Leica M-Adapter L Black

[Jeff Wagner]

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Apologies if this has been answered, I could not find it archived. I have a Leica CL and an M7 with a Summicron M 1:2/50 lens. Will the Leica M-Adapter L let me use this lens with the CL, and if not which one will?

Thank you,

Jeff W.

[didier]

Yes it works. It your lens is coded, the CL will recognise the Lens  

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[Jeff Wagner]

Thank you!

Sorry- how do I check to see if it is a coded lens? There are no dots or contacts on the lens. If it is not coded will I still be able to use it on the CL with the adapter?

Edited October 17, 2020 by Jeff Wagner

[M.piras]

Yes you will be able to use even if not coded if it has contacts, CL will be able to use the lens profile to correct the images. If Not you will have to do it by hand selecting the right profile, But many people like to don’t use the profiles and make all the correction through the software (like LR or similar)

[Jeff Wagner]

Thank you, and I believe I read that the M Adapter L and the M Adapter T are the same?

[ramarren]

2 hours ago, Jeff Wagner said:

Thank you, and I believe I read that the M Adapter L and the M Adapter T are the same?

Yes, the adapter was called "M Adapter T" before the formal definition of the lens mount as being "L mount" was made, because the first camera that had this lens mount was the Leica T. They changed the name on the adapter to "M Adapter L" after the introduction of the Leica SL in 2015, when the name of the mount was updated to L mount. (Mine says M Adapter T because I bought it while I was waiting for my pre-order on the Leica SL to arrive. :)) 

You can tell if a lens is coded by looking at the lens mounting flange. You'll see a set of six black and white swatches, similar to the attached photo. If a Leica lens which is NOT coded is used on the M Adapter L, the CL will ask you to pick the correct lens profile (or none) when you mount the lens on the camera. (Leica M lenses do not have electrical contacts to communicate with a camera body.)

There are many third party M-mount to L-mount adapters on the market, but only the M Adapter L has the electronic interface that allows the camera to read the M-mount six-bit codes on the lenses that have them. Other things that only the Leica adapter permits are the use of the user dials to obtain focusing magnification assist and properly embedding a Leica lens code into the raw and JPEG output files (some third party adapters allow you to choose a lens profile, but the information isn't embedded into the image files) for EXIF data and lens corrections.

If your Summicron-M 50mm f/2 lens is not six-bit coded, and you'd like to have that feature to automate selection of the lens profile, Leica and various third party service techs (like Donald A Goldberg of DAG Camera) can install the coding for you for a modest cost.

G

 

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Edited October 17, 2020 by ramarren

[lct]

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You won't need any coding to use your 50/2 on the CL.

[ramarren]

2 hours ago, lct said:

You won't need any coding to use your 50/2 on the CL.

You never "need" coding to use any lens. The lens profile provides correct EXIF data in your exposures, potential lens corrections per Leica's notions of what needs to be corrected, and can have an effect on exposure measurement accuracy (however small). The six bit code on the lens simply makes the selection of the lens profile automatic with the M Adapter L mount adapter; in its absence, the camera will request you select the appropriate profile when the lens is mounted, however the lens profile is only actually used if you're mounting the lens with the M Adapter L unit.

Many people don't see the value in the lens profile and ignore it when requested, they work their exposures without it. I see some, if limited, value in having it and letting the system work the way it was designed to work.   

G

[lct]

6-bit coding is quite useful to correct distortion on some WA and UWA lenses, less so on others, but useless on 50mm lenses generally, especially on my 50/2 v4 and v5 copies. Leica profiles do not correct for anything visible on those lenses so no Leica adapter is necessary with them, in my experience at least. The reason why i use Leica adapters is not 6-bit coding with those lenses but to trigger focus magnification with the top dial essentially. YMMV.

[jaapv]

Well, it is handy to have the lens data in EXIF without having to choose in a menu.

[lct]

7 hours ago, jaapv said:

Well, it is handy to have the lens data in EXIF without having to choose in a menu.

Sure but the OP asked if he can use his uncoded 50/2 on the CL and the answer can only be yes.

[ramarren]

2 hours ago, lct said:

Sure but the OP asked if he can use his uncoded 50/2 on the CL and the answer can only be yes.

Well, that had been said at least three times prior to your first comment ...

G

[lct]

1 hour ago, ramarren said:

Well, that had been said at least three times prior to your first comment ...

G

As i disagreed with two statements above, including yours with respect, makes only one drivel then .

[ramarren]

What's the disagreement? 

