Re: [Leica] Slimline case for M6?

[nbwatson@juno.com (N. B. Watson)]

Congrats on your return to Leica!  Compared to many of today's SLRs, an
M6 with a 135 lens, tied to a cinderblock and wrapped in the Sunday NY
Times wouldn't be bulky : ) However, to seriously address your
queries...I can say from experience that the current 50 2.8 collapsible
is an excellent lens, performance-wise, if you don't fancy needing fast
f-stops. Collapsed but with the hood attached, though, it pokes out about
as far as a hood-less 35; however, the 35 hood may be clipped-on in an
instant whilst the 50 2.8's hood must be threaded.  A friend uses the
rubber hood borrowed from a 90mm CL lens, but that's something you would
need to hunt up second-hand.
The collapsible Summicron is a fine lens, but they are difficult to find
with the front element coating in perfect shape, and when/if you do
you'll pay dearly for it.  The early Summicrons don't have extra contrast
to spare, shot wide open, to start with.  Add some "wipe marks" and
things can get out of hand.  The early 50 2.8 collapsible can more often
be found in decent shape because the coating was evidently more durable. 
All the older lenses chance to be needing an internal cleaning...do have
a good look with a pocket torch and if they need a teardown it should
reflect in the price.  Truly, having purchased an expensive new M6, it
seems a shame that you wouldn't consider a new 50...they're really not
all that large.  If you want the most pocketable combination, have a look
at a screw-mount f3.5 collapsible Elmar, used with an M bayonet adaptor. 
It pokes out only about 1.5cm when collapsed, plus it's diameter is
minuscule compared to the 2.8's.
Finally, if you're weighing a 50 as against a 35 based upon size, why not
consider the other salient differences between the 2 focal lengths as
well.  As to carrying cases, I seem to recall seeing in a Leica brochure
a "genuine" Leica ERC made expressly for use with the M6 and collapsible
Elmar.  I'll check it out at home this evening.

Regards,
Nigel

On Wed, 7 Oct 1998 20:27:17 +0100 "James Harper" <DRJH@btinternet.com>
writes:
>I've just returned to the Leica after a 10 year gap. To start with, I 
>have
>bought an M6HM body, and am now thinking about a lens, probably 50mm. 
>I
>want the camera to be as unbulky as possible to make travel easy.  The
>existing erc for the M6 is bulky and makes the camera look like an 
>SLR.  I
>remember once owning a IIf with a collapsible Elmar 2.8 50mm lens fror
>which I had a slimline Leitz case with a very thin front section which 
>took
>the lens only in its collapsed position. This camera could be carried 
>in a
>pocket.
>
>Has anyone any thoughts on how to achieve a similar situation with an 
>M6? 
>Firstly, it would presumably have to be with the new Elmar 2.8 50mm
>collapsible, though I notice advertisements for second hand  2.0
>collapsible 50mm Summicrons (is this a good lens, what vintage is 
>it?). 
>Any solution would I imagine entail having the hood dismounted (or is 
>there
>a rubber one available?)  And is the 35mm F2 Summicron thin enough to
>produce a slim package?
>
>Perhaps the answer is not an erc but a very small  camera case or bag 
>just
>big enough for the camera?
>
>Any advice gratefully received.
>
>Regards.
>
>JH
>

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