giordano Posted August 11, 2007 Share #1 Posted August 11, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I built this in my father's workshop last month. Not very elegant, but it'll do until they produce a proper M8 version. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! It's the 'wrong way round' with the spare lens off centre. Doing it the other way, it wouldn't be possible to remove the baseplate without removing (maybe just loosening) first the lens holder and then the adapter. You can't see it in these photos, but I machined the plastic adapter with a slight bow (about 0.9 mm concave on the face that meets the camera) to make sure the end where the lens holder screws in would be firmly pressed against the base of the camera. The first time I screwed it to the baseplate it felt too stiff for comfort - putting a bit too much stress on the baseplate - so I made a virtue out of necessity and weakened the adapter by milling a slot for a spare card. We also milled coding slots in an old 90mm bayonet adapter for use with my CV15. All good clean fun! John Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! It's the 'wrong way round' with the spare lens off centre. Doing it the other way, it wouldn't be possible to remove the baseplate without removing (maybe just loosening) first the lens holder and then the adapter. You can't see it in these photos, but I machined the plastic adapter with a slight bow (about 0.9 mm concave on the face that meets the camera) to make sure the end where the lens holder screws in would be firmly pressed against the base of the camera. The first time I screwed it to the baseplate it felt too stiff for comfort - putting a bit too much stress on the baseplate - so I made a virtue out of necessity and weakened the adapter by milling a slot for a spare card. We also milled coding slots in an old 90mm bayonet adapter for use with my CV15. All good clean fun! John ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/51575-m-lens-holder-on-an-m8-merged-thread/?do=findComment&comment=327206'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 11, 2007 Posted August 11, 2007 Hi giordano, Take a look here M Lens Holder on an M8? (Merged Thread). I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest Walt Posted August 12, 2007 Share #2 Posted August 12, 2007 John- This is a nice, imaginative piece of work, but I'd suggest one caveat. There was at least a single incident, perhaps a fluke and perhaps not, of the M8 magnesium body casting fracturing where the bottom plate latch attaches under a lip on the casting. Your attached lens has enough of an arm to put a tremendous stress on the bottom plate and thus the casting. I, myself, would be very reluctant to attach this weight and leverage to the bottom plate of this camera. I would also add that the brass bottom plate itself is extremely soft and easily distorted, and I can imagine it sagging in the middle where the tripod mount is located. I'm sorry for raining on your enthusiasm and others might have different opinions on this. Leica, as usual, ain't saying nothin' as far as I know. Walt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted August 13, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted August 13, 2007 Thanks for the warning, Walt. I'd read the thread about the faulty body casting and am trusting that to be a very rare event. As for the rest - I feel that if the base plate and its fixings are strong enough for professional use on a tripod then hanging a few hundred grammes of lens off the bottom shouldn't be a problem. If they're not strong enough then we'll soon be reading stories of people's cameras falling off their tripods... I wouldn't call the brass baseplate 'extremely soft' - after all, it's brass, not pot metal. If the baseplate is the weak point then damage or distortion to it should be apparent before any damage is done to the body. At least that's the theory! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafael_macia Posted April 27, 2008 Share #4 Posted April 27, 2008 I was just about put up my M Lens holder up for sale, after the last of my MP's was sold, when I noticed it seems to be easily adaptable for the M8. The width demands one of the body guides be filed off. but the center tripod screw of the M8, seems to position the lens holder, somewhat off center, but workable. Anyone tried this adaptation? Would love pictures if so. thanks Rafael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted April 27, 2008 Share #5 Posted April 27, 2008 I have repeatedly plugged for a M8 version of the old Benser Baseplate. This was not a Leitz item but had bayonets for two lenses, so that you had somewhere to put one lens while you mounted the other. It did unfortunately fit only the M3 and the M2, but it was liked by many photojournalists. Today the M8 would offer the extra convenience that you could exchange the Benser plate for a regular one at any time when you wanted a tripod bushing, because there is no film to be fogged! Go, Leica, go! The old man from the Age of Walter Benser Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted April 27, 2008 Author Share #6 Posted April 27, 2008 Here's one I made earlier: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/31229-lens-holder-m-m8.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafael_macia Posted April 27, 2008 Share #7 Posted April 27, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) John, I was thinking to adapt the lens holder directly, ... as it is. I have tried here the mirror trick here to photograph my proposed attachment. The holder in this manner allows the bottom to be removed. All that need to be done to modify it to an M8 is one of the body guides needs to be filed down, so that the unit attaches flush. I have not filed mine yet, so you can notice the lens holder is not flush. Rafael Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/51575-m-lens-holder-on-an-m8-merged-thread/?do=findComment&comment=546140'>More sharing options...
rafael_macia Posted April 27, 2008 Share #8 Posted April 27, 2008 In further thinking about this .... I would say if somehow the attachment screw should be moved over closer to the lens bayonet attachment. Than the lens being carried would be carried off center, but under the camera.and also, both positioning grooves of the holder to camera base plate,be widened for the M8 body; My original idea is flawed because the lens is not under the body. Rafael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted April 27, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted April 27, 2008 In further thinking about this ....I would say if somehow the attachment screw should be moved over closer to the lens bayonet attachment. Than the lens being carried would be carried off center, but under the camera.and also, both positioning grooves of the holder to camera base plate,be widened for the M8 body; Hi Rafael, I thought of doing it that way, but the structure of the Lens Holder M makes it a big job to move the fixing screw. In the end it seemed to me best to make an adapter piece. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafael_macia Posted April 27, 2008 Share #10 Posted April 27, 2008 Hi Rafael, I thought of doing it that way, but the structure of the Lens Holder M makes it a big job to move the fixing screw. In the end it seemed to me best to make an adapter piece. Yes, The reinforcement struts zero in on the screw hole. Filling in the hollowed out areas with an epoxy alongside the struts might do it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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