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waiting for the R to M adapter


hejenk

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The drilled Novoflex seems to be working. Mine is one of the first coded Novoflex (ith white paint at position #3) which does not work on my latest M, but works as it should on another guys M who tried it for the first time today. Go figure.

 

Yes, the Novoflex works great. I used one, uncoded, on the Keys trip with what I think was good success. Get a drilled one to be sure of it working. Dale has those.

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Got a Novoflex R to M and 6-bit coded for M240 from Hong Kong dealer, it is nicely made but it does not trigger the R lens menu.

 

After writing to Germany, we have been told and waiting for Novoflex to fix the problem and send us a new one that works. Wonder how and why they did not test it before sending them to market :confused:

 

Somehow the size of the drill holes are smaller and closer than the usual 6-bit on Leica's lenses

 

11216857016_2e47d6a726_z.jpg

 

This is a normal 6-bit code

 

img13423.jpg

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My Novoflex LEM/CONT has a white plastic coated recessed slot in the LED position, onto which you mark the code (110111 for R lens menu). Because it is recessed, your marks don’t wipe off and you can position them yourself with one of the various templates (I use an M-Coder), to get them exactly correct. I wonder why they changed away from this very simple system to the drilled marks? Leica and most others have always used slots rather than “cheap” drilled holes. Unlike Novoflex to go for a cheap solution, that obviously does not work very well.

 

Below is a picture of the earlier type Novoflex arrangement for coding. I keep meaning to get round to cleaning the marks off and redo them a bit more neatly. However, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

 

Wilson

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My received my Leica R to M adapter about four weeks ago but forgot to post.

 

Yes it's more expensive than the Novoflex - what a surprise.

 

Beautifully finished, as expected, and works perfectly.

 

I primarily use it for the 28-90 Vario-Emarit-R and I keep the tripod mount on the adapter all the time. The adapter balances the camera and lens nicely, I can hook some of my fingers between the adapter and lens to hold it securely and the adapter acts as a nice stand for both when put down on a desk, etc.

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Hi,

 

I spoke today with Leica Solms.

It seems that Leica only released a very small number of adapters.

There will be no further release of them before next year.

 

And, yes, they produce them themselves, its not Novoflex that makes them!

 

John

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Hi,

 

I spoke today with Leica Solms.

It seems that Leica only released a very small number of adapters.

There will be no further release of them before next year.

 

And, yes, they produce them themselves, its not Novoflex that makes them!

 

John

 

If that is true, then we have to ask what do they mean by "next year"? My patience is not inexhaustable. If I want to go digital there will come a point when I give it up as a bad job, sell all my Leica R lenses, and convert to Nikon. (None of the alternative hybrid solutions provides a satisfactory alternative for me). How hard can it be to make a passive mechanical device?

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This afternoon I bought a beautiful, mint boxed 80mm Summilux R (ROM) to use with my M, from one of my favourite London 'used' dealers. Replaces my Summilux 75 M which I miss, but the 80 cost me half what a good 75 'Lux M costs these days.

 

Another London (official) Leica dealer confirmed to me today that there is 'no sign' of the R to M adapter in any quantity.

 

Called Speed Graphic (the UK Novoflex distributor) today. They have an ample stock of the Novoflex LEMLER adapter, now 6 bit coded. I will be picking one up this Thursday whilst down their way.

 

So I should be exploring the delights of the 80mm Lux on my M by the weekend. If it works, which I am told it does just fine, I won't even bother with the Leica item.

 

1-0 to Novoflex.

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This afternoon I bought a beautiful, mint boxed 80mm Summilux R (ROM) to use with my M, from one of my favourite London 'used' dealers. Replaces my Summilux 75 M which I miss, but the 80 cost me half what a good 75 'Lux M costs these days.

 

Another London (official) Leica dealer confirmed to me today that there is 'no sign' of the R to M adapter in any quantity.

 

Called Speed Graphic (the UK Novoflex distributor) today. They have an ample stock of the Novoflex LEMLER adapter, now 6 bit coded. I will be picking one up this Thursday whilst down their way.

 

So I should be exploring the delights of the 80mm Lux on my M by the weekend. If it works, which I am told it does just fine, I won't even bother with the Leica item.

