How to modify a 40mm Summicron-C (with photos)

I recently modified my 40mm Summicron-C to bring up the 35mm

framelines on my M6(i.e. I took a file to it). <p>There are a few

posts on p.net about this, but I never found any photos of the final

result. So here are a few shots of mine.<p>For details of how to do

the modification go to this previous post:<p>

 

<a

href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AQS2">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AQS2</a><p>N.B.

Watch out for filings, I suspect they could get into places you don't

want them! I stuffed lint free rags into anywhere I wanted to

protect. You might want to slip a piece of card under the 'flange' to

protect the metalwork from scratches.<p>I've found the 35mm framelines

to be much closer to the actual 40mm than the 50mm framelines - which

are brought up prior to modification. A lot of people on p.net will

advise against this mod, however, this really is a simple process -

nowhere as confusing as I've made it seem! <p>(This process may

devalue your lens, so consider it carefully).<div></div>

<div></div>

<div></div>

<div></div>

Just to clarify; that's only one flange being filed down. Don't file any of the others...

Thanks, Monkey. I'm going to save this! Sure beats describing it about once a month to some new Summicron/Rokkor -C owner who wants to use it on an M body! I've done a few of them and with a bit of care the filings aren't really a problem. The lens is SUPERB!

I don't want to play the devil's lawyer but wouldn't it be preferable to let the C-40 bring the M6 50mm frame up ? A configuration I've used on a friend's M6 once.

 

Thus you shoot with a lens which takes a picture matching a virtually wider frame than the one you see in the viewfinder - quite easy to be back to your original composition under the enlarger then.

 

On the contrary, bringing up a wider frameline than the frame the lens will shoot could be a little bit annoying just because you might be left with something you saw in the VF while composing and which is finally missing on the actual picture.

BTW, I notice your 'cron is wearing that nice vented 40.5mm metal hood by "heavystar" - I erroniously bought one for a Canon 1.5 just to find out that the Canon uses the very uncommon 40mm thread...:-(( So, I'm left with one I would like to find a better home for - preferably along with the similarly as new 40.5mm to 46mm step up ring for 46mm filters on said 'cron. Both of these together, shipped worldwide, I'm offering for USD 30, Paypal. Cheers.

Yes, that's the Heavystar hood - very nice indeed, especially at the price. BUT, mine's the 39mm version for the Leitz lens.<div></div>

<div></div>

<div></div>

Lutz, I want that hood if you still have it. Have emailed you.

 

Thx.

Ray Hull

You have taken off way more metal than needs to be removed. You don't need to take off a big corner of metal - just a few strokes with a small needle file on the shoulder of the flange will do the job. As for using the 50 frames - well the 50frames on an M6 only show about 2/3rds the film area with a 50 lens so with a 40 lens you are probably framing less then 1/2 the film area - using the 35 frames alows near perfect framing and maximum use of the film area.

Congratulations, Monkey, now your 40 mm lens won't bring up the correct frameline on any camera at all!

 

For a M camera, I would prefer the Summicron 35 type III or IV, that has a very similar fingerprint. Some even prefer the bokeh of the 35!

 

If you really prefer the C-40/2.0, buy a CL, eventually as a second camera. This combo is wonderful for travelling and street shooting, however now probably surpassed by the CM with its excellent 40/2.4 lens.

When I use the 40mm, I just toggle the frame lever a little so that the viewfinder displays *both* the 50mm and the 35mm lines. Any reason I shouldn't be doing that ?

 

As an inveterate fumble-fingers I cringe at the thought of taking a file to anything more valuable than a fingernail ... and for that of course I use clippers.

<i>Congratulations, Monkey, now your 40 mm lens won't bring up the correct frameline on any camera at all!</i><p>Actually, it brings up the 35mm frame perfectly. Not sure why you think otherwise.<p>I filed a small bit off at a time until it did so.

My understanding is that even the filed-down 40mm will continue to actuate the 40mm lines on the CL/CLE bodies by default, no ?

 

(Don't have a CL/CLE so I can't verify this myself.)

<i>For a M camera, I would prefer the Summicron 35 type III or IV, that has a very similar fingerprint. Some even prefer the bokeh of the 35!</i><p>I remember some recent sales on eBay, prices seemed to be 3 times more for the 35mm 4th generation "King of Bokeh".<p>Of course, I'm clearly no expert  <b>: </B>)

Well, me too, I'm no Leica expert either, but I certainly do use the frame lever a lot. For my 2/40, I measured the distances where the 50mm frame is "preciser", and where -- basically for the majority of distances -- the 35mm frame is "better". I often think that many of us here don't use the frame lever very much, or, even at all.

Monkey et al.

I am interested in Lutz's metal Heavystar hood, but we suspect that it is the wrong size for my Wetzlar S'cron Ser. 5.5 lens (#2591xxxx).

 

Can anyone confirm what size Ser. 5.5 is? I thought 39.5mm (My thread actually measures about 38.3 iniside diameter). And the push-on original cap is marked 35.5...

 

Lutz's sounds like a larger version?? We're both unsure.

 

Help?

 

Thx,

Ray Hull

<If you really prefer the C-40/2.0, buy a CL,...>

 

 

Then we'll have Frank II !

<i>Monkey et al. I am interested in Lutz's metal Heavystar hood, but we suspect that it is the wrong size for my Wetzlar S'cron Ser. 5.5 lens (#2591xxxx).</i><p>I think you're right - I'd used an old 39mm Hoya filter with the glass removed, which 'bit' ok, as a hood for some time. I simply screwed the 39mm Heavystar hood onto the Hoya filter (glassless) - solid as a rock. <p>I'm fairly sure that the Wetzlar lenses are 39mm, BUT with a different thread pitch. Where's Huw when you need him?!!?<p>If you don't mind a little butchery, and I mean a little, 39mm seems to fit ok. Your mileage may vary. (YMMV?)<p>Oh, for fox sake, I sound like a gearhead!!!

Well, Monkey, the CL manual emphatically says that the Leica E39 filters etc. will NOT fit.

 

However, checking Kisselbach's book, he says the screw thread on the CL lens is M39x.0.75, but, that it does not correspond to Leica filters E 39. He also says Ser 5.5=36mm--that's the drop-in filter that is held in place by the hood.

 

So, I guess the Heavystar 39 is what I need, but that appears to be different from Lutz's.

 

Since both of my lenses (40 and 90) have original runner hoods intact, I am not in a hurry to bung up threads. Anyone with first- hand comparison is welcome!

 

Thx Monkey.

 

Ray Hull

Ray, the threads on my 'Cron are certainly a little shinier than they were, i.e. there has been some paint removed. However, they still hold the filter ring and hood combination on securely. I suppose it depends on whether you want to 'get by' or 'get the real thing'.<p>Personally, I don't care too much. I've always played rough with my toys, my best loved ones are pretty ugly. (Apologies for the oxymoron).

In other words; the Heavystar 39mm filter will cut your 40mm Summicron, but it will only be a fleshwound...