M lenses on the SL

[kengai]

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I read that a lot of people use M lenses on the SL body. What advantages does such a choice offer?

[Leicaiste]

A beautiful EVF. 

[ardbeg]

The EVF is very helpful for achieving critical focus particularly on fast lenses wide open (e.g. Noctilux, Summilux). Also, the EVF is very helpful in compensating for focus shift in lenses prone to that behavior (e.g. Zeiss Sonnar C 1.5) and again ensuring critical focus at all apertures which is nigh impossible with a rangefinder / Sonnar lens combo due to lens design.

[CharlesL]

If you really want the rangefinder method of focus and the rangefinder setup for framing, forget the SL. But if you accept or prefer to have zoomed mirrorless focus, your SL is two cameras in one: a great platform for compact M manual focus lenses, and a fine platform for auto-focus SL and TL and other lenses.

 

[chris_tribble]

1. IBIS

2. Excellent EVF for those wider and longer lenses (WATE / 90 / 135) and very fast lenses

I’d stress that, for me, it has t be the SL2. The SL1 never hacked it for me (I tried it twice!).

Examples from SL2 & 135 A-T here:

https://flic.kr/p/2juryjr

Edited August 14, 2020 by chris_tribble

[Mdol]

If you love the very small and light and shining M lenses and do not feel comfortable with a rangefinder the SL2 is the best choice. 

advantages :

1. Light and compact 
2. Easy and precise Manual focus
3. lenses with a character on a pro camera

[:hinting image]

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M lenses is smaller, lighter and tactile. Lots more lens choices. Modern M-lens also have custom profile on the SL/SL2 so they are optimised on the output. On the SL2, the main advantages are the IBIS for slower shutter speed use, bright and detail viewfinder to use with Ultra wide or long focal length lenses. 

The only L-mount lens that is small is the Sigma 45mm. The rest is heavy and huge (but better performance).

I wrote an article about it for more details. https://hintingimage.com/the-joy-of-adaptable-lens-and-a-journey-to-l-mount

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[Merv-O]

I use my Leica, Voigtlander M-Lenses on my SL because I enjoy the easy focus, the quality of the image and the Focus peaking allows me to concentrate the portion of the frame I want to be in clear focus.

[RickP]

Hi,

 

Sorry to bother you,  but I can find no examples of a Zeiss ZM adapted to a Leica SL.,

 

I am contemplating  a used SL  (Mint for a lot less than new but full frame with a great viewfinder would be nice??) ..  I have TL lenses,  but 10mp does not interest me.  I do however, have  Zeiss 18 f4  and an 85 f4 ZM.  I have an adaptor for my TL2 - Leica 18771 adaptor which allows me to use those  ZM lenses on my TL2. 

My question is:  will this adaptor allow me to use the ZMs on an SL..  or..  will I have a nightmare of error codes and a frustrating experience.

Thank you,

 

Rick

[WeiterWinkel]

vor 9 Minuten schrieb RickP:

Hi,

I have an adaptor for my TL2 - Leica 18771 adaptor which allows me to use those  ZM lenses on my TL2. 

My question is:  will this adaptor allow me to use the ZMs on an SL..  or..  will I have a nightmare of error codes and a frustrating experience.

Thank you,

 

Rick

I use the same adaptor with a Zeiss Sonnar 1,5/50 ZM on my Leica CL. Just the other day, my photo dealer lent me a brand-new Leica SL2 and the combo Leica adaptor/Zeiss lens worked perfectly well without any error codes.

Thomas

Edited August 22, 2020 by WeiterWinkel

[RickP]

37 minutes ago, WeiterWinkel said:

I use the same adaptor with a Zeiss Sonnar 1,5/50 ZM on my Leica CL. Just the other day, my photo dealer lent me a brand-new Leica SL2 and the combo Leica adaptor/Zeiss lens worked perfectly well without any error codes.

Thomas

Thomas,

 

Thank you for the rapid and encouraging answer..  I hope the first model...  SL will also work as well.

 

Rick

[TealWayFilms]

Leica Lens codes

This link shows you the built in lenses for an SL. I have a number of M lenses by Leica, Voigtlander and if they are not coded I can enter them into the camera manually. I have also used a sharpie to mark the lens so the Leica adaptor reads the lens. This will work fine for your Zeiss manufactured M mount lenses.

[RickP]

15 hours ago, TealWayFilms said:

Leica Lens codes

This link shows you the built in lenses for an SL. I have a number of M lenses by Leica, Voigtlander and if they are not coded I can enter them into the camera manually. I have also used a sharpie to mark the lens so the Leica adaptor reads the lens. This will work fine for your Zeiss manufactured M mount lenses.

