Re: [Leica] M3 close focus with 35mm Summicron

[Mark Walberg <Walberg@simmons.swmed.edu>]

My Nikkor 50mm f2 will focus down to 1.5 feet, but also loses rangefinder
coupling closer than a meter.  I guess you've got to scale focus at these
close distances.  I'm not sure why the lenses are made to focus so close.
Scale focusing and macro work seem to be almost mutually exclusive to me
because of decreasing depth of field.  Maybe it is for use on a relex
housing.  Does anyone use these close focusing distances with lenses like
this?  How about enlightening the rest of us?   Thanks.  -Mark Walberg

>Hi all,
>In playing with my M3, I have noticed that when I mount my 35mm
>Summicron on it (not the special M3 version, but the one I bought with
>my M6), it only focuses down to about 1m. In other words, I can turn the
>focusing ring on the lens towards the closest distance of 0.7m, but in
>the viewfinder there is no change in focus once I get closer than 1m. Is
>this normal? In other words, is there something about the M3 rangefinder
>which limits focus to 1m with this lens?
>
>Nathan