 

[danmdan]

On 10/17/2020 at 9:52 PM, ramarren said:

Yes, the adapter was called "M Adapter T" before the formal definition of the lens mount as being "L mount" was made, because the first camera that had this lens mount was the Leica T. They changed the name on the adapter to "M Adapter L" after the introduction of the Leica SL in 2015, when the name of the mount was updated to L mount. (Mine says M Adapter T because I bought it while I was waiting for my pre-order on the Leica SL to arrive. :)) 

You can tell if a lens is coded by looking at the lens mounting flange. You'll see a set of six black and white swatches, similar to the attached photo. If a Leica lens which is NOT coded is used on the M Adapter L, the CL will ask you to pick the correct lens profile (or none) when you mount the lens on the camera. (Leica M lenses do not have electrical contacts to communicate with a camera body.)

There are many third party M-mount to L-mount adapters on the market, but only the M Adapter L has the electronic interface that allows the camera to read the M-mount six-bit codes on the lenses that have them. Other things that only the Leica adapter permits are the use of the user dials to obtain focusing magnification assist and properly embedding a Leica lens code into the raw and JPEG output files (some third party adapters allow you to choose a lens profile, but the information isn't embedded into the image files) for EXIF data and lens corrections.

If your Summicron-M 50mm f/2 lens is not six-bit coded, and you'd like to have that feature to automate selection of the lens profile, Leica and various third party service techs (like Donald A Goldberg of DAG Camera) can install the coding for you for a modest cost.

G

 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Why is the adapter so awfully expensive at £350 GBP for an item for which the Chinese only charge £30 or less ?

[ramarren]

3 hours ago, danmdan said:

Why is the adapter so awfully expensive at £350 GBP for an item for which the Chinese only charge £30 or less ?

Ask Leica. Why would anyone else respond? It would all be conjecture. I can think of several possible reasons—like the fact that it contains dedicated electronics the other adapters do not have that add substantively to its feature support, and is built to tighter tolerances than other vendors' adapters. But why something costs what it does isn't really a useful question.

Whether something is worth what it costs is a useful question, and I'd have to say that the M Adapter L has been easily worth what it cost me. I've been using mine constantly for about five years now: it has worked flawlessly and provided more functionality than any of the other mount adapters I've used. Its mounting action is firm, precise, and properly aligned, the mount register is closer to right on the money than any other third party adapter's has been, and, after five years of constant use, you could not tell it apart from a new one coming out of the box if I put them together on the table in front of you. That's quality and value.

G

[jaapv]

3 hours ago, danmdan said:

Why is the adapter so awfully expensive at £350 GBP for an item for which the Chinese only charge £30 or less ?

The Leica has a 6-bit code reader and logical circuits, the Chinese one not. As Godfrey notes, there is a quality difference too.

[Joe S]

I am considering purchasing a Leica CL to use with M lenses.    I have read some conflicting advice regarding use of non Leica adapters and focus magnification and peaking.   Is a Leica adapter necessary to obtain focus magnification  and peaking or does it provide some additional flexibility that a Metabones adapter, for example, does not?

Edited October 20, 2020 by Joe S

[ramarren]

34 minutes ago, Joe S said:

I am considering purchasing a Leica CL to use with M lenses.    I have read some conflicting advice regarding use of non Leica adapters and focus magnification and peaking.   Is a Leica adapter necessary to obtain focus magnification  and peaking or does it provide some additional flexibility that a Metabones adapter, for example, does not?

Peaking is the same regardless of adapter. Without the M Adapter L, however, focus assist magnification has to be controlled using the four way controller rather than the L or R dial, which IMO really gets in the way of smooth operation since you also need the four way controller to position the magnified area (particularly when working tabletop and the camera on a tripod).

If, like me, your primary use of the CL body is going to be exclusively with M and R mount lenses, rather than native lenses, the cost of the Leica M Adapter L requires no thought: fit it to the camera and leave it there forever. That's what I've done. I stack my R Adapter M on top of it when I go to use R lenses, otherwise it *is* my CL's native lens mount. You get the ergonomic improvement for focus assist magnification AND automated lens code detection AND any lens profile you choose to use is properly embedded into the metadata for best imaging. As a single, one time purchase, for me it's a maximum value for the money win. 

G

Edited October 20, 2020 by ramarren

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[Joe S]

Thanks for clarifying that.   So other than the use of the four way controller instead of the L or R dial the focus assist function is identical.    Does one touch magnify and a second touch increase the magnification?    And yet another touch return to the complete image?