M8 with super angulon 21 mm 3.4?

[C R Utra]

Having an old 21mm 3.4 super angulon, I would like to know if it will work

with the M8? I don?t know if I will buy an M8, but that would certainly

increase the SA value.

[sparkie]

interesting question. the 21/2.4 will not meter with M6's M6TTLs, M7s or MPs.

 

the 21/3.4 does protrude quite a bit. i suspect it may work, but you will have to manually

meter. but it will sit very close to the sensor and I wouldnt want to be the first to damage

an M8 sensor by 'trying it out'. Do Not Try This at Home!

[glenn_warren]

The SA is not on the list <a href=" http://www.dpreview.com/articles/leicam8/page2.asp">Here.</a>, but don't quote me ;)

[juergenf]

check the PDF

[C R Utra]

Thanks. Juergen: the lens is not on the list of lens that can be updated with the coding sistem, but does that surely means that it can not be used?

[andy_piper2]

Damaging the sensor is unlikely - damaging the SHUTTER is a real possibility. Eventually

someone will risk their M8 shutter, give it a try, and let us know the outcome, tragic or

otherwise. Leica does specifically warn against collapsing a collapsible 50mm lens on the

M8 - don't know how the rear element extension of a 21 S/A compares to a collapsed 50.

 

Leica is not including the Super-Angulons in their coding program for older lenses, so

there will be no camera-software correction for vignetting and other such available for

these lenses. Since the S/A already has a substantial amount of light fall-off even on film,

and sits so close to the image surface, I imagine the digital vignetting plus the normal S/A

vignetting will add up to 4-5 stops in the corners.

 

The S/A's primary optical advantage is rectilinear correction, especially in the corners of a

35mm frame. Since the M8 will crop off a lot of the area where the S/A correction is most

obvious (compared to a C/V 21 or 21 Elmarit), it seems like using one on an M8 (even if

possible) is gonna be pretty pointless.

 

On an M4-P or earlier the S/As are cool little lenses - but there's a good reason

production died out going on for 30 years ago.

[andy_piper2]

However I will add this, from the information dpreview.com quotes from Leica's own specs:

 

"Lens system

 

> Current 6-bit coded Leica M lenses of 16 - 90 mm focal length

 

>All Leica M lenses of 21 - 90 mm focal lengths produced since 1954

 

>135 mm lens can be used but precise framing will be difficult"

 

Lens coding

 

>6-bit lens coding system (detection can be disabled)

 

>Reduction of edge shadowing

 

>Identification of lens (recorded in JPEG EXIF / DNG)

 

>Auto slow-sync function in aperture priority mode

 

Incompatible lenses

 

>Hologon 15 mm F8

 

> Summicron 50 mm F2 with close focusing

 

>Elmar 90 mm F4 with collapsible tube

 

>Lenses with retractable tubes can only be used with their tubes extended otherwise you

risk damaging the camera"

 

Since they specifically include ALL LENSES 21-90 PRODUCED SINCE 1954 and do NOT

include the S/As in the list of Incompatible lenses - looks like your lens SHOULD be safely

mountable. "Useable" will be in the mind of the photographer.

[ed_schwartzreich]

I actually very carefully tried the 21/3.4 on the preproduction M8 I had for a few days. It would mount, but the shutter wouldn't fire.

[stephen_w.]

Couldn't fire because it could not meter? Did you try it in manual? Just curious, as I am not in line for an M8.

[ed_schwartzreich]

I think it was on aperture priority, but there was no initial click of the shutter opening, as there would be with, let's say, a body cap on.

[james_elwing]

Ed,

as you appear to have access to an M8, perhaps you can explain why the collapsible summicron can't be collapsed into the body without damage. Collapsed, the locking mechanism on mine only extends 5mm into the body beyond the rear of the bayonet, 12mm from the front, with a diameter around 31.5mm. Surely many lenses project further into the body, or would the diameter of the locking mechanism snag on something else like the metering system?

 

I have an adapted SM Summicron, but I think it is pretty much the same as the bayonet.

By contrast The Summitar would extend maybe 12mm beyond the mount rear or 17mm from the front.

[dennis lee]

Is the close focusing 50 Summicron that is mentioned the the 50 DR?

[peter_white2]

Yes. The only Summicron with close focusing is the Dual Range or DR Summicron.

[john_shriver]

One can only guess that the M8's metal shutter is further from the sensor than the cloth shutters were from the film. From pics of the CCD chips, they have a moderate raised frame around the outside edge. Also, since the metal blade shutter isn't built right into the body casting, it has it's own metal frame on the back side, so that's another thing pushing it further from the CCD.

 

As I remember, Huw Finney ran into some issues of this sort with the shutter in the M2ad project, very close clearances indeed...

[james_elwing]

It will be interesting to see which if the C/V wide angles work with the M6, notably 12mm & 15mm, which would seem to be fairly important focal lengths. They poke into the body a little more than the 50 collapsible Summicron, but are narrower.

[kbg32]

The 12 and 15 CVs should work fine.