Question Regarding Leica R to L adapter

[Brian C in Az]

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When mounting a ROM R lens, should the SL automatically know which lens is mounted?

Should the SL display the aperture?

What else if anything should the adapter do?

I purchased a used (from Adorama) Leica R-L and it doesn't do either. So, I am wondering if it is defective.

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[gvaliquette]

Hi Brian,

 

My Leica R-Adapter L reads my ROM R lenses ID, which lens is mounted, and records that info in the EXIT..  It does NOT record the aperture, although this information was available on my R9/DMR nor, for zoom lenses, the focal length selected, which was also recorded by the R9/DMR, IIRC.Why Leica decided not to record/report all the information available is beyond me.

 

Guy

[Brian C in Az]

Then my adapter is working the same as your adapter. 

That doesn't make sense for Leica to ignore the available info the ROM offers.

That explains why the majority buy the cheaper dumb adapters; the Leica adapter doesn't really offer or do anything of greater value. It would be a reasonably easy firmware fix to add the additional features to the SL

[robgo2]

Actually, there is some value in having the lens identified in the EXIF. Firstly, it tells the camera which lens corrections to apply automatically, and it also lets the user know which lens was used for any given photo. I like having that information. When I am buying a Leica lens, I almost always limit my choices to those with ROM.

Edited January 4, 2019 by robgo2

[graeme_clarke]

I've gone through files of images in Lightroom where I used R  lenses - all ROM. f4 280mm, 2X adapter, f2.8 180mm and f2.8 100mm.  In each case the exif data in the library module shows exposure, e.g 1/1000s at f8 for the 280 + 2X (and records focal length as 560mm), 1/1000s at f4 for the 280 alone, 1/400s at f6.8 with the 180 and  1/5s at f19 with the 100mm; as well as recording the focal length and lens fitted.  I no longer have a 28-90 ROM so can't comment on the SL reading zoom settings.  However, looking at older files using this lens with a DMR, only the shutter speed and aperture are shown, nothing about the zoom setting.  I'd have to mount an ROM lens to see what information the camera displays.  More later...

 

 

 

 

[AZach]

Have been using the following R-lenses connected to SL-body with Leica R-Adapter-L :

- Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8/60 ROM, APO-Summicron-R 2/90 ROM, Vario-Elmar-R 3.5-4/21-35 ROM, Vario-Elmar-R 4/35-70 ROM

They were all identified correctly by the camera and EXIF recorded lens name, shutter speed, ISO, aperture (not exactly same as set with dial, but close enough "guestimate" calculated by the camera), FL also actual for zooms. Sometimes FL could be 61mm not 60mm for the Macro-Elmarit, never lower than 22mm for the wider Vario-Elmar and sometimes 34mm not 35mm for the standard Vario-Elmar. This did not bother me much. Otherwise the adapter always worked smoothly and connected with a solid feel. Was quite happy with these but finally traded the lenses and adapter to finance SL-lenses with AF - no regrets.

 

[robgo2]

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5 hours ago, graeme_clarke said:

I've gone through files of images in Lightroom where I used R  lenses - all ROM. f4 280mm, 2X adapter, f2.8 180mm and f2.8 100mm.  In each case the exif data in the library module shows exposure, e.g 1/1000s at f8 for the 280 + 2X (and records focal length as 560mm), 1/1000s at f4 for the 280 alone, 1/400s at f6.8 with the 180 and  1/5s at f19 with the 100mm; as well as recording the focal length and lens fitted.  I no longer have a 28-90 ROM so can't comment on the SL reading zoom settings.  However, looking at older files using this lens with a DMR, only the shutter speed and aperture are shown, nothing about the zoom setting.  I'd have to mount an ROM lens to see what information the camera displays.  More later...

 

 

 

 

I believe that the aperture info is estimated, not actual.

[jaapv]

Actually the ROM transmits the exact aperture plus, on zoom lenses, the actual focal length. The last is important for a flash with zooming reflector. Used with a ROM extender the changes made by the extender will be taken into account.

R cameras have no hard- (or soft-)ware that can calculate apertures.

M cameras use an estimated aperture value.

 

http://leica.nemeng.com/001c.shtml

[Brian C in Az]

4 hours ago, jaapv said:

Actually the ROM transmits the exact aperture plus, on zoom lenses, the actual focal length. The last is important for a flash with zooming reflector. Used with a ROM extender the changes made by the extender will be taken into account.

R cameras have no hard- (or soft-)ware that can calculate apertures.

M cameras use an estimated aperture value.

 

http://leica.nemeng.com/001c.shtml

My SL with the Leica adapter does not record zoom length, nor the aperture.

