Leica SL and medium format lenses (Contax 645)

[DMRMAN]

Hi All SL-users!

I have had my SL for some months and used mostly M-R lenses with the adapers and the 24-90 Zoom which covers most situations. The system is heavy, but once you get used to it,  -you start wondering why not use lenses of your 645 cameras:)? I have the Contax 645 lenses and wonder if anyone has found suitable adapter to use these on the SL - even if the AF and some other functions might be lost? Some time back there were still companies which made tailor-made adapters, but I have learned that we are maybe past those times?;) However, there are individuals who are keen to solve problems and I remember someone making an AF-unit of Nikon's 16A-teleconverter, which was not that difficult after all... Even the Photokina exhibition might have revealed something on this front?

So, -please, share any of your experience and of this topic? if there are any:)?

br Hans

 

 

[dkCambridgeshire]

There is a MIREX Contax 645 to EOS SHIFT adapter

Add an EF to SL adapter … the EOS to SL 'SMART' adapter might work in purely 'non-smart' manual exposure mode … or there are EOS to M adapters which can be coupled to the Leica 'M to T adapter' … assuming your Contax 645 lens can be manually focused

And the suggested MIREX shift adapter could be useful for architectural photography.

Any purchases are at your own risk … I've no practical experience of this adaption 

dunk 

Edited October 11, 2018 by dkCambridgeshire

[Einst_Stein]

Leica offers Contax 645 to Leica S adapter and Leica S to L adapter. Expensive and may not up to Leica SL lens quality 

I have Contex 645 to Sony A7xx adapter as well as Contax 645 to Conrax N adapter plus Contax N to Sony A7Xx adapter. The picture IQ  is inferior to the SL on SL. 

Back to Contax to Sony adapter, it requires electric driver to turn on and off Contax leaf shutter,  one of my Contax lens burnt the motor due to the over drive power system from the camera to the lens. 

Contax has lower voltage power system than Sony (6v vs. 7v or something like that), although the adapter implemented the voltage rsgulator，partly due to the small company (single engineer or single digit number of engineer) and the robustness of Contax system to the forign components, every friend I know tried those adapter had burnt one or more Contact lenses. 

I think SL has even higher voltage. So, be careful. 

[DMRMAN]

1 hour ago, dkCambridgeshire said:

There is a MIREX Contax 645 to EOS SHIFT adapter

Add an EF to SL adapter … the EOS to SL 'SMART' adapter might work in purely 'non-smart' manual exposure mode … or there are EOS to M adapters which can be coupled to the Leica 'M to T adapter' … assuming your Contax 645 lens can be manually focused

And the suggested MIREX shift adapter could be useful for architectural photography.

Any purchases are at your own risk … I've no practical experience of this adaption 

dunk 

Thank You for the response - I found a UK shop selling the MIREX adapters and asked them to inform if there might be a Contax version (?)... The Contax-Zeiss 645 are manual also...If the adapter would allow some degree electronic adjustments that would be great...Contax Auto-Bellows has some shift/tilt adjusting built in and could work as such or with an extension ring...once the adapter would work.. Have Leica R Bellows which might work for other lenses...- and Thank you for warning for early purchases, -this takes just some time and patience:)

br Hans

 

[DMRMAN]

38 minutes ago, Einst_Stein said:

Leica offers Contax 645 to Leica S adapter and Leica S to L adapter. Expensive and may not up to Leica SL lens quality 

I have Contex 645 to Sony A7xx adapter as well as Contax 645 to Conrax N adapter plus Contax N to Sony A7Xx adapter. The picture IQ  is inferior to the SL on SL. 

Back to Contax to Sony adapter, it requires electric driver to turn on and off Contax leaf shutter,  one of my Contax lens burnt the motor due to the over drive power system from the camera to the lens. 

Contax has lower voltage power system than Sony (6v vs. 7v or something like that), although the adapter implemented the voltage rsgulator，partly due to the small company (single engineer or single digit number of engineer) and the robustness of Contax system to the forign components, every friend I know tried those adapter had burnt one or more Contact lenses. 

I think SL has even higher voltage. So, be careful. 