Micheal,,

 

Wow .. what an informative link.  I think I can do this with such good info.

 

Thanks

 

Rick

[tritentrue]

Rick, I have 3 ZM lenses, all of which function perfectly without error codes when mounted via the M-Adapter-TL 18771 on my SL typ 601. Happy shooting!

[thatkatmat]

Me too (I have 2), in fact, my 35 1.4ZM on the SL and SL2 wide open is probably my favorite "look" on this platform so far. 

but, to the OP, The IBIS on the SL2 is insane, I can hand hold my 35mm for 1-1.5 seconds! I don't know what the specs are compared to other brands but my Sony IBIS never made me say "wow". Also, the EVF is very large, my old eyes can actually see what's in focus, especially with the blinky capture assistant thing turned on. 

The M lenses give you more control, at least it feels like I have more control, I'm picking the focus point and doing more than just the old "spray and pray."

I have an assortment of M and SL lenses, if I'm doing something with a model or a group I tend to use the AF, if I'm doing something for myself, I'm more apt to use the manual focus.

Really, another reason I use the SL platform rather than M is that I am 53 now and my eyes have trouble focusing the RF on the M's....I love em, but I can't shoot em.

Cheers 

Edited August 23, 2020 by thatkatmat

[ardbeg]

10 hours ago, thatkatmat said:

Really, another reason I use the SL platform rather than M is that I am 53 now and my eyes have trouble focusing the RF on the M's....I love em, but I can't shoot em.

Cheers 

I concur. I recently sold my M10 and acquired and SL2 for similar reasons. To some of the others statements on Zeiss and other adapted lenses, I’ve similarly had no issues using the stock Leica M to L adapter or stacking a LTM to M and M to L adapter. Manually tagging these non-Leica 50mm lenses as a 50 Lux pre-ASPH, I”ve gotten IBIS recognition and excellent output with a Zeiss 50 Sonnar C 1.5 ZM, a 1950s era Jupiter 3 red P, and a Zenit / Lomography Jupiter 3+.

Edited August 24, 2020 by ardbeg

[gotium]

How well does the SL2 work for manual focusing with subjects off-center? Can you select the magnification area by touch-screen and then engage magnification by turning the focus ring? And is the focus-peaking or resolution good enough for quick focusing?

[ardbeg]

9 hours ago, gotium said:

How well does the SL2 work for manual focusing with subjects off-center? Can you select the magnification area by touch-screen and then engage magnification by turning the focus ring? And is the focus-peaking or resolution good enough for quick focusing?

Very well but with a caveat. I personally use the camera in back button focus mode (Mf focus mode) so I can use the joystick to set focus point and by extension focus zoom magnification point. You can tie magnification to turning the focus ring on SL AF lenses but I do not believe that works with adapted lenses as there is no mechanical coupling (unlike on a digital M where moving the focus ring moves the RF cam and thus the camera can key off that movement to invoke focus magnification). Thus, since I use a mix of AF and adapted M and non-ROM R glass, I have the focus magnification mapped to one of the two front buttons rather than the default of tying magnification to the turning of the focus ring. To your last question, I find the focus peaking and EVF resolution to allow for snappy focusing. Having used a Visoflex 020 on an M10 for several years for focus peaking, the SL2 EVF is much, much better.

Edited August 24, 2020 by ardbeg

[andyturk]

3 hours ago, ardbeg said:

You can tie magnification to turning the focus ring on SL AF lenses [...]

How do you set that up? I've got a SL (not SL2) and can't find it in the manual.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[gotium]

3 hours ago, ardbeg said:

Very well but with a caveat. I personally use the camera in back button focus mode (Mf focus mode) so I can use the joystick to set focus point and by extension focus zoom magnification point. You can tie magnification to turning the focus ring on SL AF lenses but I do not believe that works with adapted lenses as there is no mechanical coupling (unlike on a digital M where moving the focus ring moves the RF cam and thus the camera can key off that movement to invoke focus magnification). Thus, since I use a mix of AF and adapted M and non-ROM R glass, I have the focus magnification mapped to one of the two front buttons rather than the default of tying magnification to the turning of the focus ring. To your last question, I find the focus peaking and EVF resolution to allow for snappy focusing. Having used a Visoflex 020 on an M10 for several years for focus peaking, the SL2 EVF is much, much better.

Thank you, very useful. 

I agree that the visoflex on the M is pretty weak. I only use the rangefinder, but then you can't focus-and-recompose at wide apertures without a lot of guesswork. 

Have you tried using the touchscreen to set the focus point for the manual lenses, or always the joystick?

Edited August 24, 2020 by gotium