The Summicron 50mm DR on the M8...

[johnastovall]

I've been reading the DR Summicron 50 is considered by some to be an very fine lens and have extremely high resolution.

Has anyone here used it on the M8. I'm not really interested in the close focusing feature so much as resolution from 1meter out....

 

[EmilGil]

Don't do it: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/7165-m8-dual-range-summicron.html (posts 9 & 10)

 

[johnastovall]

Thanks, I had missed that on LUF.

 

[venchka]

Rumor has it that the rigid Summicron from the same period has identical optics. The difference being that the DR Summicron optical units were hand picked to have a focal length of exactly 51.9mm. Of course the DR Summicron will work in normal focus mode on your RD-1.

All that said, read Post #19 in the link provided above. Don Goldberg can fix a DR Summicron to work on the M8.

Having said all of that, the current 50mm Summicron is reportedly the best ever. I've seen them sell for little more than I overpaid for my DR Summicron. The images may look different. Greater contrast in the new one and all that. The DR Summicron has high resolution at the expense of contrast. Sean Ried likes that for digital. It will also flare at the drop of a hat. I love my DR Summicron. However, I hesitate to try the current version for fear of liking it better.

Good luck!

 

[Benjamin Marks]

The DR will not work on the M8, except in Macro mode. Then it works fine; otherwise the flange design will not allow this lens to be mounted. It is probably less expensive to purchase a rigid Summicron (non-DR) of the same vintage than it is to modify this lens, but a call to DAG will get you the facts you need.

Ben Marks

 

[Roger Hicks]

This is a severely embarrassing post for me, as I wholeheartedly recommended the DR on the M8 in a Shutterbug article a few months ago.

I find it almost impossible to believe, but as it was a cold, wet day, I was shooting indoors and never tried the DR beyond about 15 feet -- and it worked perfectly. At about 15 feet the cam fouls and the lens won't focus.

When I checked this, a few minutes ago, again the lens was off infinity when I mounted it, and again it went on with no trouble. I thought, "What is all this fuss about?" until I tried ficusing to infinity...

So there's the answer: no. I am very sorry for misleading people, and it was the sort of mistake that is not easy to make.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Philippe D.]

The DR will not work on the M8, except in Macro mode.

That's right.

(...) It is probably less expensive to purchase a rigid Summicron (non-DR)

But then, to work in macro mode, you'll need a SOMKY-M focusing adapter, and adaptator VOORF, to work with your rigid Cron.

 

[johnastovall]

I've found in a LUF thread the reason for the DR's greater resolution has to do with hand picked optical units at 51.9mm. It appears one can get the same preformance from a ridged 'Cron if you can sort one out in this manner.

""Buy a rigid Summicron = 2nd version, with 51.9 N
scratched onto the lens barrel (visible after unscrewing the lens head) and a focusing unit which has the SAME number as the one engraved on the front of the lens. That shows that lens head and focusing unit are matched."

Anyone ever tried this?

 

[Philippe D.]

""Buy a rigid Summicron = 2nd version, with 51.9 N
scratched onto the lens barrel (visible after unscrewing the lens head) and a focusing unit which has the SAME number as the one engraved on the front of the lens. That shows that lens head and focusing unit are matched."

To see if the barrel are really matching the optical front part of the lens, the s/n is engraved inside onto the barrel ring as well as on the front lens.

If you get a rigid Cron with "51,9 N" scratched onto the lens barrel, then it's probably a DR. 😉