New user without a body yet. Have Q.

JayC · 08-31-2006

I just bought a 50/2 Summicron. I believe it is the 4th version. (It is black and focuses to 28")

I am going to sell off my Contax stuff after I bet an M body. There is one body in town (an M3). The camera doesn't seem to allow me to focus as close as the lens does. When I tried to focus on something close, the rangefinded patch would get as close to "one" as it could, yet the lens still had more turning to go.

Do bodies have their own close focus limits? Is it just am M3 thing, and my lens has to be used on a different model? Did that body need fixin'? Does my lens need fixin'? (shouldn't - it was recently serviced)

Thanks for helping me on my way to get a body.

Jay

Artorius · 08-31-2006

You bought a lens, without knowing what camera you were going to use it with? I have spent years as a pro photog, and have never bought anything without knowing what it was going to be used for. Are you an investment buyer, or user? I guess in this new age of common stupidity, some people don't know how to search.
If I took this post wrong, please forgive, my house just burned down(but I saved my cameras and pets), and I broke my hand last week. I ain't taking many pics soon.

Artorius · 08-31-2006

Just reread your post as to the 50 cron. Is it a dual range and you might not have the eyes?

triplefinger · 08-31-2006

I love my Zeiss ikon...

back alley · 08-31-2006

I guess in this new age of common stupidity, some people don't know how to search.

or how to read...you called him stupid (implied) yet did not answer his questions.
kinda strange for a guy with a sig that says respect.

joe

JayC · 08-31-2006

Artorius,
It is not a DR lens - there is not a flat spot on the lens for the eyes. I am sure there are some folks out there that buy lenses before a body. It is like coming a cross a great buy on a monitor, then looking for a great buy on a CPU. You just have the monitor for awhile and can't use it. No biggie.
Or buying a great looking pair of Italian shoes while on vacation, yet not having the socks to match. Again, no biggie. Just look for a great pair of socks when you get to Greece.
So, back to my question please.......

FrankS · 08-31-2006

JayC, neither the M3 body or your lens needs fixing. Each has its own close focus limit and you, the photographer are limited to the greater distance. The discrepancy occurs because of the difference in age of the camera and lens. In the old days of the M3, the closest focus distance was greater (with the exception of the dual range Summicron) than more current gear. Apparently, the M3 can be modified to focus more closely by a technician, to match the capability of the newer lens. (This is info I read from Brian Sweeney's posts. I hope I've remembered it correctly)

richard_l · 08-31-2006

It is just an M3 thing. As Frank said, you can have the M3 modified so that it will focus as close as the capability of the lens. However, it will focus accurately on the M3 (within the focussing range of the rangefinder) without modification, and it will work as expected on any other M.

Richard

JayC · 08-31-2006

What does that adjustment cost for the M3, and where to get it?
Thanks for your help so far.

Ben Z · 09-01-2006

Your black 50 might be a 4th or it might be a 3rd. If it has either a built-in pull-out lens hood or a scalloped finger rest for focusing, it's a 4th. Otherwise it's a 3rd.

As other said the M3 can be adjusted to focus closer. I think I read somewhere it can only get down to 0.8m not the 0.7 of the lens but I may be hallucinating that. DAG in Wisconsin is my choice repair guy, you can get his e-mail and 'phone from his website http://www.dagcamera.com . He is happy to tell you how much it will cost.

From personal experience (had, used, then sold a clean, overhauled high-# M3) I wouldn't jump into an M3 just because there's one available. Unless it has had an overhaul lately it may need one, and there are problems with the cement getting brittle in the rangefinder optics and things coming apart which can be fixed but cost a lot of money. The biggest issue with the M3 is there is no real provision in the viewfinder for lenses wider than 50mm, should you ever desire a 35 or 28. I have had excellent luck buying used Leicas from http://www.keh.com and you can return it within 2 weeks for a full refund for no questions plus theres a 60-day warranty. They almost always have a huge selection of different models.

payasam · 09-01-2006

Cool temper, JayC, in this age of, etc. Here's wishing you good pictures.

anaanda · 09-01-2006

Jay,
Get the a Bessa body R3A or R2A or R3M or R2M, Leica M4-P is also a good choice. If you want to spend more get the M6...You have the second genration lens from the 70's not fourth generation...its the same one that I have..