It also doesn't know which lens is attached, I have to manually select that via the menu.

28-70 f2.8 ROM and 105-280 f4 ROM

Neither are recognized with or without 2x ROM attached.

I do notice a bit of wiggle in the adapter to camera mount. The adapter to lens is tight without any movement, but the camera side is slightly loose, I may have to return it

Edited January 5, 2019 by Brian C in Az

[jaapv]

Well, the SL is not an R camera. The DMR has no trouble recording these things, despite using an analog camera.

Note that i carefully wrote: "transmits"

[graeme_clarke]

I hope I've got to the bottom of this query having just fitted and tried an F2.8 ROM 100mm R lens using a Leica R-L adapter on the SL body.

With the R 100 lens mounted with the adapter the camera goes into manual mode. Shutter speeds are set using the top wheel and displayed on the top window and in the viewfinder . Aperture is set using the ring on the lens barrel and has to be read on the lens as aperture values are not displayed in the camera's top window or viewfinder (it reads f- - ).  In the file information , as already mentioned, data stored includes lens model, shutter speed, iso, and estimated aperture transmitted (sometimes the same, sometimes close).

With an SL 24-90 lens mounted on the SL body , I set aperture using the back wheel and shutter speed with the top wheel - information for both is shown in the top window and the viewfinder whichever mode is set (A, S, P or M).

I trust this helps,

Graeme

[jaapv]

Now I wonder: does the SL have the external light meter that is needed to estimate the aperture value? It is much simpler, technically, to read out the ROM.

[robgo2]

19 hours ago, jaapv said:

Actually the ROM transmits the exact aperture plus, on zoom lenses, the actual focal length. The last is important for a flash with zooming reflector. Used with a ROM extender the changes made by the extender will be taken into account.

R cameras have no hard- (or soft-)ware that can calculate apertures.

M cameras use an estimated aperture value.

 

http://leica.nemeng.com/001c.shtml

I can state with absolute certainty that my SL does not receive the actual aperture setting from my ROM-R lenses mounted via the R to L adapter. When reviewing shots on the back screen or in a raw processor, the aperture listed is often off by 1-2 stops. How the camera makes its estimate is unclear to me, as all metering is done with the aperture stopped down.

Edited January 5, 2019 by robgo2

[scott kirkpatrick]

Jaap is correct for R lenses on R cameras, but not all of that information gets through the Leica R to L adapters.  I've seen focal length information for some but not for all zooms, and the aperture is estimated on my SL using an external light sensor, just as it is on the M series.

[scott kirkpatrick]

5 hours ago, jaapv said:

Now I wonder: does the SL have the external light meter that is needed to estimate the aperture value? It is much simpler, technically, to read out the ROM.

Yes it does.  I think the "simpler" approach to getting the aperture value for R lenses (which wouldn't work for M lenses or uncoded lenses) must have fallen off the list of features for the adapter during the debate about automatic stop-down, that would have let you focus wide open then stop down for the shot, just as on an R camera.

[gautier]

A funny thing : the adapter read the exact focal 😎

Seen in Lightroom, my 35 mm is a 36 mm.

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!

But there are limitations. My 280 mm f/4 (a 276 mm) is not a 560 mm when I attach an Apo-Extender-R 2x (with ROM) 😟With a R9/DMR, the right focal is displayed.

(same lens without or with the extender)

An other issue : the Apo-Telyt modules are not recognised, I have to chose the lens using the menu. Of course, these lenses have ROM (and this ROM works on a R9/DMR). I have already contact Leica for this limitation, the bug is still present 😠

For the aperture, it's not a firmware issue : without the mechanics, I think the the value is not transmitted to the body. An adapter with the automatic stop-down would have been even more expensive. In use, with the EVF of the SL, it's not a need.

[Susie]

Hi Guys,

As someone who is considering buying an SL this thread is of some interest.  At the moment I use M  cameras mostly.  I also have a Leicaflex 2, an R3 and R7 with a few, early, non-zoom, lenses, and Telyts up to 560mm.  None of my SLR lenses are ROM, as they would not fit on the earlier SLR cameras, and I haven't fully embraced the systyem - yet!

Just a few basic questions: 

Does the adaptor in question enable the three cam SLR lenses work as they do on the analogue cameras, i.e. with automatic stop down and f-stop setting infomation transfer?  I am aware that using the M adaptor will just allow these lenses to mount on the camera and stop down has to be done manually - as they do when using the PLOOT or  Visoflex on a rangefinder camera.

