A modest proposal for a "New" Leica R

[mmx_2]

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7 hours ago, hamey said:

Good for you LCT, I sincerely hope that Sigma Foveon sensor works well on the R lenses, as I said in my earlier post, I am sure there is a better

Alternative  for the R lenses as they surely deserve it.

Leica Camera discontinued the R system some years ago, and wants nothing to do with that system any more , no longer repair them and to make sure they got rid of the parts.

So I can never understand anybody who uses R lenses still wants to buy Leica gear, my philosophy is if you don't support me, why should I support you.

Good Luck on your choice.

 

 

 

 

 

R-cameras can’t be repaired by Leica (but Fototechnic Papke can), R-lenses are for the most part still repairable. Leica don’t accept (any) lenses with fungus, but they still do keep some spares for R-lenses. My Apo-elmarit got a new hood in Wetzlar last year, and the mount of my 35-70 was repaired this spring. They don’t keep everything for everything, but they do still repair lenses. At least up until two years ago one could still get ROM-conversions done, not sure today, but it’s always possible to ask:).

[wbabbott3]

Hi,

 

Thanks for all the comments on this topic. I'd like to close it with this simpler idea for focusing M and R lenses on the SL and TL and whatever the L-Mount brings to us.

Sometime in the past, Nikon semi-automated manual-focusing on their AF cameras with two lights in the VF to show which way to turn the lens focusing ring and a third light that lit up when the camera was in focus.

That seems to me to be the simplest way to adapt our wonderful manual focus M and R lenses to the AF world. I'm sure there are patents, etc. involved but IMHO Leica users with legacy lenses would enjoy such a feature.

With all best regards,

Bill in California

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[fernando_b]

On 10/13/2019 at 5:55 AM, adan said:

Several points:

 

Adan,

your point 2 and 3 are of crystal clarity!

Fernando.

[SocialKonstruct]

At the moment, I am using my R lens(es) with an adapter on my Sony A7 II and so far focus peaking has been a total joy to use

It would be nice to have a new R-mount digital camera but it's unrealistic and so far image quality on my Sony has been scary!

[mmx_2]

On 10/14/2019 at 12:39 AM, wbabbott3 said:

Hi,

 

Thanks for all the comments on this topic. I'd like to close it with this simpler idea for focusing M and R lenses on the SL and TL and whatever the L-Mount brings to us.

Sometime in the past, Nikon semi-automated manual-focusing on their AF cameras with two lights in the VF to show which way to turn the lens focusing ring and a third light that lit up when the camera was in focus.

That seems to me to be the simplest way to adapt our wonderful manual focus M and R lenses to the AF world. I'm sure there are patents, etc. involved but IMHO Leica users with legacy lenses would enjoy such a feature.

With all best regards,

Bill in California

Hi Bill

 

similair is possible with any Nikon or Canon camera (possibly others as well), using a simple chip on the adapter. I had an Canon 1D before with a Cameraquest R-to Canon adapter fitted with a chip from a company called Tagotech. This triggers the focus confirmation and you can use your manual focus R-lenses exactly if you where using native lenses in MF-mode. 

I used a similar solution later when I changed to Nikon D800.

the main problem for me using R-lenses  on anything than R-cameras has been the lack of automatic aperture control and more precisely the problem that the lenses stay stopped down when adapted. This makes focusing difficult and also makes the viewfinder dark. Of course you can just open up the aperture, but then you would have to close it again manually after you have focused. For some this might not be a big issue, but for me it was. I would very much like Leica to just do a proper R-L Adapter where also this works and also auto aperture would work. It should absolutely be doable and then we would finally have a true solution for our R-lenses.

[lct]

1 hour ago, mmx_2 said:

the main problem for me using R-lenses  on anything than R-cameras has been the lack of automatic aperture control and more precisely the problem that the lenses stay stopped down when adapted. This makes focusing difficult and also makes the viewfinder dark.

Not that true on mirrorless cameras. I mostly focus stop down with them and i don't have to struggle vs focus shift this way.

[ph.]

