Leica Showcase Leitz DR (Dual Range) f2/50mm Summicron

[Leica43]

A set of photos from a recent outing with my M3 and DR Summicron with “goggles” attached to photograph within the close up range. Film used was Fuji Color 100 and Kodak HD 200 colour neg film. All made wide open or f2.8.

M3 & DR lens photo (Pinterest)

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[Brian]

Those are beautiful. This is one lens that cannot be used (without modification) on the Digital Leica cameras.

The Type 1 Rigid Summicron has the same optics, different mount.

I want one. I have a spare Type 1 focus mount for Digital...

 

[Leica43]

Thanks Brian. I guess, if modified to be used with a Digital M, the close up function would be lost?

 

[albertk]

There are threads on leicaforum that describe that the ‘second cam’ that is located at 180-degrees and is deeper just like the thickness of the attachment needs to be removed (cut) so it will never work in the close focus anaymore but also
- that the lens, when used on some digital bodies, only need a little shimming on the side of the second part of the cam for a small section where it would otherwise hit something in the camera;
- others claim that it works on the newest M10-r Without changes . . . Or maybe only some of that shimming

 

[Peter Klein]

I have a "gelded" DR Summicron. About 11 years ago, I had DAG machine down the close-focus cam so it no longer hit the back of my M8. No regrets--I'd rather have a lens I can use than a shelf queen. It's correct that the close focus range no longer works with the RF. But actually, close focus still works with Live View on the later digital M cameras. To unlock the close range, I just push down on the little ball-bearing on the flat top of the mount where the goggles would attach. And of course, I can use the DR with an adapter on a micro-4/3 camera.

 

[albertk]

push down on the little ball-bearing

Ah, thanks Peter, that clarifies that small enigma, so then it already moves forward on itself. How far? My Zeiss ZM lens can go to 50 cm and the problem I have is that it goes seamless. On the M8 I guessed and nnade some distance-bracketed photo's. That worked fine (at that time, with the low res screens, 1:1 really was focus peaking, I saw the smallest differences of a mm were immediately visible).

 

[Leica43]

Ken Rockwell states the following in his review of the DR when it comes to the close focusing range, “This lens has two focus ranges: the normal range (1 meter to infinity), and a special near-focusing range that runs from 0.88 meters down to 478 millimeters (0.478m) when one attaches the included near-focusing adapter”.

As Peter mentioned “pushing down on the little ball-bearing” places the DR in this close-up range.