NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4 AI-s + Leica M10 combo

[Dennis]

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Hi all,

I hope this message finds you well. I have this lens, sticked on the FM. I bought it about 15 years ago in Spain, if I recall, in the Casanova store. Yesterday, suddenly, I realized that I could use this lens on my M10, right?

What kind of results should I expect? IQ and issue? And most importantly, if it worth trying, which adapter would recommend. So far, I have a 35mm 2.8 ZM and a 50 Cron V. Possibly a CV 35 1.2 III on the way.

Thank you

 🙏

 

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[250swb]

The adapter is only a spacer, if it fits it works, there are no accuracy concerns because you will have to use a Visoflex to focus anyway. Nikon lenses will have a different colour palette but the good ones are exceptional quality.

[Dennis]

11 minutes ago, 250swb said:

because you will have to use a Visoflex to focus anyway

I didn't know. I don't have one. So, it's useless to have a lens you can't focus, right? 

Edited August 31, 2020 by Dennis

[250swb]

1 minute ago, Dennis said:

I didn't know. I don't have one. So, it's useless to have a lens you can't focus, right? 

Yes, Nikon lenses will not be rangefinder coupled with any adapter you can buy. You have to use them in Live View, so ok you can get away without a Visoflex, but it's then either arms out or a tripod. The problem with arms out focusing is seeing the screen in enough detail to focus. 

[Dennis]

Got it, thank you! If in the future I will own a Visoflex, it will make sense then. 

So, I got my answer already. If someone wants to add how the lens would perform on a M10, for personal experience, that's would be great.

 

[Ecar]

If you really like Nikkors, you can use the vintage rangefinder ones with an adapter that will provide coupling.

Otherwise, SLR lenses indeed require a simple adapter (essentially a "spacer"), but focus will have to be through LV or EVF.

Some Nikkor SLR lenses have been adapted to Leica (see here), but this involves some serious machining and mechanical modifications - and it's neither easy nor cheap...

Edited August 31, 2020 by Ecar

[harryzet]

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the nikkor 1,4/50 was the mainstay for photojournalists for decades, your lens is one of the last versions and even better. nobody ever complained about pictures, which were made with this lens.  

[a.noctilux]

Hello Dennis,

Nikkor AI lenses ( from 15mm to 400mm ) which I use are good lenses.

Some have no equivalent lenses in Leica, PC, zoom or super-wide for example.

When there are same lenses in Leica, I just use the Leica of course.

To mount on Leica M, I used custom made adapter for decades, now I just use one of Fotodiox ( link ) which is good enough for LV/EVF use.

Forget the RF coupling and automatic close iris when we use these SLR lenses.

[Musotographer]

I have a Nikkor 105/2.5 which I occasionally use with LV on the M10 and SL, and when I do I wonder why I don't do so more often - it's excellent. I use an inexpensive Fotodiox adapter which works very well. The only problem is that the aperture and focusing rings go the 'wrong' way if you're used to Leica, which can be rather confusing!

Here on the M10:

 

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[Dennis]

5 hours ago, Ecar said:

Some Nikkor SLR lenses have been adapted to Leica (see here), but this involves some serious machining and mechanical modifications - and it's neither easy nor cheap...

Wow, this it's like level three modification!

5 hours ago, harryzet said:

the nikkor 1,4/50 was the mainstay for photojournalists for decades, your lens is one of the last versions and even better.

Awesome, good to know. I know it was used often for PJ, but I didn't know that much. It's smooth.

3 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

I just use one of Fotodiox ( link ) which is good enough for LV/EVF use.

Thanks for the tip.

2 hours ago, Musotographer said:

I have a Nikkor 105/2.5 which I occasionally use with LV on the M10 and SL, and when I do I wonder why I don't do so more often - it's excellent

Another point for a Nikkor, great!

 

[chasdfg]

For adaptors, the novoflex Nikon F to Leica M ones would be the safest bet (most reviews of novoflex adapters are good), but the adapter is quite pricey. You might be able to try your luck with Fotodiox, Metabones, Kipon (and some other chinese made adapters). They're cheaper, but mixed reviews regarding infinity focus and security in mounting. No harm trying a cheaper adapter with the Nikkor, after all its just for fun and to try out - you've got the rangefinder coupled lenses for more serious stuff.

[james.liam]

Cameraquest in Los Angeles sells Rayqual adapters. I have an F >>> M. Built well and far less expensive than a Novoflex. Going for $149.

Probably your best bet for quality and cost.

[trisberg]

Live View focusing should be OK to just try the lens/adapter out. Use the button on the front to enable magnification to make it easier to get the focus right. If you really like the lens you could then invest in a Visoflex to improve the handling.

-Thomas

 

[adan]

7 hours ago, harryzet said:

the nikkor 1,4/50 was the mainstay for photojournalists for decades,

Enhhhh... first, there were several Nikon 50 f/1.4s, with quite different characters. The RF version (which also came in LTM mount) was a Sonnar copy; the later SLR versions were double-gausses.