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Point 36 above would work if "modern" cameras did not have all kinds of useless, battery-eating "features" like wifi, touch screen  and GPS and too many buttons to push for simple tasks.  A raw-files only, no- frills, high resolution digital would be ideal. Back when I used FP3 and Kodachrome, I did not mind not seeing the results until after development.

In its time I appreciated my Linhof matte screen and did not find setting time, aperture and distance on my IIIc too difficult, although the tiny double VF was fiddly and the g & M was an improvement . The auto shuttertiming of the more recent leicaflexes with the measured point exactly where I want is useful, almost as good as measuring incident light.

The locking button on the on-off etc.wheel of the R9 is most welcome.When i use my Olympus penF Its occasionally useful light adjustment wheel at times sets itself to - or + 3 stops when taken out of the pocket. The stupid "arts" wheel is guaranteed to destroy any jpgs. Autofocus over the whole field with center preference is fine for brick walls, but when one wants precise focus it is less useful to only have a sharp background. I can still use my ancient M & R optics and some select others, but avoid anything that  does not have aperture settings and genuine manual focus.

The Pen F screen can be folded in and disabled so that you nose does not make random changes. The electronic viewfinder works, but is cluttered with useless symbols. A cable to my laptop (not wifi) would provide an ample screenview. Landscapes and cityscapes usually wait patiently for focussing with 14xenlargement - provided that the field stays put in the center so that one can focus exactly and then frame - something that is impossible on the pen F, the focus point moves around at random when you squeeze the camera to support heavy lenses. One mitigating point; good stabilization, so that even a 180mm can be successfully hand held.The optional high resolution mode works but requires firm tripod support to be useful.The half-frame format and short mount distance also means that it is possible to use the opposite of a tele-extender, so instead of magnifying aberrations,they are diminished. So with a few caveats, new digital cameras can take the place of the ancient argento-mechanical marvels. The problem is that there is no mass market for Neo-luddite devices.  

p.

[mmx_2]

16 hours ago, lct said:

Not that true on mirrorless cameras. I mostly focus stop down with them and i don't have to struggle vs focus shift this way.

That works ok for anything longer than 35-50mm in my experience, but trying to get a 19mm Elmarit (or 24) perfectly focused at f5.6-f8 was, at least for me, very difficult. For Landsscape, no problem, but for close focus with 19mm, this becomes a problem. You are right about the focus shift, so there are of course pros and cons, I would anyway prefer to focus wide open

[lct]

59 minutes ago, mmx_2 said:

That works ok for anything longer than 35-50mm in my experience, but trying to get a 19mm Elmarit (or 24) perfectly focused at f5.6-f8 was, at least for me, very difficult. For Landsscape, no problem, but for close focus with 19mm, this becomes a problem. You are right about the focus shift, so there are of course pros and cons, I would anyway prefer to focus wide open

The closer the easier normally given the thinner DoF. Did you try focus magnification? I have no 19mm lens but this SA 21/3.4 shot (link) was easy to focus by example. Same for this CV 21/4 shot (link). Just curious.

[mmx_2]

1 hour ago, lct said:

The closer the easier normally given the thinner DoF. Did you try focus magnification? I have no 19mm lens but this SA 21/3.4 shot (link) was easy to focus by example. Same for this CV 21/4 shot (link). Just curious.

I guess it takes some practice, on the M240 (where I tried it most) it did work so so, but with SL, Alpha and M10 it should be easier given that you can move the focus point.

[lct]

4 minutes ago, mmx_2 said:

I guess it takes some practice, on the M240 (where I tried it most) it did work so so, but with SL, Alpha and M10 it should be easier given that you can move the focus point.

Little practice actually but the M240's EVF is indeed outdated to the point that i don't use mine anymore. I have no experience with the M10 but the digital CL does much better. Here with CV 15/4.5 v2 (link) or this CZ 35/3.5 shot i focussed easily at f/11 (link). FWIW.

[helged]

On 10/13/2019 at 2:27 AM, lct said:

I expect mine to be rejuvenated by the forthcoming Sigma FF mirrorless body with Foveon sensor. 

Speaking of which - coming in 2020??