Also, is there an adaptor that would allow me to mount the 400 and 560 Telyts?  The ones I have are M mount ones, which are shorter than the R mount.  Presumably I would have to use a M to R adaptor (14167) and then the R to SL one.  I am not really worried about the transfer of data,  just a slicker way of using these lenses than a Visoflex on an M9.

Lastly, When I tried the SL at Leica Mayfair last week, the SL zooms did feel enormous, well it would compared to an M9 and 35mm Summicron 1V!  Is this something that one gets used to or is the ideal way forward (assuming that auto-focus is not that important) to use the SL with ROM zooms?

Many thanks,

Susie

 

Aaah - I think the previous post just answered one of my queations!

Edited January 15, 2019 by Susie

[robgo2]

On 1/6/2019 at 12:17 AM, gautier said:

A funny thing : the adapter read the exact focal 😎

Seen in Lightroom, my 35 mm is a 36 mm.

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!

But there are limitations. My 280 mm f/4 (a 276 mm) is not a 560 mm when I attach an Apo-Extender-R 2x (with ROM) 😟With a R9/DMR, the right focal is displayed.

(same lens without or with the extender)

An other issue : the Apo-Telyt modules are not recognised, I have to chose the lens using the menu. Of course, these lenses have ROM (and this ROM works on a R9/DMR). I have already contact Leica for this limitation, the bug is still present 😠

For the aperture, it's not a firmware issue : without the mechanics, I think the the value is not transmitted to the body. An adapter with the automatic stop-down would have been even more expensive. In use, with the EVF of the SL, it's not a need.

Sometimes the camera’s estimate of aperture is right on the money, but other times, it is off by around one stop (+/-).

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[BernardC]

On 1/15/2019 at 4:38 AM, Susie said:

Does the adaptor in question enable the three cam SLR lenses work as they do on the analogue cameras, i.e. with automatic stop down and f-stop setting infomation transfer?  I am aware that using the M adaptor will just allow these lenses to mount on the camera and stop down has to be done manually - as they do when using the PLOOT or  Visoflex on a rangefinder camera.

Also, is there an adaptor that would allow me to mount the 400 and 560 Telyts?  The ones I have are M mount ones, which are shorter than the R mount.  Presumably I would have to use a M to R adaptor (14167) and then the R to SL one.  I am not really worried about the transfer of data,  just a slicker way of using these lenses than a Visoflex on an M9.

Leica's R-Adapter L only supports ROM and three-cam R lenses. I believe that the Novoflex R-to-SL adapter (LET/LER) works with earlier two-cam lenses.

Neither of these adapters will make you focus at open aperture, or transfer exact aperture information to the camera. That's not an issue with the SL, because the viewfinder stays bright when the lens is stopped-down.

I am not a Visoflex expert (as many here are), but isn't there a Visoflex-to-R adapter? You could use that with an R-to-SL adapter.

[caissa]

On 1/15/2019 at 10:38 AM, Susie said:

Hi Guys,

As someone who is considering buying an SL this thread is of some interest.  At the moment I use M  cameras mostly.  I also have a Leicaflex 2, an R3 and R7 with a few, early, non-zoom, lenses, and Telyts up to 560mm.  None of my SLR lenses are ROM, as they would not fit on the earlier SLR cameras, and I haven't fully embraced the systyem - yet!

Just a few basic questions: 

Does the adaptor in question enable the three cam SLR lenses work as they do on the analogue cameras, i.e. with automatic stop down and f-stop setting infomation transfer?  I am aware that using the M adaptor will just allow these lenses to mount on the camera and stop down has to be done manually - as they do when using the PLOOT or  Visoflex on a rangefinder camera.

Also, is there an adaptor that would allow me to mount the 400 and 560 Telyts?  The ones I have are M mount ones, which are shorter than the R mount.  Presumably I would have to use a M to R adaptor (14167) and then the R to SL one.  I am not really worried about the transfer of data,  just a slicker way of using these lenses than a Visoflex on an M9.

Lastly, When I tried the SL at Leica Mayfair last week, the SL zooms did feel enormous, well it would compared to an M9 and 35mm Summicron 1V!  Is this something that one gets used to or is the ideal way forward (assuming that auto-focus is not that important) to use the SL with ROM zooms?

Many thanks,

Susie

 

Aaah - I think the previous post just answered one of my queations!

You only need to add a Leica M to SL (or T) adapter to use all your M lenses including the Telyts on the SL. I actually also use the R lenses this way, with an added R to M adapter. This stack works nicely, but does not give you the extra features for ROM lenses, but I wouldn’t mind.

The zooms are enormous, but well worth it, especially the 16-35 and the 90-280.  🤓