Thank You for the response! The Leica solution is worth considering- at least it should work...- pricey for sure;) Which company made the Contax to Sony adapter? (I have one from Novoflex- and those are great- but they do not manufacture adapter rings for medium format Contax). Good to know that there are electrical hazard possibilities to watch, as it is long time already when Contax cameras and lenses were made (different times, different voltages;)), although the main company is still left (Kyocera produces still copy machines, if I remember correctly)..

br Hans

[Einst_Stein]

Fringer and Kipon. Go search ebay. 

I have Kipon Cintax N to Sony. Not good, the after rear opening is not fully open, somit does not work with wide angle lens such as C645 35mm or 45-90mm (after stcking with C645 to CN adapter).Fringer is better.  Ut I am not sure if Kipon has fixed the problem in the C645 to Sony E version. 

In terms of power supply overdrive issue, which might depend on the voltage regular converter, I think both are done by the semi-professional QA standard, It is unlikely to have mass production QA.

I would trust only the Leica’s C2S+S2L. In my personal opinion, the C645 lenses worth to consider are 35mm, 120mm, 80mm, and perhaps 45-90mm. But the two adpters may cost about the same as the combination of three of the above four lenses, or a MF digital back.

[DMRMAN]

3 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

Fringer and Kipon. Go search ebay. 

I have Kipon Cintax N to Sony. Not good, the after rear opening is not fully open, somit does not work with wide angle lens such as C645 35mm or 45-90mm (after stcking with C645 to CN adapter).Fringer is better.  Ut I am not sure if Kipon has fixed the problem in the C645 to Sony E version. 

In terms of power supply overdrive issue, which might depend on the voltage regular converter, I think both are done by the semi-professional QA standard, It is unlikely to have mass production QA.

I would trust only the Leica’s C2S+S2L. In my personal opinion, the C645 lenses worth to consider are 35mm, 120mm, 80mm, and perhaps 45-90mm. But the two adpters may cost about the same as the combination of three of the above four lenses, or a MF digital back.

Thank You for the response! I actually made some search and there is some products available. I have on adapter with aperture diaphragma attatched on the Contax Zeiss 35mm and that fits to my Nikon D3, the system need some tools to put on and take off.. It works good and will crop some of the photo area starting from the outside towards the middle, which works out fine as you are using the lens middle and sensor middle. The build quality is japanese, but does the trick. However, it is nothing which you take off and put on again when you are shooting in the Nature. 

[DMRMAN]

1 hour ago, DMRMAN said:

Thank You for the response! I actually made some search and there is some products available. I have on adapter with aperture diaphragma attatched on the Contax Zeiss 35mm and that fits to my Nikon D3, the system need some tools to put on and take off.. It works good and will crop some of the photo area starting from the outside towards the middle, which works out fine as you are using the lens middle and sensor middle. The build quality is japanese, but does the trick. However, it is nothing which you take off and put on again when you are shooting in the Nature. 

The ebay sells Kipon Adapter focal reducer for Contax 645 lens to Leica SL with price 650€ plus tax and customs, so the balance moves to getting C2S+S2L - enen without quessing the price;)? There might be some other adapter solutions which might be available. The Leica system requires also price and function check up from the company, but certainly an option to have a safe invest. However, "when there is a will - there is a way" - approach might bring some cheaper options (not knowing the Leica prices today)- so the question remains:)

br Hans

[BernardC]

18 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

I would trust only the Leica’s C2S+S2L.

Has anybody tried this? I'm not sure if those two adapters together will work on the SL. The Contax lens protocol would need to be supported in the SL's firmware (as would the Hasselblad H protocol if you use the H adapter).

Probably best to send Leica support an email before spending money. Unless someone answers here.

I know the CL, T, TL and TL2 do not support the S-mount to L-mount adapter.

[caissa]

Stacking the S adapter from Leica won't work. (Stacking is not supported).

You can use a fotodiox adapter contax to eos or contax to nikon and then another manual adapter eos to SL or Nikon to SL. But it is only manual. It has a built in iris, but it is not in the perfect location. Ask fotodiox for details.

 

 

[Einst_Stein]

51 minutes ago, caissa said:

Stacking the S adapter from Leica won't work. (Stacking is not supported).

You can use a fotodiox adapter contax to eos or contax to nikon and then another manual adapter eos to SL or Nikon to SL. But it is only manual. It has a built in iris, but it is not in the perfect location. Ask fotodiox for details.

 

 

Thanks, good to know it.

