Using 50mm SLR lenses on your Leica M (with coupling)

[TomB_tx]

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3 hours ago, jankap said:

Did you try the adapter on an M camera wide open, at a distance of a few meters? Looking critical at the plane, where the rangefinder was set.

I'm sure super-critical results would vary, as the exact focal length of lenses marked "50 mm" for SLR use can have more variation than ones intended for RV use, where the focus cam must be matched to the lens FL. (Leitz used to finish-grind the cams individually). I just tried it with a pedestrian Pentax-m 50 F1.7 lens, as I find the 1.7 gives more pleasing results than the K mount 1.4 and 1.2 lenses that I also have. I just noted that at normal picture viewing distance the results looked properly focused. I'm not a pixel-peeper.

 

[Ecar]

FWIW, two of the 3 SLR lenses I tested on Shoten adapters are perfectly calibrated from MFD to infinity. These are the 8-element Super-Takumar 50/1.4 and the Fuji shown on the opening post of this thread and are both in M42 mount.

On the other hand, the Pentax SMC 50/1.2 in K-mount goes slightly past infinity. Critical focus at distances up to about 50m is OK though. 

[TomB_tx]

On 9/9/2023 at 8:24 AM, Ecar said:

On the other hand, the Pentax SMC 50/1.2 in K-mount goes slightly past infinity. Critical focus at distances up to about 50m is OK though.

I tried my 50/1.2 K mount and at closer distances it front focuses enough wide-open to be an issue. Stop down to 2.8 and it's fine, but why use a 1.2 lens if it must be stopped down? (I suspect the 1.2 has focus shift stopping down, as do most fast lenses.) Also, the weight of the 1.2 lens does increase focus friction. It's OK with my 1.7 lens, but the 1.2 is a beast compared to it.

[Ecar]

34 minutes ago, TomB_tx said:

I tried my 50/1.2 K mount and at closer distances it front focuses enough wide-open to be an issue. Stop down to 2.8 and it's fine, but why use a 1.2 lens if it must be stopped down? (I suspect the 1.2 has focus shift stopping down, as do most fast lenses.) Also, the weight of the 1.2 lens does increase focus friction. It's OK with my 1.7 lens, but the 1.2 is a beast compared to it.

Yes, about the size of a Noctilux. But the Pentax feels lighter (I'm on the road for a few days, so can't check). My copy was CLA'd recently and focus action feels very smooth. I didn't see front focus wide open when mounted on the Shoten adapter. It was likely adjusted for f/1.2 : I always ask my lenses to be optimised for wide open, as my next most used aperture values are usually f/4-f/5.6, where focus shift becomes less of an issue. Is focus at infinity OK on your copy?

[01maciel]

I think it is difficult to make a generic adapter for different lenses that is also accurate. I was recently able to purchase a Yashica (C/Y) ML 50mm f/1.4 from a gentleman who fitted the rangefinder coupling to a standard commercial adapter using his lathe to within a tenth of a millimeter. This is very precisely handcrafted and it works perfectly.

 

[jankap]

One can check, where the plane, where the picture is focussed, is.

I use the app FastRawViewer to test it. In the meantime the app even is native for Mac M1!

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Here, a picture with a very shallow depth of focus. I chose the color "White" to mark the sharpest areas.

Edited September 24, 2023 by jankap

[Krycek]

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Has anyone ever used the following adatpater with success: "Rework-lens" Leica R-LM Adapter for R35 Objektive used on M Body with RF ?
Sold on Ebay by rework-lens

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Price: US $250,00
Here are the seller's comments:

" Leica m adapter for R35 Lenses, you may put the 35mm lens on it, lens focus set at infinity, then use adapter focusing with rangefinder coupled on your Leica M bodies. I had try my 35/2 and 35/2.8 both working nicely, sorry, I don’t have 35/1.4 to try.
If you use other than 35mm lenses on it, it works but not coupled with RF. You only can use with your camera live view function when not 35mm lenses on it.
Adapter ship out from Taiwan, by registered mail mostly or EMS."

Edited August 19, 2024 by Krycek

[Ecar]

 

3 hours ago, Krycek said:

Has anyone ever used the following adatpater with success: "Rework-lens" Leica R-LM Adapter for R35 Objektive used on M Body with RF ?
Sold on Ebay by rework-lens

Not me. But I think fellow forum member @ocean2059 may have some experience with it - or at least with the M42 50mm version:

 

 

[ocean2059]

19 hours ago, Ecar said:

 

Not me. But I think fellow forum member @ocean2059 may have some experience with it - or at least with the M42 50mm version:

 

 

Yes, I did. Functionally, it work well with the Elmarit-R 35/2.8 on M9/240/10R/11. Focus is pretty accurate in general but it could be micro-adjusted with the infinity position on the lens. My Summicron-R 35/2 has been converted to Sony A mount so I couldn't try it with the Rework adapter. The distance markings on both Elmarit-R and Summicron-R are almost identical so it should work on a Summicron-R. But the adapter does not work with my Summilux-R 35/1.4.

The Elmarit-R is a pretty dense and relative heavy lens so it's not ideal on M body for proper balance. But the adapter works well. 

[sandro]

I bought a Shoten adapter to use Nikon F 50mm lenses on my Leica M camera's and on the M11 I noticed that wide open it is unsharp, until I use 5.6 where the image is good. Does anyone know or have a good description (or video) how to calibrate the Shoten adapter to the lens(es) I would like to use?

Lex

[Ecar]

20 minutes ago, sandro said:

I bought a Shoten adapter to use Nikon F 50mm lenses on my Leica M camera's and on the M11 I noticed that wide open it is unsharp, until I use 5.6 where the image is good. Does anyone know or have a good description (or video) how to calibrate the Shoten adapter to the lens(es) I would like to use?

Lex

Try these:

https://jelabs.blogspot.com/2023/09/shoten-r50-pentax-k-to-leica-m-adapter.html

https://stkb.co.jp/info/?p=26178 (needs translation, unless you read Japanese)

I did it with a few lenses and adjustment is fairly straightforward, especially if you use a digital body with LV.
However, unless all your lenses behave similarly, you will need an adapter for each.

Edit: I have their M42, K and C/Y adapters. No Nikon. But I believe the calibration process should be the same.

Edited April 24 by Ecar

[sandro]

I haven't adjusted the Shoten adapter but just now did a small test with the three Nikkor 50mm lenses I have on the adapter with M11, two 1.4/50mm (one from 1968-71 and the other from 1976-77) and a 2/50mm (from 1968-71). Shot them 1ide open and then 5.6, at the closest distance allowed by the adapter. The oldest 1.4/50mm Nikkor wasn't really sharp, the others two were at both apertures. So I will check them some more outside and various distances.

My remark in post #30 must have been a mistake, I may not have put the focus ring of the lens at infinity.

Lex