Using R Lenses on DSLR

[Want-a-leica]

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I just got an adaptor for my Canon EOS 1D MK3 so I can use R lenses with it. I played around with a few of them in a local camera shop and I like what I saw. The thing I haven't worked out yet is that why my camera shows a permanent aperture reading of 1.4 for any lens I mount. This adaptor does have a focus confirmation chip on it, which lets me know when it's in focus, but I still don't get it. I tried a 2.8 lens and a 4, and they both showed up as 1.4. Not that it seems to make any difference to the images I got with it (which were really nice...I definitely think I'm going to get a few second hand R lenses to start with and see how it goes from there), but just wondering if anyone can unravel this little mystery.

[andybarton]

The camera has no way of knowing what sort of lens is mounted.

Edited December 19, 2010 by andybarton

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[Want-a-leica]

The camera has no way of knowing what sort of lens is mounted.

 

Yeah, I know. Apart from the focus confirmation chip, there's essentially no communication between camera and lens. The thing that I was curious about is why it indicates 1.4. Why not 1.2 or 1.8? Can't be that 1.4 is the lowest number it recognizes, because Canon make lenses at 1.2 and (rarely) lower.

 

Not a big deal, either way.

[wildlightphoto]

Yeah, I know. Apart from the focus confirmation chip, there's essentially no communication between camera and lens. The thing that I was curious about is why it indicates 1.4. Why not 1.2 or 1.8? Can't be that 1.4 is the lowest number it recognizes, because Canon make lenses at 1.2 and (rarely) lower.

 

Not a big deal, either way.

 

Could be the adapter's chip is set for f/1.4

[lct]

Or depends upon the body. My 5D1 says f/1.8 with two different adapters.

[adan]

With my unchipped R/EOS adapter, my Canon reports every lens as "50mm" - with NO aperture setting listed.

 

Presumably the Canon engineers picked 50mm as the "default option" for when the camera recognizes no lens attached. Either they also picked f/1.4 as the default aperture (as Leica picked "f/1.0"), or as Wildlight says, that is how your chipped adapter is coded.

 

Put another way - what SHOULD the camera tell you if it has no idea what the max. aperture or shooting aperture really is? f/16? f/0?

[etp095]

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just wondering if canon is the only brand that could use the leica R lenses,i'm patial to nikon for my dslr/slr cameras?

[adan]

just wondering if canon is the only brand that could use the leica R lenses,i'm patial to nikon for my dslr/slr cameras?

 

Putting R lenses on Nikons requires a full mount transplant involving screwdrivers and such. There is no room to put an adapter between the lens and the camera quickly and temporarily (as there is with Canon bodies) without losing focusing to infinity. Once converted, they seem to work just as well, according to the users here.

 

Leica lens for Nikon cameras

 

Sony Alphas also require surgery rather than just a bayonet-on/off adapter, apparently: Convert Leica R to Sony Service - AlphaMountWorld.com

 

Me, I preferred the Canon 5D2 route: only FF SLR that delivers 20+ Mpixels under $6,000 (and under 900 grams) and accepts Leica R lenses without a toolbox, and can be fitted with an OEM split-image focusing screen (ex Haoda).

[andybarton]

I am very pleased with my R glass on a Nikon D700 using Leitax mounts. Leitax make mounts for Sony's too.

 

Conversion takes about 5 minutes.

[RPS]

I am very pleased with my R glass on a Nikon D700 using Leitax mounts. Conversion takes about 5 minutes.

 

+1

[integrale]

I am very pleased with my R glass on a Nikon D700 using Leitax mounts. Leitax make mounts for Sony's too.

 

Conversion takes about 5 minutes.

 

+2

[farnz]

just wondering if canon is the only brand that could use the leica R lenses,i'm patial to nikon for my dslr/slr cameras?

The Sigma SD14 can have its lens mount modified to take R lenses; Sigma Cum Laude will supply the camera new with the R mount pre-installed or supply the mount for you to install on your own SD14.

 

The benefit of this system is that you get to use R lenses with the Foveon sensor.

 

Pete.