LTM body except at infinity, because the focusing helical is meant for the goggled viewfinder.

Thank you for chiming in. I'll not reply here because it is off-topic for this thread.

You did give me something to think about! If you were to start another thread on the topic I would add my thoughts and conclusions.

 

[qqphotos]

Thank you for chiming in. I'll not reply here because it is off-topic for this thread.

You did give me something to think about! If you were to start another thread on the topic I would add my thoughts and conclusions.

I'm no expert! I just thought it was a good place to pass along the warning I was given when I was looking for an LTM 35/2.8 summaron. I was told this is common because LTM, non-goggled ones sell at a premium over the M-mount goggled ones, so unscrupulous sellers remove the 39mm-threaded lens body from the goggles and sell it for the higher price as if it were a native LTM one.

 

[Ororaro]

Do goggled LTM even exist??

 

[GMOG]

I checked actual close focus distance today using the Z5 and found that the lens now focuses down to 0.65 meters. It's cool that this was so easy to make happen. I hope this information is helpful to other gearheads.

 

[Freakscene]

Do goggled LTM even exist??

No. But some of the goggled M lenses are constructed including ltm parts with an adapter, and given that all the parts are interchangeable across all 35mm f2.8 Summarons, you can also make an ltm one with parts, including the helicoid, of a goggled lens. There are definitely ltm and M mount Summarons on the market that have goggled lens helicoids in them and won’t work if you try to focus them with a rangefinder.

 

[das]

It's weird that non goggled Summarons are pricier, as imho the goggles are the best part. Get a fantastic view on an M3 and smaller, easier to see view on the 0.72/0.85 bodies.

 

[Ororaro]

No. But some of the goggled M lenses are constructed including ltm parts with an adapter, and given that all the parts are interchangeable across all 35mm f2.8 Summarons, you can also make an ltm one with parts, including the helicoid, of a goggled lens. There are definitely ltm and M mount Summarons on the market that have goggled lens helicoids in them and won’t work if you try to focus them with a rangefinder.

You lost me here.

There are no LTM goggled lenses.

Also, one cannot simply take off the goggles and use the lens. A conversrion has to be done. As a matter of fact, I’ve converted a goggled summicron and it took me 10 hours of work: fiddling, calibrating, brain picking to no end.

 

[Freakscene]

You lost me here.

There are no LTM goggled lenses.

Also, one cannot simply take off the goggles and use the lens. A conversrion has to be done. As a matter of fact, I’ve converted a goggled summicron and it took me 10 hours of work: fiddling, calibrating, brain picking to no end.

Ok.

There are no Leica made LTM goggled lenses.

Some Leica made M mount goggled 35/2.8 Summaron lenses were constructed with ltm lens parts, an M mount adapter, helicoid for goggled lens, and goggles.

Some M mount regular lenses were made with ltm parts and an M mount adapter.

LTM 35/2.8 Summarons have higher value than others. M mount ungoggled versions next. Goggled versions are cheapest. So people buy the cheaper lenses, including (actually usually) goggled lenses, modify them to make them cosmetically appear like LTM or non-goggled M mount versions, and sell them on ebay and elsewhere unshimmed. They do not focus properly. As you point out, to make them focus properly is a lot of work. Beware. I would never buy an LTM or M mount Summaron unless there was good documentation or a good return policy, or if I planned to only use them on a mirrorless camera.

Marty

 

[Ororaro]

Ok.

There are no Leica made LTM goggled lenses.

Some Leica made M mount goggled 35/2.8 Summaron lenses were constructed with ltm lens parts, an M mount adapter, helicoid for goggled lens, and goggles.

Some M mount regular lenses were made with ltm parts and an M mount adapter.

