previous generation 50 summicron

[stephen_jones4]

I would like either a latest version 50 summicron or the

penultimate version for my m cameras. I would value the focus

tab on the penultimate but wonder if the hood (which is not built-

in as per latest) would occlude the viewfinder (I use .72 and .85

finders if this matters). If it does get in the way, by how much?

(My wife wants to buy me one for my birthday - and we'll have to

do it mail order so I can't just nip along to a shop locally and see

for myself). Any comments would be appreciated. I wonder if

anyone has used both....? I don't remember there being a

problem with the latest version.

[michael_darnton1]

Properly aligned so you're looking through the slots, with the 12585

hood there's a (insignificant) line across the bottom corner of the

view just a bit in from the ends of the framelines, and the non-

transparent body of the hood is at the very corner of the actual

frame, at infinity, and doesn't intrude at all. At the closest

distance, the opaque part of the hood moves in to cover an area of

the corner just a bit larger than the size of two stacked RF patches

moved down into that corner tightly, with a curved diagonal drawn

between the upper right and lower left corners of the stack, if you

get what I'm doing. Overall it's not an issue, especially at non-

close distances.

[michael_darnton1]

That's with my .72 M4-2, by the way.

[john_a.]

I also have 2 of them. I think Michaels assesment is very accurate.

[michael_kastner]

If you're looking for this penultimate because you want a tab (among

anything else) but don't get to look at it until its already bought,

then tell your wife to first find out whether the tab is concave or

convex (if that happens to be of interest to you) or tell her to first

let you know what the serial number is.

[michael_kastner]

Steve, FWIW, articles 11819 (black) and 11825 (chrome) with S/Ns

2915801 and onwards (1979-1982) have convex tabs. Those of S/N 3098901

and later (1982-1994) have concave tabs.