Fundamentally think the best way to use CONTAX 645 glass is to get  a MF digital back. Even if you find  value d solution to adapt to SL would  e a reduced frame size. Besides, it is not necessary better IQ over SL native lens.

[DMRMAN]

17 hours ago, BernardC said:

Has anybody tried this? I'm not sure if those two adapters together will work on the SL. The Contax lens protocol would need to be supported in the SL's firmware (as would the Hasselblad H protocol if you use the H adapter).

Probably best to send Leica support an email before spending money. Unless someone answers here.

I know the CL, T, TL and TL2 do not support the S-mount to L-mount adapter.

Thank You for the response!  It looks like most people have given up the hope of using Leica's own adapters, as this would need special firmware and possibly even other changes, which would have to be tailored in order to succeed. However, the question still remains as I have presented my problem to a couple of potential manufacturers. Hope that there are enough people among us who had the same "problem:)" and continued the search to success? 

[DMRMAN]

14 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

Thanks, good to know it.

Fundamentally think the best way to use CONTAX 645 glass is to get  a MF digital back. Even if you find  value d solution to adapt to SL would  e a reduced frame size. Besides, it is not necessary better IQ over SL native lens.

 

14 hours ago, Einst_Stein said:

Thanks, good to know it.

Fundamentally think the best way to use CONTAX 645 glass is to get  a MF digital back. Even if you find  value d solution to adapt to SL would  e a reduced frame size. Besides, it is not necessary better IQ over SL native lens.

That is true:) However, as this has been the case already for a long time and the development has not increased the innovation and neither reduced the prices enough. I am looking for a Phase One back which would suit my purposes - but there are budget limits - and the Contax 645 with film backs and Imacon scanner is not a bad situation either:) I think that part of the whole idea is to be able to use "one's photo gears" as flexibly as it is possible. The IQ is not going to be that different in general terms, but I am sure that one of the biggest kicks is the FUN around these matters in photography, Leica talks so much...Then again, we are just human-and do not auction our photo gears all in a sudden when a new product pops up:):) -lol I know that some of us do - but anyhow;)

Edited October 13, 2018 by DMRMAN

[DMRMAN]

correction typo..

[Irakly Shanidze]

5 hours ago, DMRMAN said:

 

That is true:) However, as this has been the case already for a long time and the development has not increased the innovation and neither reduced the prices enough. I am looking for a Phase One back which would suit my purposes - but there are budget limits - and the Contax 645 with film backs and Imacon scanner is not a bad situation either:) I think that part of the whole idea is to be able to use "one's photo gears" as flexibly as it is possible. The IQ is not going to be that different in general terms, but I am sure that one of the biggest kicks is the FUN around these matters in photography, Leica talks so much...Then again, we are just human-and do not auction our photo gears all in a sudden when a new product pops up:):) -lol I know that some of us do - but anyhow;)

I have S006 with the C45-S adapter and also C645 body with a P25 digital back. AF is actually faster on the Leica body, and the adapter is completely transparent. IQ wise, the only visible difference at ISO50-200 is the shallower depth of field that can be achieved on P25, which is 1:1.1 crop on 645 frame. At ISO400 Leica S006 actually wins.

So, I am actually thinking of selling the C645/P25 setup and moving on, even though the frame size on S006 is quite a bit smaller.

[DMRMAN]

6 minutes ago, Irakly Shanidze said:

I have S006 with the C45-S adapter and also C645 body with a P25 digital back. AF is actually faster on the Leica body, and the adapter is completely transparent. IQ wise, the only visible difference at ISO50-200 is the shallower depth of field that can be achieved on P25, which is 1:1.1 crop on 645 frame. At ISO400 Leica S006 actually wins.

So, I am actually thinking of selling the C645/P25 setup and moving on, even though the frame size on S006 is quite a bit smaller.

Well, nice to hear that you have enjoyed of having a multifunctional Contax 645, as at least for me it has been always my favorite camera. It is bit big but weighs less than SL with 24-90 with 35mm Zeiss:) I know it is difficult to describe the differences and comparing results you get. I have played a bit with the Phase One backs but decided to go for the SL anyhow because of the nr of lenses I have.  I am of course interested to learn and  know more about the condition and thoughts around the price of your P25 back. If necessary we can figure out how to do it privately, depending how the support/administration feels about possible trade talks in public:)? I am interested to learn more about the technical specs of the back - like the size.