Leica M Macro 6-bit Black Adapter 14409

[jrtbloke]

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HI All

 

Can anyone confirm from their own experience if the Leica M Macro 6-bit Black Adapter 14409 will work with the f2.8 90mm Elmarit? (or not!)

 

Many thanks

 

JT

[giordano]

Until someone with actual experience chips in, this may help.

 

It won't work with the 90/2.8 Elmarit. Even if the lens fits on the adapter the rangefinder won't couple.

 

It may work with the later 90/2.8 Elmarit-M. How well is another question: the lens wasn't designed with close focusing in mind so the corrections may fall apart. Also, the end of the lens or hood may block the rangefinder window's view of the subject.

[tdavis]

MACRO-ADAPTER-M

[wattsy]

The 90 Elmarit won't work as advertised (i.e. be accurately rangefinder coupled) but the adaptor is only a glorified extension tube. If you are using a digital M, and the subject allows, you could always focus via zoomed previews on the LCD.

[adan]

No.

 

The Macro-90 has two focus cams (and two focusing scales) - one for the regular focusing range, and one for use with the macro adapter. They are 180 degrees apart in the lens barrel. When the 90-Macro is mounted on the adapter it is mounted upside down, so that the macro cam is the one driving the rangefinder coupling.

 

Other 90s won't work with the rangefinder and the adapter, because other 90s don't have the second focus cam for the macro range.

 

Ian - "as advertised" by whom?

[giordano]

The Macro-90 has two focus cams (and two focusing scales) - one for the regular focusing range, and one for use with the macro adapter. They are 180 degrees apart in the lens barrel. When the 90-Macro is mounted on the adapter it is mounted upside down, so that the macro cam is the one driving the rangefinder coupling.

 

Other 90s won't work with the rangefinder and the adapter, because other 90s don't have the second focus cam for the macro range.

 

Andy, that's what everyone says. But photographs of the rear of the Macro-Elmar (e.g. http://kenrockwell.com/leica/images/90mm-f4-macro/D3S_0818-rear.jpg) suggest that it has a single full-circle cam (like ordinary 50mm lenses) and not two cams (like the dual-range Summicron).

 

The 90mm Elmarit-M has a full-circle cam; that's why I wonder if it might work - maybe not very well - on the macro adapter. But it's also possible that Leica tweaked the bayonets on the Macro-Elmar and the adapter so that no other lens will fit.

 

Let's hope someone with both lenses is inspired to actually give it a try.

[lct]

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Should work more or less for closeups if you focus at infinity i guess. Not what you're looking for anyway.

[adan]

John - Yes, there is one continuous piece of metal, but there is a huge ramp - starting, in that image, about at the 6-bit code markings and going right. You can see this in the "distortion" of the brass ring's circular shape in that area - also note the rapid change in depth of the inner black rim between "6 o'clock" and "5 o'clock".

 

There are two different independent cam surfaces, one for normal focusing and one for focusing with the adapter (and lens inverted). If those in-between areas were stair-steps instead of ramps, this would be more obvious, but a simply ramp is likely cheaper to machine (and less likely to catch on something).

 

In that picture (as oriented, with the focus index at ~11 o'clock), the independent cams run from about 11 o'clock to 6:30 (normal focusing) and from 5 o'clock to 12:30 (lens inverted for macro adapter focusing). In between are null areas that never touch the RF roller in either case.

[lct]

Sure but the focus cam of some other lenses does activate the roller cam when mounted on the Macro Adapter. The rangefinder may work* then but it will give false results of course.

* From infinite to 1 meter on the Elmar 50 i have here.

[marknorton]

I agree, it absolutely will not work with the 90mm Elmarit; it's only for the 90/4 Elmar. Trying to mount the Elmarit on the adapater risks damaging the lens, the adapter or both.