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Ben,

I can tell you that one fit all from 21 to 135.

 

Adapters S to M were first made for the M3 in 1956 so depending of the shape of the cam you can have the right frame in the window, next some were made for M2 & M3, the frame activated was different from one to the other, and usualy it is engraved on.

 

When I got a M6 by its time I discovered that to get the frame of the 35 I must use the one for M3/135.

 

basically they are called :

IRZOO/14097 = 35/50

ISBOO/14098 = 90

ISOOZ/ 14099 = 135

Edited by jc_braconi
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JC, thanks. I probably didn’t articulate my question very well. There are so many different screw mount lenses with wide apertures (1,4) , like Nikon, Pentax, Minolta,… I’m trying to find out if they can be used on Leica M. If I read your reply correctly, than all screw mount lenses can be adapted using the items you mentioned? Sorry for my ignorance of this matter. I'm just getting schooled in using much older glass & looking to compare the oof areas & particularly, bokeh.

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In theory, any manual focusing SLR lens can be mounted on a Leica M, because all SLRs have a bigger flange distance than the 27,8mm of Leica... you simply need an adapter: but given that you had problems with focusing (machining a pair of lens mounts is "easy", coupling a focus helicoid to the Leica Rangefinder is all another matter... practically impossible with a "simple" ring) there are not many adapters around... there is the one for Leica R lenses, I have one for Zeiss Contarex lenses, I have seen adpters for 42x1 SLR lenses (Russians, I seem), for Nikon (also for the Nikon RF lenses)... but of course, the more one is interested in the bokeh effect, the more the focusing issue becomes critical, with lenses that are, obviously, uncoupled.

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Ben, the way you mentioned "Pentax" in that list made me think perhaps you're lumping all screw mount lenses together.

 

Basically there are two main screw mounts for 35mm cameras:

 

1) The Leica mount (39mm diameter, 28.8mm flange-to-film), used by many other manufacturers and often nowadays called LTM

 

2) The Practica/Pentax mount (42mm diameter, 45.46mm flange to film) often called M42.

 

All LTM lenses will fit on an M body using one or other of the adapters. Most - especially those from Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Zeiss and other Japanese and European manufacturers - couple correctly to the rangefinder. There are a few complications to watch out for, including:

 

  • Some Russian lenses with 39mm threads were made for Zenit SLRs. These have the same flange-to-film distance as M42 so can't readily be used on a Leica. Naturally none of these have a rangefinder coupling.
  • Some Russian LTM lenses seem to have have a subtly different motion of the rangefinder cam and don't focus accurately on Leicas and other Leica copies (Dante Stella has the story.)
  • Some LTM lenses made in Britain or by Enna in Germany around the 1950s were built for the Corfield Periflex cameras and don't have rangefinder coupling.
  • There was a period around 1930 when Leicas had interchangeable lenses but didn't have coupled rangefinders. Some lenses from this period therefore don't have rangefinder coupling - but none of them are f/1.4 either:)

Edited by giordano
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JC, Luigi & John thanks for the detailed information. I (mistakenly) thought there might have been someone on the Forum that had an organized file or chart of the various LTM lenses and the applicable adapters. Of course, I'm only interested in rangefinder coupled lenses, as the bokeh is my focus of the tests. Should anyone stumble on data like this, I'd be grateful if you made it available. Again, thanks for your interest & timely thoughts. All the Best.

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If there was a LTM lens list it would be like this (2300 lenses in Exakta mount): http://www.ihagee.org/vimlens20100404.pdf

 

Fortunately any LTM lens can be used with any adapter. The only reason to choose one over another is to bring up the right set of frame lines in the viewfinder (50-75, 28-90, or 24-35-135).

 

And if you're using a digital M and want to code the adapter so the LTM lens is recognised as a particular Leica M lens, in some cases it's necessary to use the adapter that brings up the same framelines as the that lens.

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[...] Of course, I'm only interested in rangefinder coupled lenses, as the bokeh is my focus of the tests. Should anyone stumble on data like this, I'd be grateful if you made it available. Again, thanks for your interest & timely thoughts. All the Best.

 

JCBraconi gave the definitive answers. Those are all the adapters you need. If you don't mind guestimating the frame lines, you can use any one of them.

 

There are no other RF coupled compatibles except E39 LTM, as JC wrote. I suspect you want a list of all M or LTM compatible lenses with RF coupling.

 

Taylor, Taylor and Hobbs

Konica (forgot the model names)

All Leica M and LTM

All Canon LTM

Minolta Rokkor

Rollei made for their Rollei 35RF (just rebranded, overpriced Voigtlander)

Those Russian things

 

 

and others more knowledgeable can add to the list.

 

 

No chart needed.

Edited by pico
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There are also LTM adapters for lenses for Contax and Nikon rangefinder cameras and Alpa SLRs, all with rangefinder coupling (50mm only in the case of Alpa). In principle, at least, you can even use a 50mm lens from a Voiglaender Prominent with (1) a rare adapter that converts it to Contax 50mm mount, (2) a Contax to LTM adapter, and (3) LTM to M adapter.

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Something else you may want to do is go to kevincameras.com and look at the sections:

- Non Leica SM Len

- Canon RF/Album: Canon RF Lenses

- Classics & Collectibles/Album: Lenses (some LSM compatible lenses in there)

- Modified Len

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...I suspect you want a list of all M or LTM compatible lenses with RF coupling.

 

Taylor, Taylor and Hobbs

Konica (forgot the model names)

All Leica M and LTM

All Canon LTM

Minolta Rokkor

Rollei made for their Rollei 35RF (just rebranded, overpriced Voigtlander)

Those Russian things

Zunow

Kobalux/Avenon/Pasoptic (same lenses sold under different names)

Nippon Kogaku (Nikkor/Nikon)

Steinheil

Fearn-Kilar Kilfitt

Perar (very recent)

Soligor

Angénieux

Schneider Kreuznach

Meyer

 

... and plenty more. You've got your work cut out, Ben.:o

 

Pete.

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Thanks guys. I haven't used a LTM lens since 1975 when I had the privilege of a borrowed Dallmeyer 85 f2 from a New Zealand cohort that worked with me at the UN. We were shooting a "secret" UN Security Council Session regarding tensions between Egypt & Israel. I loved all my frames, but the photo editor destroyed them all because it had 2 delegates from countries that didn't have diplomatic ties actually talking to each other. That was an eye opener. Anyway, thanks for all the info & leads. I'm deep into Small's book & searching out all available resources in my quest. Again, thanks.

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