M mount lenses on SL

[Me Leica!]

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I've always been interested by the SL, and I found a reasonably priced used one, in fair condition,  in a local store. I know it's not the latest and greatest anymore, but to be honest I find most modern cameras boring and soulless. The SL looks like a bit more fun.

I'm not inclined to shell out for those huge native lenses, and I'm generally a manual focus person anyway, so I'd be up for the idea of using the apparently excellent EVF with M-mount lenses (Leica and others). Also a way to presumably ensure that there won't be any issues with rangefinders going out of alignment, focus shift, etc.

Is there anything I should know before going any further (I haven't bought it yet)?For instance, with wider lenses, any trouble in the corners (something which is often described when adapting M mount lenses to other mirrorless cameras).

While I'm on the topic, if I can get away with it on a Leica forum, does anyone have experience with adapting other lenses to it? (DSLR lenses, etc)?

Thanks!

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[frame-it]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Luke_Miller]

Recently received my SL to use with my M glass.  I had the same concerns regarding corner performance and read all of Sean Reid's reviews on the subject.  The conclusion I drew was that my 28mm and longer M lenses would be fine on the SL so I went ahead with the purchase.  My experience so far is that is correct.  I also shoot with the 21 and 24mm Elmarit-Ms and I was concerned about their performance on the SL.  In head-to-head comparisons with shots taken with my M240 I find little to be concerned about in the SL images.  I get a bit more vignetting and some slight softness in the extreme corners on the SL, but you have to be at 100% view and looking for it in order to see it.  Bottom line - I am happy using any of my M glass on the SL.  It is a marvelous camera and great stablemate for my M bodies.

[hansvons]

I use my Sl2-S often with a set of R-lenses. 

The Elmarit series is still underrated and delivers in FF enough speed for great bokeh. They all have a soul and have been the pinnacle in their time. They don't show pronounced dimensionality modern Leica glass does and have that subtle contrast. They are gentle to faces and skins and flare nicely, a quality that filmmakers know to value. Hence the run on the R Summicrons and hefty price increase in the past (plus they turn cine-wise with enough focus throw, have usable witness marks, can take some beating).

• The 35mm Elmarit R is unique with its bend focus plane straightening up when stopping down and pronounced vignetting. Environmental portraits have a strong expression with that lens. 
• The Elmarit 60mm Macro is a macro that's sharp at infinity, virtually no distortions and renders, like all other R lenses of 60ies until the 80ies, relatively flat images. The 60mm Elmarit's lack of opinion is intriguing, apart from its macro abilities.
• The 90mm Elmarit R is a superb portrait lens that, like the others, renders slightly cooler than modern Leica glass (which I find great for skin tones). 
• The 28mm Elmarit perhaps is the most modern lens in my set. It vignettes at f 2.8 a tad but otherwise shows excellent corner sharpness for its vintage and has tons of soul for a wide-angle lens. 
• Lastly, the 50mm Summicron. I own both the first and second generation and prefer the first generation version because its flare isn't as funky. It renders substantially cooler than the other R primes, making it somewhat problematic in a filmmaking context. Since it is more of a 55mm than a 50mm, it can be well substituted by the 60mm Elmarit. At f 2.0, the 50mm Summicron is pretty soft and renders a pronounced glow in the highlights (Leica glow). 

Most of these lenses can be found on eBay under 600 EUR in a usable working condition. They will only raisn in price, especially the 35mm, the 60mm and the 28mm.

[frame-it]

the 60 macro elmarit R is my new walkaround lens

[hansvons]

11 minutes ago, frame-it said:

the 60 macro elmarit R is my new walkaround lens

I thought so too. I've seen a few of your shots that show exactly what I think about this lens. It frames unexcitingly what does not escape the eye. Excellent!

[OR120]

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For my SL2-s - when using R lenses - it's - 50mm Summilux R-E60, 80mm Summilux R and 28mm R Elmarit - but I use many LEICA M, Zeiss, Voigtlander, Nikon lenses on my SL2-S. I only use manual focus. That camera is perfect - FOR ME

[OR120]

For example - Here is a 21mm Voigt on the SL2-s

 

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[OR120]

Here's the 80mm Summilux R with the SL2-s

 

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[OR120]

One more - SL2-S with 35mm Lux V2 -

the SL2-S works well with every lens I have - FOR ME

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Edited March 21, 2022 by OR120
sp

[Darrell]

I bought a used SL last year and it is amazing. I can use all of my Leica M and screw mount lenses on it. I can also now use my favorite Canon lenses that I hadn’t used since switching to Leica rangefinder cameras a few years ago.

