Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/09/02

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Subject: [Leica] Re: [DR Summicron on the M6 Leica]
From: "Doug Richardson" <doug@meditor.demon.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 10:16:09 -0000

Mary G. McGough wrote:

>will someone please tell me what the concensus and conclusion was in
why some DRs will work on some M6s & not on others. Is it because of
the 2 variations of the spectacles or in the shrouding of the early &
later M6s ?

I've lost the postings on this subject, so can't help you directly. I
needed this info myself earlier this month when I was offered an M6
which was was made at Wetzlar in 1987, but was unable to track it
down.

However according to the "Early M6 vs Late M6" page on Stephen Gandy's
websight, in early M6s "The interior light baffle shroud behind the
lens mount is round except on the top where the RF coupling mechanism
is. The shroud has cut outs on four corners, corresponding to the four
corners of the negative, apparently to allow the mounting of deeply
recessed lenses. These cut outs may allow lens mounting that the
earlier M6 bodies would not. Apparently this is why 50/2 Dual Range
Summicrons will not mount properly on early M6 bodies."

This struck me as odd - looking at my Summicron DR, I could see
nothing protruding behind the rangefinder cam which could possibly
interfere with the internal shroud, though I suppose there was the
possibility that vignetting could occur as the lens moved forward when
used at short distances.

I spoke with a guy from Leica here in England, and he uses a DR on
what he described as a "very early" M6 with no problems, but did say
he's never used it in its near-focussing mode.

I tried fitting my my DR lens to the M6 before purchase, and it fitted
OK, and turns smoothly through both focussing ranges. However the
camera (which has the cut-away shroud corners) needs a service to fix
a meter fault, so I haven't run a film through it yet.

Regards,

Doug Richardson