[Leica] Collapsible 50mm Elmar and Summicron on M8 M9

[henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff)]

All that's still valid.

 From messages posted about this topic including conversations with 
Solms indicates that Leica's concerns about all the collapsible 
lenses that extend into the body are for the most part about mounting 
lenses collapsed and then scraping the inside of the lens throat on 
the camera, causing paint to flake off. There has also been a note 
about an (unverified) case of a 50mm Elmar of unknown vintage 
scraping the inside of the lens throat while being collapsed with the 
lens mounted.

After checking my lenses (I have 3 Elmars from 1931 to 2002) I'm not 
quite sure how this could have happened, but Leitz/Leica didn't make 
every item of the same model/type exactly the same. Variations are 
certainly common.

So... the main thing is to check for yourself, and measure. If you do 
this correctly, and clearances are OK, then you're good to go.

I still haven't come across a lens in the wild that couldn't be 
collapsed, outside of the possibility of the old 90 Elmar. The new 90 
macro-Elmar is just fine as the lens barrel doesn't even extend past 
the bayonet when the lens is collapsed.



>I am posting this information from Henning Wulff again. It's 
>important, and I wonder if any new information or experience exists 
>on this subject....
>
>I had asked and Henning answered...
>>>
>>>>  **** the current M9 manual warns against using collapsible 
>>>>lenses with the M9, in the collapsed ie non extended mode.
>>>>
>>>>  I recall a LUGer, with plenty of experience, has said that the 
>>>>50mm Collapsible Elmars and Summicrons are in fact not a risk to 
>>>>the M8 & M9 even when collapsed....
>>>>
>>>>  Is this correct?
>>>>  thanks,
>>>>
>>>>  Steve
>>>
>>>
>>>  Hi Steve,
>>>
>>>  No, collapsible 50's won't damage your M9. The only collapsible 
>>>lens I think might be a problem is the old 90mm collapsible Elmar 
>>>from the 60's.
>>>
>>>  You can check this easily yourself. Take a 1/2" wide piece of 
>>>paper, stick it into the lens opening and mark the depth that it 
>>>goes in before it touches the shutter. Then take a collapsed lens 
>>>(off camera) and put the piece of paper against the lens flange. 
>>>You will see that the depth that you were able to stick the piece 
>>>of paper into the M8 or 9 before it hit the shutter is much 
>>>greater than the rear protrusion of the collapsed lens.
>>>
>>>  It's safest to extend the lens before mounting it, as you don't 
>>>want to poke at the insides with the protruding parts of the back 
>>>of the lens. Otherwise you're OK.
>>>
>>>  Regards,
>>>
>>>  Henning
>>
>
>
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    *            Henning J. Wulff
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