Manual focus on the SL is a real pleasure and you can adapt just about any lens to it, not just every Leica lens ever made, but vintage Canon and Nikon lenses as well.

I was a Canon shooter going back to the early seventies and liked garage sale shopping for interesting lenses. Experimenting with lenses back then meant shooting film and waiting for processing and printing and who had the patience for that when evaluating a new old lens.

So now, with digital there is no cost to play and the SL is the perfect platform for manual focus lenses of any vintage from modern to screw mount.

If you are into modern M mount lenses then you absolutely need the Leica M to L adapter because it will scan the code on the back of the lens and electronically tell the SL which lens it attached. Also, if you are interested in the later R lenses you will want the Leica R to L adapter because it will read the ROM and pass that data to the SL.

[Stuart Richardson]

It does fantastic with M lenses, with the caveat that lenses that have extreme softness problems on other cameras will still likely have a bit of that problem. But for most lenses they are very good on the SL. If you do not want to shell out for the Leica versions, it is worth looking at the Sigma DG DN native L mount lenses. The 24mm, 35mm and 65 are all very highly rated by those who use them. I have the 24mm and 35mm and I think the 24mm in particular is a massive bargain if you want a wide angle lens that does not have any corner issues and is sharp, compact, light, well-made and super cheap. 
 

I would save getting the Sigma 24mm to shore up wide angle performance and using the M lenses for the rest could be a good plan for a low investment, high return in the system. 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Stuart Richardson

[SiggiGun]

Hi, 

I use all my M lenses without any restriction on the SL2, especially for whose lenses where framing und focusing is difficult. On the other side, le Visoflex2 designed for the M11 rechallenge this approche. In other words, I'm using now only SL lenses on the SL and M lenses on the M again.... Les a question of optics than usage: landscape, travel, portrait, architecture,...

[Stef63]

8 hours ago, SiggiGun said:

Hi, 

I use all my M lenses without any restriction on the SL2, especially for whose lenses where framing und focusing is difficult. On the other side, le Visoflex2 designed for the M11 rechallenge this approche. In other words, I'm using now only SL lenses on the SL and M lenses on the M again.... Les a question of optics than usage: landscape, travel, portrait, architecture,...

Same here.  The SL2 EFV is not the reason to use M lenses on the SL2 anymore since the M11 Visoflex2 plays in the same league.  I’m still puzzled about IBIS for my longer R lenses. 

[Pelu2010]

On 3/21/2022 at 10:39 AM, Me Leica! said:

I've always been interested by the SL, and I found a reasonably priced used one, in fair condition,  in a local store. I know it's not the latest and greatest anymore, but to be honest I find most modern cameras boring and soulless. The SL looks like a bit more fun.

I'm not inclined to shell out for those huge native lenses, and I'm generally a manual focus person anyway, so I'd be up for the idea of using the apparently excellent EVF with M-mount lenses (Leica and others). Also a way to presumably ensure that there won't be any issues with rangefinders going out of alignment, focus shift, etc.

Is there anything I should know before going any further (I haven't bought it yet)?For instance, with wider lenses, any trouble in the corners (something which is often described when adapting M mount lenses to other mirrorless cameras).

While I'm on the topic, if I can get away with it on a Leica forum, does anyone have experience with adapting other lenses to it? (DSLR lenses, etc)?

Thanks!

Just enjoy the new variety! 
Did you buy an adapter for m lenses too? 

[IkarusJohn]

I have also had no issue with my M lenses on my SL - including wides, 28 & 21 Summiluxes.  The SL is also fantastic with R lenses - there are many jewels in the R lenses, at mostly reasonable prices.  Love my Elmarit-R 180/2.8 ROM on the SL.

Edited March 24, 2022 by IkarusJohn

[didier]

I like using my SL with some of my M Lenses

Particularly the fast ones (.95/50; 1.4/75; 2/90) : focusing is easy and fast.

As far as wide angles are concerned, I use my Elmar 24 regularly without any problem.

Just keep in mind you have to focus wide open with fast lenses to get accurate focusing (if you shoot at 5.6 for example, you won’t get a good focus at that aperture). That’s why it is faster to shoot always wide open with the SL…

[Likaleica]

I prefer using M (or/and R) lenses on the SL to the native SL lenses.  I am old school, I prefer an aperture ring on the lens and I have a much higher keeper rate with respect to focus when using a manual focus lens, compared to autofocus.  And that includes using manual focus on AF lens, but that's just me.  I don't like the fake feel of the focus by wire on AF lenses.

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