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M Lens Compatibility


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The instruction manual which comes with the M-Adapter T lists the lenses which are compatible with the T camera. As far as I can see, it's every lens in current production from the WATE through to the 135mm f3.4.

 

However, many people will have older lenses no longer in new production and the question is whether they will fit without making contact with the internal baffling. The issue is when the lens projects beyond the bayonet flanges. I don't have as many lenses as some here but here are the ones I have checked to make sure they can be mounted:

 

- MATE

- Old f1.0 Noctilux

- Old 21 and 24mm Elmarit ASPH

- Pre FLE 35mm Summilux ASPH

- Old 90mm f4 macro

- Old pre-ASPH 50mm Summilux

- Old 75mm Summilux

 

The ONE lens which cannot be safely used on the T is our old friend the collapsible 50mm f2.8 Elmar. If can be used extended, of course, but it cannot be collapsed without making contact with the baffling. If you trust yourself not to collapse it, it's fine and is a rather nice medium range portrait lens with that super-quick focussing action. A 50mm Summicron is of course fine.

 

So, pretty good. I'm growing to like this camera and see it as the Mini M we've been hoping for. The touch screen interface for the iPhone generation is great.

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Yes, Leica quote a maximum of 11mm from the M bayonet mounting surface. The Elmar protrudes 17mm so is clearly not compatible. The 21mm Elmarit is 12mm and is fine when focussed to infinity (which moves the lens barrel back as far as it will go) so that 11mm has a small safety margin.

 

As we always said with the Elmar on the M - mount it extended and then retract - I think with these lenses at the margin on the T, it's better to mount the adapter on the camera first and then the M lens.

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The ONE lens which cannot be safely used on the T is our old friend the collapsible 50mm f2.8 Elmar. If can be used extended, of course, but it cannot be collapsed without making contact with the baffling.

 

How unfortunate because perhaps the adapter could have been made to guard against such contact. Voigtlander's 4/3 adapter has a subtle ring inside that keeps the collapsed lens from touching anything inside.

.

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Yes, Leica quote a maximum of 11mm from the M bayonet mounting surface. The Elmar protrudes 17mm so is clearly not compatible. The 21mm Elmarit is 12mm and is fine when focussed to infinity (which moves the lens barrel back as far as it will go) so that 11mm has a small safety margin.

 

As we always said with the Elmar on the M - mount it extended and then retract - I think with these lenses at the margin on the T, it's better to mount the adapter on the camera first and then the M lens.

 

The late 50/2.8 Elmar-M (on a rough set of measurements) seems to project 5-6mm beyond the M-T adapter mount when collapsed. Roughly measuring the depth of the outer black surround to the T sensor shows that it is just about 5mm back from the T mount. It may be that the series of internal "steps" of the sensor surround will enable collapse once mounted but, on the face of it, it would seem not.

 

Such a shame as the lens is really good! Collapsing for travel would be very convenient. Still the old rubber band method will most likely be ok!

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So, pretty good. I'm growing to like this camera and see it as the Mini M we've been hoping for. The touch screen interface for the iPhone generation is great.

 

Thank you for that Mark - I'm glad you're growing to like it - I must say I'm still using mine a lot. I don't know if you've tried, but it's really good on with the new 90 macro elmar and the Leica Macro Adapter M - fine combination and great results.

 

all the best

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Hi Jono, I have bought the new macro adapter but couldn't justify spending £2500 on the new lens as I already have the old one. The improvements and the ability to switch from normal short telephoto to macro without dismounting anything are really good.

 

Sadly, I hear the used market for the older lens is very soft...

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Hi Jono, I have bought the new macro adapter but couldn't justify spending £2500 on the new lens as I already have the old one. The improvements and the ability to switch from normal short telephoto to macro without dismounting anything are really good.

 

Sadly, I hear the used market for the older lens is very soft...

 

HI Mark

I was lucky in that I didn't have the old lens, and I'm very pleased with the new one (first lens new I've bought for some time). It's great with the adapter on the M (but of course you need to use an EVF as it's not rangefinder coupled). On the T however it works so well moving back and forward.

 

Mind you, the macro adapter is good on lots of lenses - I especially like it on the humble 35 summarit.

 

The T is definitely a grower

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HI Mark

I was lucky in that I didn't have the old lens, and I'm very pleased with the new one (first lens new I've bought for some time). It's great with the adapter on the M (but of course you need to use an EVF as it's not rangefinder coupled). On the T however it works so well moving back and forward.

