M lenses with SL-2S questions

[miatadan]

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I am waiting for my SL-2S kit to come in. Including M-Adapter for L-Mount.

I like the fact they are much smaller than the SL lenses in general.

But is manual focus easy to do with SL system?

Seems you need coded lenses from M lenses to communicate correctly?

Thanks

Dan

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[Crem]

My SL2-S is my main camera for M lenses when I want to shoot digital. Overall I can't recommend this camera enough with both coded and uncoded lenses. The camera is a real joy to hold and reasonably sized with these small lenses.

At F1.4 and anywhere around there I find it much easier to nail perfect eye focus compared to a M camera. I'm sure this is partially due to my eye sight getting worse. Overall I love the EVF on the SL2-S and find it much better than the Sony I used to use. Generally speaking anywhere around F8 I'll end up doing a lot more zone focusing with the SL2-S since you don't have a rangefinder patch. I'm guessing some people might open the aperture, focus, and then stop back down, but I never do that.

You don't need coded lenses though it's nice to have them. Assuming you are using official Leica lenses you can pick your specific lens in a menu. With coded lenses they are automatically picked for you and a confirmation screen pops up when it detects a change. I've been going through the process of having DAG code my vintage lenses. The convenience is well worth it and it's a good time to combine it with a CLA.

 

Edited August 27, 2024 by Crem

[SrMi]

1 hour ago, miatadan said:

I am waiting for my SL-2S kit to come in. Including M-Adapter for L-Mount.

I like the fact they are much smaller than the SL lenses in general.

But is manual focus easy to do with SL system?

Seems you need coded lenses from M lenses to communicate correctly?

Thanks

Dan

The SL2 series works great with M lenses, but I would not buy M lenses only to use them with your SL2-S. Instead, have a look at the Sigma i Series. They are of high quality, small, and light.

[Jean-Michel]

To Dan,

Since you purchased a kit, I gather that it probably came with either the 35 or 50 Summicron ASPH or the 24-70 zoom. The M-L adapter is a nice bonus if you happen to own M lenses (Leica or other makes). If you do not already own M lenses, you might think twice about the value or reason for buying such a lens. I have quite a few M lenses but I rarely mount them on my SL2, but when I do, they work just fine.

[hdmesa]

2 hours ago, miatadan said:

I am waiting for my SL-2S kit to come in. Including M-Adapter for L-Mount.

I like the fact they are much smaller than the SL lenses in general.

But is manual focus easy to do with SL system?

Seems you need coded lenses from M lenses to communicate correctly?

Thanks

Dan

M lenses do not communicate with the camera in the same way modern AF lenses do. All the M-Adapter-L will do is allow the camera to automatically select an M lens profile for the lens you attach provided the M lens had the 6-bit code. You can get the same results by manually selecting an M lens profile from the in-camera menu. You can also forgo that (if using non-M lenses for example) by manually select the focal length of the adapted lens in the camera menu. Any way the lens data gets entered, automatically through the Leica adapter or manually by you, it's important that it gets entered because the camera needs to know the lens' focal length in order for IBIS stabilization to function. On my SL3, I have a function button shortcut set that takes me to the lens selection menu since I change out adapted lenses a lot, and I don't use an adapter like the Leica one that will read 6-bit code anyway.

Manual focus is pretty easy – set a function button to magnification (SL3 has this by default on the joystick press, SL2/SL2-S are supposed to get that ability back in an upcoming firmware update), then focus by sight. You can use focus peaking, but most of us do not find it accurate enough to trust.

Edited August 27, 2024 by hdmesa

[miatadan]

1 hour ago, Jean-Michel said:

To Dan,

Since you purchased a kit, I gather that it probably came with either the 35 or 50 Summicron ASPH or the 24-70 zoom. The M-L adapter is a nice bonus if you happen to own M lenses (Leica or other makes). If you do not already own M lenses, you might think twice about the value or reason for buying such a lens. I have quite a few M lenses but I rarely mount them on my SL2, but when I do, they work just fine.

Yes, it came with the 50 Summicron ASPH as well as the M-L adaptor plus extra Leica battery. I always wanted one of the M series camera's but out of my budget.  The price of the kit $6695 CAN . I always preferred the size of the M series lenses

Dan

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Do the SL cameras know what aperture you’ve set on M lenses and does it show on the top LCD?

[hdmesa]

47 minutes ago, TwentyEighthParallel said:

Do the SL cameras know what aperture you’ve set on M lenses and does it show on the top LCD?

No.

There is only a 6-bit code reader on the camera’s mount that looks at the 6-bit code markings on the lens mount. There are no electronic connections on an M lenses.