And compared to the competition (Pentax, Contax/Zeiss Japan, Canon FD, Leica M/R) not all that great wide-open, even as Nikkors went (the 105 f/2.5 demonstrated above, the 28s and 24s and 20s, the 85s and 180s and 300 f/2.8s - all terrific; the 50s and 35s - not so much).

Nikon 50s (and 35s) were why I used 85s and 28s on my Nikons instead.  

And, speaking as a photojournalist: the main reason that Nikkors were "mainstays" was that Nikon owned the institutional market for 30 years: AP, UPI, Reuters, the newspapers. Once a newspaper's editors and bean-counters bought into Nikon, everyone working there had to buy in also, for compatability. And Nikon (thanks to nudging from Joe Ehrenreich) did produce one heck of a system besides lenses - motors, backs, swappable viewfinders, etc. etc. Didn't matter that much if a couple of focal lengths were a bit weak.

[Dennis]

So, it looks like it make things when it's happened to have a Visoflex in your bag. To focus better with long FL lenses, or for macro, for accurate framing, etc.
I enjoy shooting with my M10 because of the minimalism, the essence, the rangefinder. If everything becomes electronic (EVF), IMHO, it lost its own best. I know it keeps the rest, which is still great. But the experience to shoot like with an digital camera that it looks and feels like a film camera, is the best part.
Once I try a Visoflex on my M10, I'll tell you more. But the first problem appears: I can't live without the thumbs up. Limited life for my future external VF's?

[250swb]

2 hours ago, adan said:

Enhhhh... first, there were several Nikon 50 f/1.4s, with quite different characters. The RF version (which also came in LTM mount) was a Sonnar copy; the later SLR versions were double-gausses.

And compared to the competition (Pentax, Contax/Zeiss Japan, Canon FD, Leica M/R) not all that great wide-open, even as Nikkors went (the 105 f/2.5 demonstrated above, the 28s and 24s and 20s, the 85s and 180s and 300 f/2.8s - all terrific; the 50s and 35s - not so much).

Nikon 50s (and 35s) were why I used 85s and 28s on my Nikons instead.  

And, speaking as a photojournalist: the main reason that Nikkors were "mainstays" was that Nikon owned the institutional market for 30 years: AP, UPI, Reuters, the newspapers. Once a newspaper's editors and bean-counters bought into Nikon, everyone working there had to buy in also, for compatability. And Nikon (thanks to nudging from Joe Ehrenreich) did produce one heck of a system besides lenses - motors, backs, swappable viewfinders, etc. etc. Didn't matter that much if a couple of focal lengths were a bit weak.

 

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For you Andy, my 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor. A newspaper photographers lens. It lost it's caps on the first day and then rattled around in the bag for many years rubbing against other lenses and bodies until I got it in exchange for a pint of beer. I'd used it before official ownership and despite there being a very, very pronounced glow wide open images made with it are fairly sharp stopped down.

[Musotographer]

Quite a few of us on here use the Thumbie by Steve Barnett rather than a Thumbs Up, thereby freeing up the hot shoe. There are lots of references to it on the forum; it costs about £30 and comes in slightly different forms depending on which M you have and in silver and black. You’ll find Steve on eBay.

[james.liam]

1++ to Andy.

Had a collection of almost 20 AI and AIS lenses in my Nikon days. The 50/1.2 AIS was a most interesting lens, but veiling flare @ ƒ/1.2-1.4 was heavy. Despite this, the underlying resolution remained surprisingly high. From ƒ/2 onwards, haze clears and it resolves as high or higher than any other AIS, D, E, G series 50 that followed. I can't comment on more recent Z.

That's the one to try on your Leica. You can still buy it new.

50/1.4 AIS? . Vanilla.

 

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[Dennis]

7 hours ago, Musotographer said:

Quite a few of us on here use the Thumbie by Steve Barnett rather than a Thumbs Up, thereby freeing up the hot shoe. There are lots of references to it on the forum; it costs about £30 and comes in slightly different forms depending on which M you have and in silver and black. You’ll find Steve on eBay.

I really love my Thumbs Up, a lot. But I'm willing to switch to the Thumbie (which I didn't know before) if this give me a free hot shoe to use.

Doesn't exist this version for M10, right? Why?

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[tommonego@gmail.com]

I have been using a 105 Micro Nikkor, a Tokina 11-16 f2.8 Nikon Mt, and occasionally a 55 f2.8 Micro Nikkor on a Leica CL so I have an EVF. The 55 is an early Nikon AF lens and designed to be a PITA to use manually, goes to 1:1 without an extension tube, does make a nice image as do the other two. While the Tokina requires a Nikon G type adapter the other lenses work better with a Nikon AI to Leica adapter, this lets you use the fstops on the lens.