Old M lenses on Leica T

[hector_jorge]

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I´m planning to buy a Leica T, but as I have some excellent old M lenses, I will like to know the following:

 

1) Is it possible to use and focus old (not coded) M lenses on the T without using the Visoflex?

 

2) If the answer is yes, automatic or manual focusing on the screen can be made in the same way than using the T lenses or you must use different settings on the camera?

 

Thanks in advance for the answers.

Edited March 14, 2015 by hector_jorge

[Mr10Percent]

I cannot answer about the coding. I use a modern/current Nocti. I suspect you only lose the lens and shoot data as the camera itself will do the TTL metering etc. I cant see it being a hindrance / limiter.

 

As for the screen - it is possible to use if that is your preference and you can choose x1, x3, x6 focus aid if set to on.

 

However, the VF020 would be my preferred option and the Nocti is very simple, very accurate and very quick to focus with it. I think the screen will be a lot lot slower to nail on such a lens without the VF020.

 

Guy

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[bernie.lcf]

1) Is it possible to use and focus old (not coded) M lenses on the T without using the Visoflex?

 

yes, just like you would manual focus your T lenses.

The 6-Bit code will only put the lens name in the EXIF data. There is no other processing in the camera. If you don't care about the EXIF data, you don't need 6-Bit.

 

2) If the answer is yes, automatic or manual focusing on the screen can be made in the same way than using the T lenses or you must use different settings on the camera?

 

T lenses you need to switch into MF mode (using the menu). M lenses, for obvious reasons, will always be manual focus - no additional setting required.

 

Depending on whether you get the original Leica M-T adapter or the Novoflex one, the camera will behave slightly different with regards to automatically changing the mode of the dials. I would stay away from any other third party adapters.

Edited March 14, 2015 by jaapv

[hector_jorge]

Many thanks for your answers. I will fly to NYC next June and I´m planning to buy the T and the Leica M adaptor there, and if I have enough money, the zoom lens too. As I have some good R lenses, I´m looking forward for an T to R lenses adaptor too. Perhaps Leica is thinking about that to increase the T possibilities.

[IkarusJohn]

Apparently you just stack the T-M and M-R adapters.

[hector_jorge]

"Apparently you just stack the T-M and M-R adapters."

 

Did you make that?

[IkarusJohn]

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I don't have any R lenses - I think it was Jono who mentioned it.

[bernie.lcf]

Yes, you can stack the adapters. However the adapter's 6-Bit code (yes, the R to M) does not currently add any value on the T. On the M it will allow the user to choose which R lens he is currently using.

 

Both the current Leica R to M as well as the Novoflex R to M adapter have the 6-Bit code. Novoflex has actually licensed this. This is a single code (just signalling an R lens) - the rest is done in software. The Novoflex ist much cheaper, but (if I remember correctly) the Leica comes with a pouch and both caps - front and back. The Novoflex is a single piece (very nicely) done metal.

 

There is also a R to T direct adapter by Novoflex without 6-Bit - obviously.

 

With the direct R to T adapter you gain some handling convenience depending on how you use yor T (my T is basically a crop M body - I might as well glue to M adapter to my T) and loose some functionality vs Leica M to T + any R to M adapter.

 

The original Leica M to T adapter has some electronics to read 6-Bit code. But that's not all. It also makes the camera assign certain functions to the dial automatically, which the third party adapters (including Novoflex) do not.

[TheHobbit]

The original Leica M to T adapter has some electronics to read 6-Bit code. But that's not all. It also makes the camera assign certain functions to the dial automatically, which the third party adapters (including Novoflex) do not.

 

This is part of the function of the 6 bit coding? So if I am using a lens without the 6 bit coding, would the camera still assign certain functions to the dial automatically? 

[AndreasAM]

This is part of the function of the 6 bit coding? So if I am using a lens without the 6 bit coding, would the camera still assign certain functions to the dial automatically? 

Yes, it does

[MichaelU]

...

There is also a R to T direct adapter by Novoflex without 6-Bit - obviously.