 

Mind you, the macro adapter is good on lots of lenses - I especially like it on the humble 35 summarit.

 

The T is definitely a grower

 

That humble 35 Summarit is my favorite lens on the Monochrom. Fantastic rendering, sharp, smooth (though usually minimal) bokeh and as a bonus its small and light. I own 8 50mm lenses, but the Summarit is my one and only 35mm and 35mm is my favorite focal length.

 

 

14487138713_cd5d38b163_b.jpgL1004152-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

12777930925_8f86c8e889_b.jpgL1003023-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

 

12777909515_3a0654f9d7_b.jpgL1003002-Edit.jpg by Lawman1967, on Flickr

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  • 2 years later...

Is there an official comprehensive list anywhere? And - will the Super Angulon 21mm f4 fit? : ) It obviously fits the M9 and M240 - I have tried it on both (the M-E in place of the M9) and it is fine. I did not like the look of screwing it into a Fuji fx with adapter. However I have read it fits the Aps-C Epson R-D1 and there are posts from that combo on flickr. Has anyone tried it on the Leica T?

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I have just read an article called focal flange difference - and pardon my ignorance - but the logic seems to be that for a particular lens or lens type this distance is constant so for any camera set up to take that lens ie a Leica T with a Leica M adapter - the distance the lens ends up from the sensor/film is always the same. And no doubt the same for a Fuji camera to take M lenses. So the Leica T is as likely to take a Super Angulon f4 as an M240 or M9 etc - even if the lens is retro-focus and has the extended rear element. Obviously there is no guarantee that performance, metering etc will be the same.

 

If this is simply incorrect I am sure more experienced members can explain..

 

Altho I am clearly remarking on the Angulon (and should maybe discuss this in that thread) - the question is what lenses are compatible with the Leica T equipped with an adapter - and barring any strange design departures (like a summilux with a shroud which I have read about) the answer should be ALL?

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Yourdeelight,

 

I am by no means an expert, but I have learned several things since I started using a Leica brand (18 771) M to T adapter.

 First off, the Adapter comes with a list of lenses - made up by Leica. It listed 25 M lenses that would work with the T  (I no longer have this list).  The list was not complete in my estimation, they certainly by-passed any lenses that had mounts that might possibly protrude into the sensor area.  ie older design, collapsible lenses.  The exact words they used were:  “Leica M lenses whose construction protrudes backwards by more than 11 mm over the bayonet contact area cannot be used.”

 

Meanwhile, I believe you are correct in that they all have the exact same distance for focus on the film or sensor.  However, due to the differences between film and  digital sensors – particularly how well they function with light coming in at extreme angles from wide and ultra wide lenses – there are multiple and varied distortions/flaws that show up with digital sensors that were not apparent with film.

There have been several posts on this forum documenting the success and failures using various M lenses on the T.

Here is one. 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/261586-leica-t-and-zeiss-zm-35-lenses/

 

Cheers, Rick

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks Rick,

 

I bought a Leica T and the M adapter. There is certainly no room at all to insert a Super Angulon 21mm f4. There does not seem to be any room at all beyond the flange. The inside surface around the sensor steps down like a frame but the top part is quite high up near the flange. If the whole area had been left open around the sensor there may have been room. The area ie the space above the surface of the sensor is open in the M-E and M240 - there is no higher surface or surround that steps down towards it. That is the difference - aside from the width of the adapter. I have bought a Heliar 15mm so will see if that fits.

 

I have not looked at the booklet - will check it. 

 

There seems to be no distinction in official literature between collapsible lenses and those that stick out behind permanently. Obviously if I put an Elmar 90 collapsible on any of these cameras I would not be collapsing it! I have not collapsed the Summar either.

 

The T is a beautiful camera.. and focuses quite close too - 12" or less? with the summicron -  interesting maybe to compare the 23mm Summicron with the 35mm Asph both on the T and on an M-E or M240.. so I may try that but I imagine it has been done many times here : ) However when I do 'comparisons' I never publish the results I find. But a quick sense i did have was that the T crop sensor - despite the differences - does not render m lenses that differently in effect (seemingly) than a Fuji - when I did expect a big difference. But that was just an immediate impression with a summilux.

 

For the vignetting caused by the Super Angulon on a full frame, Flat Field in Lightroom - a plugin - corrects issues very effectively and the separate app Cornerfix is ok too. I have not looked how Captre One deals with it.

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