Please Help!! Question on Summaron and Elmar

[sai_seto]

I have seen a 35mm Summaron and a collapsible 90mm Elmar in a shop at

a very decent price today. I'm seriously tempted to get them for my

Bessa R2A. What's stopping me is the 35mm Summaron I saw in the shop

is the version attached with a 'spectacles' that I believe it is

orginially decided for the Leica M3. Does anyway know if the

spectacles can be removed? If yes, can I use that on the R2A?? Also,

I just wondering if the collapsible 90mm Elmar can be 'fully

collapsed' in the R2A? Your help/advice will be apperciated!!

__________________

[michael_b.1]

<i>Does anyway know if the spectacles can be removed?</i><br>

YES, but it wont't focus properly.

[mark-j]

Sai: The Summaron will focus properly at infinity but in varying degrees of accuracy as you get closer. I owned one for several years and tested it for my own information. The cam is ground differently and will ONLY focus properly with the spectacles on.

 

Mark J.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

The eyes were made to fit on the M3, which has no 35mm frame lines. This lens will bring up the 50mm frame lines and the goggles reduce the magnification to the 35mm view. They can be removed in most cases, but (without the goggles) the parallax for the 35mm frame lines will be incorrect and any Leica M camera will have the 50mm frame lines in view. The overall lens design was inclusive of the goggles; it was not intended they ever come off.

 

Why wouldn't you (for example) just get a VC 35/2.5 Color Skopar "P" Pancake Type II? It's a Leica M mount, it's most certainly sharper, it can be had for about the price of Summaron (and it's a half-stop faster), and you don't have to alter it.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

"...I just wondering if the collapsible 90mm Elmar can be 'fully collapsed' in the R2A?"

 

Yes

[jtk]

I have a mint LTM Summaron 3.5 and very much doubt it's less sharp than the Skopar. It's certainly better-built. Unfortunately it's slow, doesn't accept screw-in shade (needs a shade), and f-stop ring is a hassle if your eyes are middle-aged. If it were my Bessa I'd want a 40 Nokton rather than either 35.

[richard_saylor]

"I have a mint LTM Summaron 3.5 and very much doubt it's less sharp than the Skopar. It's certainly better-built. Unfortunately it's slow, doesn't accept screw-in shade (needs a shade), and f-stop ring is a hassle if your eyes are middle-aged."

 

I made a shade for mine by gluing an A36 filter ring to a modified 39mm B+W rubber shade.

[paul_neuthaler]

3.5 Summaron RF can be separated from its glasses & will bring up the 50 frame on an M Leica and will focus properly. 2.8 Summaron can be separated from its glasses by "surgery" & will bring up 50 frame on M Leica but will not focus properly. I think I got this right.