Is there any advantage to getting an R to L over separate R/M and M/L adapters

[rtai]

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I already have a Leica M mount to L adapter. I also want to use R lenses on the SL2. Is there a reason to buy the very expensive Leica R to L adapter rather than just mounting the R lens to the M adapter and then add the M to L?

[beewee]

30 minutes ago, rtai said:

Is there a reason to buy the very expensive Leica R to L adapter rather than just mounting the R lens to the M adapter and then add the M to L?

1) Some of the very long focal length R-lenses will experience vignetting in the corners if you stack the R to M + M to L adapters

2) R to M adapter is a ‘dumb’ adapter and cannot read info from ROM lenses. If you want the SL2 to detect the R lens via ROM contacts, assuming it has ROM contacts, then you’d need the R to L adapter.

[rtai]

Thanks on the info about the vignetting. I’ll just get a Metabones R to L adapter. The Leica one is quite pricey. 

[jrp]

The Leica adapters are priced ridiculously but you can check https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2013/09/there-is-no-free-lunch-episode-763-lens-adapters/ https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2017/03/mixing-camera-systems-our-guide-on-how-to-use-adapters-properly/ from which I conclude that adapters are not a panacea and that using 2 of them may or may not help.  But it depends on how much you care about micro contrast.

[caissa]

Metabones is definitely worse than the two options you mention. I’d get a Leica R to M adapter. I use this combination of adapters since several years successfully. (And feel no need for the intelligent single adapter.) (And metabones is as dumb as dumb can be, and not even very precise.)

Metabones is probably one of the worst types. Novoflex is probably the best non-Leica option.

The vignetting is not a great problem. It affects only lenses like the old 560mm, which is not a top lens in modern eyes anyway. 

Edited January 31, 2022 by caissa