Leica M-adapter T

[plasticman]

Because the Leica T M-adapter is an order item in Stockholm, I can’t try one before buying. I like the T, but not being certain of focus in low-light situations is occasionally irritating. And the Novoflex doesn’t have focus-zoom assistance.

 

If you have the Leica M-adapter, how do you use it? Is it possible to zoom in, check focus, then zoom out again to compose your image? How’s the zoomed image? Sharp and detailed, or noisy and blurred? 

 

What options are available for the dials in manual mode? Right now, the left-hand dial is wasted on f-stop (which is disabled with M-lenses attached, of course). Does the Leica adapter free the dial for something useful?

 

In general, is it much more useful than the third-party adapters? Does the camera-system adapt to it intelligently, or is it a missed opportunity?

 

PS: I saw Jono Slack’s review of the T, where he dismisses the adapter as less than useful. I wonder if firmware updates or other factors have given anyone another perspective?

 

[lct]

Indispensable for me on the CL because i use focus zoom a lot but i have no idea about the T sorry. 

[frame-it]

1 hour ago, plasticman said:

Because the Leica T M-adapter is an order item in Stockholm, I can’t try one before buying. I like the T, but not being certain of focus in low-light situations is occasionally irritating. And the Novoflex doesn’t have focus-zoom assistance.

 

If you have the Leica M-adapter, how do you use it? Is it possible to zoom in, check focus, then zoom out again to compose your image? How’s the zoomed image? Sharp and detailed, or noisy and blurred? 

 

What options are available for the dials in manual mode? Right now, the left-hand dial is wasted on f-stop (which is disabled with M-lenses attached, of course). Does the Leica adapter free the dial for something useful?

 

In general, is it much more useful than the third-party adapters? Does the camera-system adapt to it intelligently, or is it a missed opportunity?

 

PS: I saw Jono Slack’s review of the T, where he dismisses the adapter as less than useful. I wonder if firmware updates or other factors have given anyone another perspective?

 

 

 

 

 

[plasticman]

Thanks for the answers so far. I think I’ve read both those threads before but unfortunately there are no specifics about how exactly the camera behaves with the Leica adapter - for instance my question about whether other dial options are available in manual mode? 

My thinking is like this: does manual mode still waste a dial on F-stop when the Leica adapter is fitted? 

Right now the Novoflex adapter doesn’t offer any enhancements to the operation of the T. It just lets me fit an M lens on the front, and allows me to press the shutter. Setting aside lens coding (none of my M lenses are coded), I just want to know exactly how people use the adapter, and what options it offers in different contexts. 

As far as I can see, there’s nothing specific about how the camera operates with the adapter in any Leica instruction manual.

[scott kirkpatrick]

When a Leica adapter is installed on the CL (don't have a T-family member), the camera goes into MF mode, the right wheel is used for focus magnification (1X, 3X, 6X), and the left wheel controls exposure compensation.  This doesn't happen with the Novoflex adapter.

[plasticman]

btw if I've missed an official manual, or if there's an instruction video somewhere, I greatly appreciate pointers or links.

Seems to me the adapter is sold a bit like any other accessory, like a strap or bag - but in this case I'd appreciate if Leica actually had some user-documentation.

Edited February 4 by plasticman

[jaapv]

I don’t have a T camera but for the CL having an active adapter makes the Leica adapter preferable over a passive one without doubt. 

[Photon42]

When I use Nikon lenses on CL, I take an F to M adapter stacked on the M to L adapter. This way the Nikon F lenses behave like any other M lens on the CL, plus they can be used on an M, if required. One an even chose a lens profile.

[plasticman]

I rang the local Leica Center, and apparently they're just waiting for the adapters to come back into stock - so I hope I'll be able to simply test the adapter before buying it. Paying the equivalent of around 360-380euros for an adapter totally untested felt a bit of a stretch.

