Putting an R Lens on a new body

[gkr]

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Hi there.... I have 2 R lenses - Elmarit R 2.8/35 & Summicron 2/50 and would like to use these on a digital body with the appropriate adaptor.

 

I'm resigned to the fact that Leica doesn't see fit to offer a solution - there must be many enthusiasts in this position.

 

Have looked at Lumix G1, Olympus Pen as small bodies (not bulky DSLR) with recognised quality.

 

My question is regarding the manual features of these lenses on new 'Auto/Manual' digitals.

 

For example - focusing - does the camera recognise the lens focus? or is it all guesswork?

 

The speed/aperture - does the lens change the camera or does the user change the change the camera to match the lens, or the lens to match the camera etc etc.

 

Any assistance appreciated as it seems impossible to match R lenses with M cameras so I have to look elsewhere - bugger!

 

thanks in advance!

[ryee3]

There are many options they have been posted. My recent acquisition is a Mark 4 Canon with a Novoflex adapter. Easy focus, 10 fps, extended auto ISO. I have a DMR but like the Canon for shooting sports because of the increase ISO and 10 fps.

[digi2ap]

I have a Panasonic GH1 with a number of R lenses and find it a very good combination. I think the camera produces exceptionally good pictures once quality glass is out front. The Panasonic cameras have a manual focus 'magnification assist' for easy and accurate focus and works well. 2x crop factor can be a bonus, I think, just be aware if not already that with your lenses you would be working with 70mm and 100mm equivalent.

[gkr]

Thanks for the responses ..... if I buy a GH1 will I be able to focus via the cameras electronics .. so there must be some sort of coupling ??

Also, if I change the aperture on the lens, does the camera respond?

 

cheers!

[stuny]

You will need to focus manually using the lenses' focusing ring.

[mmradman]

I got your question but be mindful that various DSLR systems/bodies offer number of crop factors so:-

 

FF, CF=1, Native 50mm = 50mm

APS-C CF=1.5, Native 50mm = 1.5 x 50mm = 75mm

M 4/3 CF=2, Native 50mm = 2 x 50mm = 100mm

 

Do you want to use your lenses with original FL or you can live with increased FL? Depending on this you can start considering various DSLR options.

[gkr]

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Thanks for the replies ... much appreciated.

I know that I'll have to focus manually, but will the focus change be shown in the EVF or LCD? ... and will twisting the aperture ring show in the EVF/LCD?

As far as FL is concerned, I'm leaning toward 4/3 (M 4/3 CF=2, Native 50mm = 2 x 50mm = 100mm) as it seems to be the growing system.

thanks again..... cheers!

[stuny]

You will see the effects of adjusting the focus ring in both the EVF and on the LCD.

[gkr]

Thanks Stuny ... exactly what I needed to confirm. cheers!

[thomasl.se]

Really happy with the latest firmware update for Sony's NEX et al; it grants the user options for seeing in-focus areas flare up in white; red or yellow on the screen.

[dickgrafixstop]

I've been happy with the R lens on a Canon - both full frame and APS-c sensor versions.

The fact that I didn't have to modify the lens mount was a deciding factor between that and

buying a Nikon. Other than having to manually focus (had to do that on the R also) the results are always good and sometimes spectacular. (The 5DmkII is dynamite).

Unless you're concerned about size - of the camera and/or the budget - I would consider

m4/3 or nex cameras with a slightly jaundiced eye. Like the proverbial ten #/s of -----

crammed into a five # bag - the small sensor size is a definite limitation. They are "cute"

but the focusing and display systems are still relatively new. There may well be significant

advancements in the (near) future, but in the short time I kept the Olympus Pen, it truely

seemed more like a toy than a systems camera. The only real advantage I can see is if

you have other brand lenses you'd like to use as there is an adapter for almost everything to

m4/3.

[tobey bilek]

You are better off to sell the lenses and buy the correct ones for the digital camera.

[roguewave]

An inexpensive solution that provides superb files is a used version of the Digilux 3 made by Panasonic's Lumix line - DCM L1. I use my 50 Summicron & 80 Summilux with my Lumix (I gave my son my Digillux 3 a few years ago) and files are great.

[Jamie Roberts]

The big problem IMO with the current small camera selections here is the crop. I don't want to shoot a 35mm lens as a 70mm lens, or a 50 as a 100. It's just a waste of the lens, which is one of the reasons you use Leica glass to begin with...