LTM 35/2.8 Summarons have higher value than others. M mount ungoggled versions next. Goggled versions are cheapest. So people buy the cheaper lenses, including (actually usually) goggled lenses, modify them to make them cosmetically appear like LTM or non-goggled M mount versions, and sell them on ebay and elsewhere unshimmed. They do not focus properly. As you point out, to make them focus properly is a lot of work. Beware. I would never buy an LTM or M mount Summaron unless there was good documentation or a good return policy, or if I planned to only use them on a mirrorless camera.

Marty

Even on mirrorless, the infinity hard stop is not at infinity… a huge pita.

I’ve dismantled my lens many times, there was a new problem that needed adressing each time. Sanding down a shim, dremel a slope inside the helocoid housing (not sure of the technical term) for proper minimum focusing…a headache. And I started this project because Dag didn’t wanted to convert it. His reason was “last time I did ir, it was too much work”, which I understood as “I’ll have to charge you 1500$ for the job”

 

[Freakscene]

Even on mirrorless, the infinity hard stop is not at infinity… a huge pita.

Yes, of course.

I’ve dismantled my lens many times, there was a new problem that needed adressing each time. Sanding down a shim, dremel a slope inside the helocoid housing (not sure of the technical term) for proper minimum focusing…a headache.

I certainly do not have the patience. At all.

And I started this project because Dag didn’t wanted to convert it. His reason was “last time I did ir, it was too much work”, which I understood as “I’ll have to charge you 1500$ for the job”

Maybe more. And he would have to put off (routine, less annoying) work from however many other customers and more dollars that they would bring in. Reality bites.

 

[GMOG]

Even on mirrorless, the infinity hard stop is not at infinity… a huge pita.

I’ve dismantled my lens many times, there was a new problem that needed adressing each time. Sanding down a shim, dremel a slope inside the helocoid housing (not sure of the technical term) for proper minimum focusing…a headache. And I started this project because Dag didn’t wanted to convert it.

So why did you bother with it? Did the goggled lens come to you for "free"? It seems like a stretch, unless you're a glutton for "learning experiences". I was when I was younger, and still am when it makes sense in cases where there is no other way to learn about something. But to take on the task of modifying the as-designed and built function of a lens's focus mechanism is bit much even for me!

 

[GMOG]

I'm no expert! I just thought it was a good place to pass along the warning I was given when I was looking for an LTM 35/2.8 summaron. I was told this is common because LTM, non-goggled ones sell at a premium over the M-mount goggled ones, so unscrupulous sellers remove the 39mm-threaded lens body from the goggles and sell it for the higher price as if it were a native LTM one.

I'm sorry for being grumpy about it! I'm glad you brought it up.

 

[Ororaro]

I'm sorry for being grumpy about it! I'm glad you brought it up.

this feels like a twilight zone moment. I will repeat: there were never goggles LTM lenses. None produced, ever.

 

[Ororaro]

So why did you bother with it? Did the goggled lens come to you for "free"? It seems like a stretch, unless you're a glutton for "learning experiences". I was when I was younger, and still am when it makes sense in cases where there is no other way to learn about something. But to take on the task of modifying the as-designed and built function of a lens's focus mechanism is bit much even for me!

My goggled summicron had very fogged goggles. Cleaning them is an even bigger pita because reassembly is very difficult, messes up the focus, the alignment is never good and sealing the elements is not possible, or you need to have tinkerbell fingers.

I purchased a set of goggles and swapped them.
But in the end, although I truly believe this is the very best 35mm lens (summicron V1), I own many lenses, and many summicron V1; canadian, german. I’d never use this goggled one next to all thebither ones I own.

I do shuffle through my extensive collection but this goggled one would never enter the rotation, and why would it?

I purchased a conversion kit (mount + helicoid) and proceeded to installing it. And I finally made it… I am very happy now.

 

[GMOG]

this feels like a twilight zone moment. I will repeat: there were never goggles LTM lenses. None produced, ever.

I knew that already. The message quoted in your reply was a reply made to qqphotos. I thought I owed him an apology for being grumpy about other people taking this thread in directions I did not intend when creating it. But I got over it.

Carry on!