Re: [Leica] New User Question

[P2CON@aol.com]

Jem writes, in answer to question on use of 35mm/f3.5 Summaron with M6:

<<SNIP>> << The lens was made in 3 versions.
 In 1954 for the M3 w/out the eyes, keying the widest frame then available, 
50mm.
 
 In 1956 for the M3, with the eyes, still keying the 50mm frame but optically
 widening it to show 35mm area.
 In 1958 for the M2 (and therfore the M4, M5 and M6) keying in the 35mm frame.
 
 If you bought the lens without the eyes and it is obviously designed for them
 (look for the screw holes) then the lens is pretty worthless and you need to
 take it back if possible.
 If you have the eyes, put them back on.
 The upshot is that the lens will work well with the M6 providing the eyes are
 on, you will notice a very wide field of view (equivalent to 20mm or so) and
 therefore the 35mm frame will seem small within that, but trust me, it is
 correct. >> <<SNIP>>

I am the original poster and wish to thank all who responded to my question. 
Lucian and Michael for directions to the Archives, and A.H. Schmidt and Jen 
for direct input to my specific question.  As suggested in Jen's answer 
above, I do have the M3 version (1957 by s/n) with the eyes missing. The lens 
is not totally useless though, as it can be focused using the scale on the 
lens barrel instead of the rangefinder. Actually not a major problem for 
street grab shots. I have put one roll of Elite Chrome
Select 100 thru it taking two shots of each subject, one using the 
rangefinder and the second using the lens barrel scale. Subject matter was a 
Clasic Car show on the streets of Seal Beach, CA, and the focus distances 
from about 3 feet to maybe 25 feet.
Results with the scale focus were nice and sharp, and those using the 
rangefinder were noticeably out of focus, or at least much softer where the 
DOF was greater.

After the shoot I gave the lens to a local leica repair specialist to clean 
up the 40 years of haze (actually very slight), and he confirmed the focus 
peculiarity of the lens without the matching eyes. He said that the lens 
could be made to focus without the eyes by carefully re-grinding the focus 
cam to match the rangefinder image. Then of course the lens would not work 
"with eyes". I am going to keep the lens without the eyes and hope that 
someday I will run into some "eyes" that do not have a proper home. Until 
then it will be "grab shots with scale focus".

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for listening.   Paul Connet