[Leica] Re: DR Summicron on M6s

[Cummer Family <cummer@asiaonline.net>]

>On Wed, 15 Sep 1999 21:54:19 EDT
>Jegerken@aol.com wrote
>Subject: [Leica] 50MM Summicron DR and M6
>I seem to remember reading somewhere that the Dual Range Summicron and M6's 
>are incompatible. I'm willing to face flame and damnation to find out if any 
>of you have experience with this combo. 
>Thanks,
>Jim Gerken
Jim, the DR Summicron works on my early M6 and also on my M6Hm. On the M6
(serial # in 170 range for 1987) you put on the DR lens and focus it down
to 1 meter, then pull out on the lens and rotate it into close focus. The
focus ring won't then turn until you put on the close up spectacles which,
engaging a button on the top of the flat spec attachment shelf on the top
of the lens, allows close focussing. The lens also works in the same
fashion on my M6HM, but is stiffer to get into the close focus mode and
when I first did it I worried about damaging the focussing cam in the
camera. Of course, the lens won't close focus on the M6TTL or M6HMTTL
because the rangefinder "hump" is slightly higher and you can't get the
close focussing spectacles to fit because a small pin on the back of the
spectacles used to center them on the viewfinder rangefinder windows
prevents the attachment of the specs. If this pin were removed the specs
would presumably fit and engage the closeup pin, but I don't use them
enough to atempt any surgery. Hope this helps. It is, for my taste, a great
lens BTW. For pictures about the DR and its specs, and what I am trying to
describe I suggest you visit Stephen Gandy's cameraquest site. For comments
on the comparative DR quality see Erwin Puts site.
Best Regards
Howard.