EVF camera for M lenses?

[jrethorst]

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There was something on a news site not too long ago, that Leica had developed a prototype like the M10 but with an EVF viewfinder. Interesting, but I wonder how feasible it would be. 

Assuming EVF cameras are like SLR cameras, when you look through the viewfinder you see a bright image because the lens aperture is wide open, no matter where you (or program exposure) has set the aperture for the photograph. When you click the shutter, the lens steps down for the exposure and then goes back to wide open. 

I'm guessing that M lenses don't do this, since there's no reason to -- the photographer is not looking through the lens. So on an EVF camera, the lens aperture would need to be manually stopped down, at least to set exposure, and in practice for the last moment of composition. 

Is this right? Is this how the M10 and 240 work in live view? 

Thanks, 
John R.

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[Dan Bachmann]

Yes, you are correct. Using an M lens on a Leica SL is probably the best set-up for this.

 

[J.Nordvik]

I would guess that you mean mirrorless cameras when you say EVF cameras?

Set what ever aperture you like, and the EVF will compensate to give you a bright viewfinder. The camera itself will give you the correct exposure based upon what and how you choose to use the different exposure modes (center, spot or matrix, on M10).

[bayernfan]

I suppose if I HAD to use M lenses on a mirrorless body, it would be the SL because of the sensor's microlens array.  Wide angle M lenses on virtually any other camera give less than acceptable results.

[SonbomaBear]

I use M lenses almost exclusively on my Canon R mirrorless. The EVF emulates the exposure thus allowing me to experience the DoF as I select the aperture. 
no need to open up, focus, stop down. 
Most M lenses are great wide open anyway!

the SL is large as is the Canon R — I’d prefer an M3 sized camera!

 

[oldwino]

Try the Nikon Z6 or 7. The cameras are about M sized, if you added the grip and the EVF to the M. I enjoy using my M and LTM lenses on my Z6, and everything I own, lens-wise, works great on the Z. Even my Elmarit 28 v2 is fine, by virtue of its design. 

[250swb]

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On 10/9/2019 at 10:20 PM, jrethorst said:

 Assuming EVF cameras are like SLR cameras, when you look through the viewfinder you see a bright image because the lens aperture is wide open, no matter where you (or program exposure) has set the aperture for the photograph. When you click the shutter, the lens steps down for the exposure and then goes back to wide open. 

Mirrorless cameras do have the aperture wide open and it is stopped down like an SLR for making the exposure when using their native lenses. With an SLR the reason was both to ensure as bright an image as possible in the viewfinder combined with accurate focusing with the aperture wide open. Nowadays the EVF can often compensate if the aperture is stopped down and still give a bright image, but ideally the aperture still needs to be wide open to make focusing accurate.

So with an M lens on a mirrorless camera the ideal workflow is to open the lens, focus using the EVF or rear screen using the Mk1 eyeball or the 'focus peaking' facility, and then stop it down again before pressing the shutter. This does take longer but with practice it becomes second nature. This is also the same workflow when using the Live View function on the M240, to focus accurately the lens needs to be wide open, however stopping it down and using focus peaking does display everything in the picture that is covered by DOF, in effect the modern equivalent of zone focusing. 

So there are no real downsides to using an M lens on a mirrorless camera aside from it often taking slightly longer to get critical focus if critical focus is important and not covered by DOF in which case it becomes 'acceptable focus'.

 

[lct]

2 hours ago, 250swb said:

[...] So with an M lens on a mirrorless camera the ideal workflow is to open the lens, focus using the EVF or rear screen using the Mk1 eyeball or the 'focus peaking' facility, and then stop it down again before pressing the shutter. This does take longer but with practice it becomes second nature. [...]

Matter of tastes or skills i guess. Focussing at full aperture takes too long for me. In most cases i focus stop down with peaking or focus magnification. At f/11 here by example. A good way to avoid focus shift BTW. YMMV.

[TomB_tx]

I also focus at shooting aperture on an EVF. I don't use peaking, but do use magnification if there is time.

[spydrxx]

7 hours ago, TomB_tx said:

I also focus at shooting aperture on an EVF. I don't use peaking, but do use magnification if there is time.

+1