 

1-0 to Novoflex.

 

John,

 

Keep us posted on Novoflex.

 

I was tempted to call "that dealer" this morning at 9AM for mint factor alone, you should consider yourself lucky I didn't. My Summilux 80mm is well used but what an optics :)

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This afternoon I bought a beautiful, mint boxed 80mm Summilux R (ROM) to use with my M, from one of my favourite London 'used' dealers. Replaces my Summilux 75 M which I miss, but the 80 cost me half what a good 75 'Lux M costs these days.

 

Another London (official) Leica dealer confirmed to me today that there is 'no sign' of the R to M adapter in any quantity.

 

Called Speed Graphic (the UK Novoflex distributor) today. They have an ample stock of the Novoflex LEMLER adapter, now 6 bit coded. I will be picking one up this Thursday whilst down their way.

 

So I should be exploring the delights of the 80mm Lux on my M by the weekend. If it works, which I am told it does just fine, I won't even bother with the Leica item.

 

1-0 to Novoflex.

 

That might have been an option for me, but for my work the extra tripod support offered by the Leica adapter is quite important.

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That might have been an option for me, but for my work the extra tripod support offered by the Leica adapter is quite important.

 

Yes, understood. I never use a tripod, so maybe I'm lucky here. I agree wholeheartedly with you sentiments though. Very frustrating state of affairs..........

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John,

 

Keep us posted on Novoflex.

 

I was tempted to call "that dealer" this morning at 9AM for mint factor alone)

 

You'd have been lucky. "That dealer" doesn't open until 11am......and I reserved the lens last Friday. Shame on my smugness!!

 

I'll certainly let you know how how the Novoflex performs. Incidentally Speed Graphic couldn't have been more helpful. Never dealt with them before, but they seem very knowledgable about the products. The lady confirmed immediately that all LEMLERs are now 6 bit coded.

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If that is true, then we have to ask what do they mean by "next year"? My patience is not inexhaustable. If I want to go digital there will come a point when I give it up as a bad job, sell all my Leica R lenses, and convert to Nikon. (None of the alternative hybrid solutions provides a satisfactory alternative for me). How hard can it be to make a passive mechanical device?

 

 

Hi John,

 

Apparently, we are learning from the A7R that adapters seem to be very hard to make well. Lens Rental has a bit where they are testing the A7R with different lenses, and they are having to test several lenses with several adaptors and then choose the results from the best adaptor-lens-body combination.

 

I am gathering that precision manufacturing and QC in this area is not a slam dunk. So, to answer your question... maybe, these things are harder to make right than we think. Knowing Leica, their adaptors are probably going to be at an entirely different level of precision.

 

When I get mine it will be kept in the safe. :cool:

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Mine is arriving hopefully today, perhaps I should do an "Anatomy of the Leica R to M Adapter" but risk being lynched by those still waiting. I don't think there would be a lot to see.

 

I can't imagine there's anything particularly special about it compared to the precision required for the camera and lenses.

 

It's likely Leica vastly under-estimated demand, especially interest in the back-catalogue of lenses outside the normal M reach which would attract people like me who had never even held an R lens, much less used one. You can imagine them looking at sales of R bodies and DMR's and coming up with a guess of how many users would be interested and missing the key benefit of the M which is to be able to attach all kinds of legacy glass including their own.

 

Even so, you have to despair at how long it's taken to get this product and Leica's R-solution to market and generally available and, 15 months in, we're not there yet.

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Rick,

 

My son is an engineer working for a major UK engineering company. He is in charge of liaison between the UK and their Chinese component and sub assembly manufacturers. Many of the components are for high pressure hydraulic control, so have to be made to a high level of precision and consistency.

 

I showed him pictures of the R to M and explained what it did and gave him an estimate of the required precision (.001mm and .001º parallelicity.) He reckoned one of his factories if you gave them the CAD/CAM drawings, could have it prototyped within two days, ready to be couriered back to the UK for approval. By the end of the week, they would have the CNC files written, a production plan and the item costed. Subject to availability of the raw materials/correct spec metal billets, they could start production the next week. The slowest part of the process would be plating the various components but still only a few hours delay.

 

Maybe Leica should visit one of these high tech Chinese factories to see how it should be done.

 

Wilson

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