 

With the direct R to T adapter you gain some handling convenience depending on how you use yor T (my T is basically a crop M body - I might as well glue to M adapter to my T) and loose some functionality vs Leica M to T + any R to M adapter.

 

I use the Novoflex adapter R to T along with a Makro-Elmarit-R 60 on my T. It works very well.

[TheHobbit]

From the advertising blip ...

 

"The M-Adapter-T from Leica enables you to mount any Leica M lens on the Leica T camera. It features a sensor for 6-bit coded Leica M lenses to provide exposure metering, aperture priority AE, and manual setting capability with those lenses. This sensor will communicate all of the metadata from 6-bit coded lenses to the camera."

 

​Does it provide the aperture setting to the camera so that it can do aperture priority AE? 

[Trivette]

......

​Does it provide the aperture setting to the camera so that it can do aperture priority AE? 

Not having a T, I don't know for sure. How does the M7 do it? Wouldn't it determine shutter speed simply by measuring the light passing through the lens (without  needing to know the exact aperture setting)?

[AndreasAM]

From the advertising blip ...

 

 

​Does it provide the aperture setting to the camera so that it can do aperture priority AE? 

No, because there is no coupling of the lens with the camera. An M-lens is not equipped for this. But there is nothing wrong with it.

 

Not having a T, I don't know for sure. How does the M7 do it? Wouldn't it determine shutter speed simply by measuring the light passing through the lens (without  needing to know the exact aperture setting)?

 

Exactly, with aperture priority mode, it reads the amount of light coming through the lens, with the dedicated aperture manually set and adjusts the exposure by altering the shutter speed or ISO-setting when it is on Auto-ISO.

 

An R-lens has a aperture lever in the lens mount, but so far no coupling is made by the M-R/ M-T adapter.

 

My wish would be for an new T-R adapter, with a coupling for the aperture lever. The aperture of the lens could be set to the desired aperture. In the adapter there should be lever for turning the aperture wide open (for focussing) and when pressing the shutter, the aperture would stopped down automatically to the preset aperture. When the latter is is not achievable, a flick of a switch in the adapter could do the same, similar to the solution existing on the R-bellows or the PC-Super-Angulon-R 28 mm./2.8.

This would make manual focusing with an R-lens much more comfortable!

 

This T-R adapter should also have a tripod collar, for turning the camera from landscape to portrait, which the M-T adapter lacks. The Novoflex M-T or T-R has this option, but these adapters don't play nice with the software of the T.

Edited August 26, 2015 by AndrewAM

[TheHobbit]

I finally got the M to T adapter. And along with it, the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm F2.5 Pan. The lens is not coded. Will look into coding the lens and report on any difference. 

 

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On the T...

 

 

 

Very small and compact lens.

 

 

With the M to T adapter mounted, the T will automatically go to manual focus mode and the dials will be set to Focus Aid (left dial) and ISO (right dial).  Will post when I learn more. 

Edited August 26, 2015 by TheHobbit

[McGirton]

With the M to T adapter mounted, the T will automatically go to manual focus mode and the dials will be set to Focus Aid (left dial) and ISO (right dial).  Will post when I learn more. 

 

It goes to ISO? I have been trying the Novoflex adapter and it was - nothing (left) - shutterspeed (right), which would make sense for me. I ordered the original adapter for focus aid, but the ISO option on the right dial would be really unfortunate. Why would I want to change ISO over shutterspeed often while shooting. Are you sure it was on M mode?

Edited September 2, 2015 by McGirton

[TheHobbit]

It goes to ISO? I have been trying the Novoflex adapter and it was - nothing (left) - shutterspeed (right), which would make sense for me. I ordered the original adapter for focus aid, but the ISO option on the right dial would be really unfortunate. Why would I want to change ISO over shutterspeed often while shooting. Are you sure it was on M mode?

 

Apologies, should have stated the camera is in A mode. If in M mode, the right is shutter speed and the left is Focus Aid.