 

Ok, it's not the only reason, but it's still a shame. I could live with the DMR's 1.3 crop, which effectively makes a 28 into a 35 and a 35 into a 50, so that's not wildly out there for those lenses (and the files were glorious). But I was always hoping for full-frame R solution.

 

I know the Canons are bulky, but a 50 or 35 Cron (or an 80 R Lux) on a 5d / 5d2 is a revelation compared with the other glass out there--though I hear good things about the Zeiss stuff, too. A 50 Canadian Summicron on a 1ds2 is what convinced me to buy a DMR to begin with

 

All in all, I'm waiting to see what Leica will do with their "announced 2012" interchangeable lens camera. It's probably an EVF (which I probably won't like) and still cropped (sigh) but it might work best with all the R lenses.

 

In the meantime, I'm using my 19mm R on my M9, and it's really nice to have the full-frame-ness of that lens back! Now, if I could only zone focus my 35 R Lux at f1.4 I'd be even happier!

[mmradman]

 

 

In the meantime, I'm using my 19mm R on my M9, and it's really nice to have the full-frame-ness of that lens back! Now, if I could only zone focus my 35 R Lux at f1.4 I'd be even happier!

 

I would love to hear more about your R19mm & M9 experience please.

 

Do you use V1 or V2 (with built in filters).

How do you set camera for lens coding.

Any sample image would be great.

[Jamie Roberts]

I would love to hear more about your R19mm & M9 experience please.

 

Do you use V1 or V2 (with built in filters).

How do you set camera for lens coding.

Any sample image would be great.

 

Hi Mladen,

 

I use a Novoflex (I think) R-M adapter and the V2 19 R Elmarit. It's just great on the M9.

I code it currently as a 21 Elmarit (pre-asph) but if anything that's actually over-correcting the 19 on the M.

 

Here's a couple of quick shots that convinced me how useful it is.

 

Obviously, I'm zone focusing this, but since it's a 19mm lens it's easy to do. I don't even have to think about the focus much, and my estimates of distance are, except for extreme close ups, certainly with an acceptable range of DOF (for me anyway). I don't have a wedding image with it yet--and of course I would be very careful with people using this lens, though it's spectacularly well corrected IMO

 

Anyway, I just "clued in" last week that I could use the 19 on the M9 I will use it for this week's wedding for sure!

 

The downside is that it's large on the M body, and it's not as cheap as it used to be. But it is certainly one of the nicest wide lenses I've ever owned! For 80% of the performance at a fraction of the price, the CV 21 is probably a better buy...But the R19 has an extra stop, the built in filters, nicer contrast signature, and much better correction, with only some slight barrel distortion, which is easy to correct (and in truth with the newest C1 keystone corrections, I could see using this setup for some architectural or interior work. Certainly when I want to make a small room look bigger

 

These are all at f2.8 on the M9 (ISO 400) straight from C1--no correction or PS or anything like that. I quite like the way they look--different than a lot of modern M lenses--and I think the lens will do better, if anything, without the Leica firmware correction...

 

BTW--these are all uncropped except for the last one; it has a small crop due to straightening the vertical, so it's maybe a 20mm FOV

 

Hope this helps!

 

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[mmradman]

Hi Jamie,

 

You have no idea you really made my day.

 

I am fortunate to have R19mm V2, I used it on film MP with Voightlander 12mm finder for Epson RD1 camera (actual FOV = 18mm).

 

I did ask coding question a while back here on LUF with vague reply but now I know exactly what to expect, all I need to do (eventually) is to buy M9.

[mmradman]

 

 

 

[ATTACH]269090[/ATTACH]

 

Love environmental portraits with 19mm, especially double portrait in your third image.

[Jamie Roberts]

Love environmental portraits with 19mm, especially double portrait in your third image.

 

Thanks! I love them too, but usually with a 35--it's a lot easier As you can see from the second shot, the wide angle perspective needs a lot of care... body parts are starting to go awry

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[Ruhayat]

I have used my two R lenses (28mm Elmarit and 50mm Summicron) on 4 different digital platforms: Canon EF, Canon full frame, Olympus 4/3 and Panasonic micro 4/3. The easiest manual focusing by far was with the G1 - the zoomed in focusing aid helped a lot. The best image quality by far was with the Canon 5D Mk.I - makes a great combo with the Summicron. The Olympus E1 made the best combo with the Elmarit - punchy colours with great contrast, they really complemented each other.

 

But the best compromise for me so far has been the Canon 30D - great images, smaller and lighter than the 5D, and the 1.6x crop factor makes it better than the 2x of the Olympus and Panasonic.