Jump to content

Canon 5dmk2 converted to Leica M


rastas

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 47
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I can see the price advantage, even if the builder doesn't quite seem to 'get' the idea of a simple rangefinder camera with his hatchet job of the M9 specifications. It would also come in far below the price of an M10 (but that offers superior features). The conversion of your Leica lenses to M42 screw mount is less appealing. But all could be justified to the right sort of buyer if a further few dollars had been invested in making it look the part. As it stands it looks like something the dog coughed up, so I'm sorry, it has to look good as well as work good for $3000.

 

Steve

Link to post
Share on other sites

The conversion of your Leica lenses to M42 screw mount is less appealing.

 

Yes, I agree with this bit. I also wonder what advantage this offers over using one of the new breed of mirrorless cameras – are there no fullframe cameras in the NEX class yet?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I understand playing with what you have, but who wants such a "strange thing", when there will be a Leica M soon and there is the wonderful Leica M9 available?

 

Phillipe Halsman had this strange beast made when he found other cameras lacking.

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-95FuRe6mcuk/TgjiFkaS-YI/AAAAAAAAFDA/OlrI91s1wK8/s1600/Philippe+Halsman++with+camera.jpg

 

I love that he has his watch over his cuff... I've never seen anyone do that before either.

Link to post
Share on other sites

wow- I love that camera- what is it: a 4x5 inch TLR? Mega Rolleiflex.... nice. and the watch thing is cool to. Clearly this guy was a dude.

 

Yeah it's a 4x5 TLR which is a pretty handy way to focus portraits. Peter Gowland started a company making a similar thing. Linhof made a TLR adapter to go on their 4x5 Technikas. I doubt if they sold very well and I have never seen one outside of one of their books.

 

This link has a photo that shows how big this camera is.

http://fmward.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/gowlandflex5683.jpg

 

Back in their day, real men used big cameras. So let's not hear any complaints about how the clip on EVF makes the M too large.

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

It's actually stunning, when you realise that it means you can now use M lenses for video on the 5D platform. (Yes, I know: now that R lenses have been all but grabbed by video guys, let's open up the M cabinet too...:D)

 

Ingenious. Someone should turn this into a niche business - there are plenty of small production houses out there who would be interested, I'm sure. I know I would buy one, if it's priced below US$3,000.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It's actually stunning, when you realise that it means you can now use M lenses for video on the 5D platform. (Yes, I know: now that R lenses have been all but grabbed by video guys, let's open up the M cabinet too...:D)

 

Ingenious. Someone should turn this into a niche business - there are plenty of small production houses out there who would be interested, I'm sure. I know I would buy one, if it's priced below US$3,000.

 

$2950

 

You are in luck _Canon/Leica Mod

Link to post
Share on other sites

$2950

 

You are in luck _Canon/Leica Mod

 

Dem! Thanks. What luck - I am in the process of buying a DSLR for corporate video shooting and have been looking at the Blackmagic Cinema Camera. I've emailed him to find out more. Since it will be used in a professional environment, will need to be satisfied by the type of warranties and guarantees/after sales service provided, though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The $2950 camera described comes either with a 39mm LTM mount or a 42mm screw mount with the M's 27.8mm register distance. Obviously one can't use M lenses on the LTM version. To use one on the 42mm version requires that you remove its standard bayonet flange and attach a custom-made screw-mount flange, similar to the Leitax mounts for using R lenses on Nikons. Note that the camera we've seen illustrated does not have the lens release button that is part of the M mount. So:

 

(1) Once you've done that, you won't be able to use the M lens on any other camera in the world until you replace the Leica flange and check the RF calibration.

 

(2) As we all know from the experience of 6-bit coding old lenses, there are multiple variations in the way the actual bayonet mount is attached to the body of the lens, so to use older lenses there'd have to be multiple versions of the 42mm flange - and even then some older lenses couldn't be used.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, I found out about that mount complexity after reading through more carefully. I think substituting an LM adapter as the lens mount instead of LTM would make it more appealing. As it is, the solution makes it harder to use M lenses freely since I'd have to convert beforehand all the M lenses I want to use for video shooting. The thing is I also use my lenses with my Ms and Ricoh GXR.

 

It's a nice idea, though, that should be worked on more. I'm sure v3.0 would be more appealing.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah it's a 4x5 TLR which is a pretty handy way to focus portraits. Peter Gowland started a company making a similar thing. Linhof made a TLR adapter to go on their 4x5 Technikas. I doubt if they sold very well and I have never seen one outside of one of their books.

.....

 

Thanks for the picture ! I have some Linhof publications but never saw that monster of TLR Technika... :p well, if they had the courage to say that a Technika could be transformed into a TLR... Leitz was surely entitled to say that Visoflex turned a Leica into a SLR... :p

Link to post
Share on other sites

Video shooting is hardly an argument any more with the M240 on its way. I think the whole idea of this conversion has been overtaken by facts.

 

Not quite. If you're talking about amateur shooting, then maybe.

 

Certainly, as it stands, the M-240's have a few hardware shortcomings for pro video shooting, whereas the Canon 5D Mk II is a well-proven tool. In addition:

 

For one, it remains to be seen whether the M will stand up to rigorous commercial corporate video shooting, which is what I am buying the video DSLR for. Secondly, for commercial purposes, buying two 5D Mk II's costs cheaper than a single M-240, but will be twice as useful (not to mention better for the cameras' health). And thirdly, it remains to be seen just how much manual control we'll have in video shooting the M as compared to the M-240.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think that is a misrepresentation of the contents of that article:

 

Summary

 

Although Leica’s focus is of course stills photography, there are notable features on the Leica M which numerous rivals don’t have in their video modes. The camera is notable in that it records 4-2-2, MJPEG ALL-I (at higher bitrates than AVCHD), peaking, manual audio control with on-screen levels and most promisingly pixel averaging to scale the sensor to 1080p

 

This is great to see and although the lack of an HDMI output for monitoring may be a problem for some filmmakers, Leica will be offering their own small EVF (although using the mic adapter and EVF at the same time is likely not possible since they share the same hot-shoe proprietary connector).

 

In my view, if the scaling of the sensor and the 4-2-2 codec stand up well in the final camera, this could give the highest video quality of any full frame camera currently available. I saw the results from the Sony NEX VG900 and A99 at Photokina, and sadly they just don’t stand up – far too much false colour, moire and aliasing from line skipping.

 

With features like these Leica seem to be taking a well thought out approach to the core components of a good video mode and a serious approach to video quality on the new Leica M.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Not quite. If you're talking about amateur shooting, then maybe.

 

Certainly, as it stands, the M-240's have a few hardware shortcomings for pro video shooting, whereas the Canon 5D Mk II is a well-proven tool. In addition:

 

For one, it remains to be seen whether the M will stand up to rigorous commercial corporate video shooting, which is what I am buying the video DSLR for. Secondly, for commercial purposes, buying two 5D Mk II's costs cheaper than a single M-240, but will be twice as useful (not to mention better for the cameras' health). And thirdly, it remains to be seen just how much manual control we'll have in video shooting the M as compared to the M-240.

This thread is about taking a hacksaw to the Canon to accommodate Leica M lenses, notably the Noctilux. Of course it is sensible to buy the most useful tool for professional work and I am not suggesting otherwise, but I find it hard to believe the one-lens modified 5D from the OP ((Remember the M mount has to be replaced) is that tool.

As you say, I suspect a couple of 5Ds with if needed Leica R lenses would be more practical than either the M or the modified Canon.

 

My suggestion is, however, that a Leica M would be more versatile, more stable, better image quality and better high ISO than this proposal.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...