Now I'm not sure if I should try to return the Novoflex before too much time elapses. I like the T, but a couple of things are problematic using it with M lenses: when it's a bit darker, I miss critical focus simply because the dim light hides some details (which I hope this would solve), and also the dials just don't respond to fitting a third-party adapter.  Otherwise it's a lovely camera, within its own obvious limitations.

[hoppyman]

T FW 1.9 M Adapter T Summilux M 50 ASPH

Left wheel 0 3x or 6x right wheel ISO

there is no peaking. Providing gross underexposure is not set the preview image is not grainy or unusable. I tested at night in room with low level reading lamp in one corner only

AFAIK absence of coding is not relevant to focus.

[plasticman]

3 hours ago, hoppyman said:

T FW 1.9 M Adapter T Summilux M 50 ASPH

Left wheel 0 3x or 6x right wheel ISO

Great Geoff! Thanks for the information. Which camera setting is this? Program,  Aperture,  Shutter priority, or Manual?

I've been using the manual setting - which (with a 'passive' adapter) means one of the dials is effectively disabled.

[hoppyman]

Aperture Priority. In M the right wheel does not do anything.

i think trying to get the T to do what you want there is a challenge. It is generations old of course but you can buy it cheaply. The CL does everything you want with programmable wheels and all of the functionality with M lenses and adapter too. On mine as set up the right wheel controls that view zoom. Focus peaking with the M lens works too

Edited February 4 by hoppyman

[plasticman]

OK Geoff, thanks! Looks like I’ll need to just give the adapter a try, and see if it helps (really mostly to stop the nagging feeling that I’m missing something).

As for the CL, it really doesn’t appeal. I picked up the T because of the singular look and feel of both the minimal block of metal, and the interface. Very superficial and shallow - but it helps me enjoy using the camera. 

And it feels like the T is really close to being my perfect digital - barring a few of these small usability issues (that could, but probably won’t, be fixed by a simple firmware update).

But anyway, because I vastly prefer the look of film, having an older digital camera makes no difference to me, and for the few occasions I need it, the T will suffice.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[plasticman]

Just for the record and in case it helps anyone else in future: I'd misunderstood the way in which zoom-to-focus is implemented with 3rd-party adapters. I'd actually missed that you had to press on the left-hand icon to get the menu to choose focus-aid in P - A - S mode. I'd thought that simply enabling it in the tools menu would bring it up for the left-hand wheel.

So now I have zoom-assist for those modes with the Novoflex adapter!

Unfortunately, it looks like Manual mode only gets zoom-assist with the native Leica M - T adapter (please correct me if I'm mistaken).

This is especially a pity, as it's specifically in manual mode that the left-hand wheel is disabled when using non-T lenses (ie: it's fixed to controlling f-stop - which it obviously cannot do with manual lenses).

Other than this sort of small detail, what a nice camera the T is though - it has many online detractors, but I'm finding the quality of the output, and the pleasure in use are exceptionally high for a digital camera.

[ramarren]

On 2/7/2019 at 12:38 AM, plasticman said:

Unfortunately, it looks like Manual mode only gets zoom-assist with the native Leica M - T adapter (please correct me if I'm mistaken).

Can't speak for the T. The CL gets zoom assist with any adapted lens when using the M Adapter T/L as the base adapter, in all modes. Of course, with manual lenses, you only get A and M mode. 

[al_exus]

10 hours ago, ramarren said:

Can't speak for the T. The CL gets zoom assist with any adapted lens when using the M Adapter T/L as the base adapter, in all modes. Of course, with manual lenses, you only get A and M mode. 

T also increases with any adapter.
The left wheel allows you to select assistance with manual autofocus.

[plasticman]

Ended up buying the Visoflex 020 today - let’s face it, eye-wateringly expensive for a plastic clip-on EVF - but it does actually work really well. The Novoflex adapter is fine for zooming in P - A and S mode, and the whole experience feels snappier and more intuitive with this setup.

Thanks for all the advice in the thread.