Xmas · 09-01-2006

If you are a 5cm person then an M3 is unbeatable, the only distractions being the floating depth of field scales, in the finder.

I'm a 35mm person so I needed a M2, never use the 5cm, sits in the bag like a lead weight...

noel

Xmas · 09-01-2006

There may be nomenclature problems, using normal rules you have a 4th version, e.g. see.

http://www.cameraquest.com/mlenses.htm

Noel

gertjen · 09-01-2006

There's a fellow selling a mint M6ttl 0.58 on photo.net (In the Leica part of the forum under for sale/wanted to buy. Not in the classifieds) for $1200 at the moment. Seems like a pretty good deal seeing as they go for more on evilbay and at keh.com.

Good luck!

Wayne R. Scott · 09-01-2006

JayC,

I can't help you with the Leica question because I have no experience with them. But I have bought a lens without owning a camera body to use it. In my case I purchased a Vitax No.3 Soft Focus portrait lens in a Studio No. 5 shutter. This lens was designed for 8x10 cameras. I didn't own an 8x10 camera at the time, but it was on my "To acquire" list. Any way I paid $1000 less than what they are selling for now. So I guess I am stupid like you. I do have an 8x10 now, two years after the lens purchase.

Good luck in your Leica body search.

Wayne

JayC · 09-01-2006

Ok, so the M3 iss ue is fixable. I guess my problem now is to decide on meter vs no-meter, or M2/3/4 vs M6, or one ob the bessas..... Choosing an SLR seems so much easier. No one wants anything over 10 years old, so you choose from what's curent. It just seems easier to me which EOS body to choose than it does to choose an leica mount ody.....

sherm · 09-01-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by back alley

I guess in this new age of common stupidity, some people don't know how to search.

or how to read...you called him stupid (implied) yet did not answer his questions.
kinda strange for a guy with a sig that says respect.

joe

Shame your hand wasn't a liitle more out of commission so you couldn't type either..... Fifteen posts and already insulting folks?

FrankS · 09-01-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayC

Ok, so the M3 iss ue is fixable. I guess my problem now is to decide on meter vs no-meter, or M2/3/4 vs M6, or one ob the bessas..... Choosing an SLR seems so much easier. No one wants anything over 10 years old, so you choose from what's curent. It just seems easier to me which EOS body to choose than it does to choose an leica mount ody.....

This "common wisdom" in the SLR world simply isn't true when it comes to Leicas. These cameras are so well built that I have a Leica IIIa 70 years old that works better than I do.

irees · 09-02-2006

sherm, he neglected to mention the blunt head trauma as well.

Dfin · 09-02-2006

JayC, welcome to Leica therapy. If you can get hold of a copy of Leica&Leicaflex Lenses by G. Rogliatti, there is a list of serial numbers in the back with which you should be able to date your lens,and thus match it to the approx. same year model body. The copy that I have is dated September 1984, I don`t know if there are later editions, sorry, best of luck with your seach for an M body.

greggebhardt · 09-02-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherm

Shame your hand wasn't a liitle more out of commission so you couldn't type either..... Fifteen posts and already insulting folks?

I agree and a couple of post above that is not much better. Sometime this place DOES remind me of several of the Nikon forums at DPR. Some really mean people are there.

rover · 09-02-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggebhardt

I agree and a couple of post above that is not much better. Sometime this place DOES remind me of several of the Nikon forums at DPR. Some really mean people are there.

Agreed Greg, enough, lets get this back on topic please.

payasam · 09-02-2006

Frank S, *real* wisdom tells us how poorly *we* are designed and constructed.

Captain · 09-02-2006

I found a set of new front guards for a car that I hadnt purchased yet. They were very rare so I got them. I did eventually find the car they fitted a couple of years later. So if you get a deal on something why should it matter in which order that you buy them if your ultimate intent is to get an M camera eventually. Especially if your still deciding between differnt M bodies.

An M6 will focus that lens to its minimum focus without modification. They too can be found at relatively good prices and has a meter built in. Thats where I would probably look for a first M buyer.