The DR will not mount on the M240 when it is set to the main range. Leica warns that the Summicron DR is one of a handful of vintage Leica lenses that is not compatible at all with the digital Leica M240, but this is only half true. The unfortunate result of that compromise is that the M10 is not backwards compatible with all Leica lenses with add-on optics including the Summicron, Summilux, and Summaron 35mm lenses and probably some others too. I could find no information on using the DR with a Leica MP or a Leica M-A, but perhaps someone with experience could post a comment.Īs for the M10, I assume that the even if you can mount the lens, the close range optics won’t work because of the M10’s thick lens mount bezel, a design compromise made by Leica in order to make the M10 body thinner than the previous digital M bodies. On the M9, apparently ( link for more info) the close range won’t work at all and the main range works only 1-4m. However, on the M6 TTL and M7, only the main range will work whereas the close range optics don’t mount properly. Apart from the M3 for which the lens was made, the DR works fine with the M2, M4, M5, and M6. The lens is still plenty sharp, and I have noticed the lens produces a kind of photographic essence, which if not given away by an obviously contemporary artefact in the frame, you would mistake for an image from six decades ago in a way that the more recent Summicrons don’t.Īlso, because of the mechanics of its dual range optics the Summicron DR is not compatible with all Leica M bodies. Yet despite all its merits, the Summicron DR is often given short shrift, and tends to sell for less than more recent Summicron 50’s. The lens exudes sturdiness and quality, and feels hefty in the hand weighing in at a whopping 339g ‘(391g with the optics), heavy by Leica standards. Beyond its functionality, the Summicron DR’s styling evokes a sense of a golden age of Leica that has since passed, and never quite returned. In short, the Summicron DR is a marvel of engineering and design. I’ve written about using the Summicron DR with a Leica M3 for 35mmc here. Ken Rockwell has a nice write-up on the Summicron DR here if you are curious to know more. To achieve the close-up range, the DR is paired with detachable optics that not only optimize the magnification of the finder for close range, but also correct the angle of view and so adjust for parallax. The Dual Range is unique among Leica 50mm Summicrons because it allows for close range focusing down to 0.478m as opposed newer models which focus down to no less than 0.7m. The first lens I procured for my Leica M3 body was a 1958 Summicron 50mm f/2 Dual Range (DR).

Leica summicron 50