After the shot is taken, the camera makes a guess as to aperture and records that to EXIF.

Edited August 28, 2024 by hdmesa

[Stuart Richardson]

The manual focus in my experience is very accurate and more so than the M (other than with the EVF), but it is hard to use in more spontaneous situations or situations where the subject is moving. The reason being that when you turn the focus on the lens, it automatically zooms in and you can fine tune the focus, but then you lose track of the overall composition. Panasonic has a better implementation, where just the central portion of the frame is magnified, so you can fine tune the focus while not losing track of the overall framing. The problem is that Panasonic cameras do not do well with M lenses due to the thicker cover glass.

You can turn this off, but then you only have the full view for judging focus. That can work, especially if you are stopped down, but in general the process of using M lenses on the SL is less than ideal. It is totally fine for still subjects, but in general I would say that M lenses are best suited for M cameras, and L mount lenses are best on L mount cameras. SrMi has a good suggestion, assuming you don't care about brand. Many of Sigma's newer lenses are as good or better than most M lenses are on the SL. They are not as compact, but are often a similar weight or lighter. The autofocus and auto-stop down make for a much more fluid experience.

If you really want to use M lenses, you are better off with an M camera. It is unfortunately that simple...a used M10 at this point is probably available for similar to what you paid for the SL2S kit, I would guess.

[Jean-Michel]

13 hours ago, miatadan said:

Yes, it came with the 50 Summicron ASPH as well as the M-L adaptor plus extra Leica battery. I always wanted one of the M series camera's but out of my budget.  The price of the kit $6695 CAN . I always preferred the size of the M series lenses

Dan

Hi,

Enjoy your purchase! Don't overly worry about getting more lenses, just use what you have. Two batteries will keep you going for the day, although I do tend to carry a third now for long days. I do not know where you purchased your equipment, but my dealer in Montreal often has used or demo lenses for a reasonable (sort of) price, they are: https://www.camtecphoto.com/fr/collections/leica  

Re Stuart's post just above. With an M lens mounted on an SL (whatever variety) the views not automatically magnified. To magnify the view you need to set one of the function buttons t do so. On an M camera in live view or EF finder that auto magnification can happen because there is a mechanical link between the camera and lens; that dos not exist on an SL camera.

Yes, focusing an M lens on an SL is easy. But is does take a bit longer to do, and if you focus with the lens stopped down you do not know where the exact point of focus is as you are viewing an image with a larger depth of field. 

[miatadan]

26 minutes ago, Jean-Michel said:

Hi,

Enjoy your purchase! Don't overly worry about getting more lenses, just use what you have. Two batteries will keep you going for the day, although I do tend to carry a third now for long days. I do not know where you purchased your equipment, but my dealer in Montreal often has used or demo lenses for a reasonable (sort of) price, they are: https://www.camtecphoto.com/fr/collections/leica  

Re Stuart's post just above. With an M lens mounted on an SL (whatever variety) the views not automatically magnified. To magnify the view you need to set one of the function buttons t do so. On an M camera in live view or EF finder that auto magnification can happen because there is a mechanical link between the camera and lens; that dos not exist on an SL camera.

Yes, focusing an M lens on an SL is easy. But is does take a bit longer to do, and if you focus with the lens stopped down you do not know where the exact point of focus is as you are viewing an image with a larger depth of field. 

I ordered it from CamtecPhoto , they had to order it from Leica, so no idea how long to come in.

Dan

[Stuart Richardson]

1 hour ago, Jean-Michel said:

Hi,

Enjoy your purchase! Don't overly worry about getting more lenses, just use what you have. Two batteries will keep you going for the day, although I do tend to carry a third now for long days. I do not know where you purchased your equipment, but my dealer in Montreal often has used or demo lenses for a reasonable (sort of) price, they are: https://www.camtecphoto.com/fr/collections/leica  

Re Stuart's post just above. With an M lens mounted on an SL (whatever variety) the views not automatically magnified. To magnify the view you need to set one of the function buttons t do so. On an M camera in live view or EF finder that auto magnification can happen because there is a mechanical link between the camera and lens; that dos not exist on an SL camera.

Yes, focusing an M lens on an SL is easy. But is does take a bit longer to do, and if you focus with the lens stopped down you do not know where the exact point of focus is as you are viewing an image with a larger depth of field. 

Ah, you are right! Sorry, I am often using the EVF on the M10M, which is how it behaves, but I forgot that you have to zoom in manually with the SL. But the challenge remains -- in fast moving situations you have to choose between focus accuracy (by zooming in) or accurate framing. Whereas with an M lens on a rangefinder you can both focus and see the full composition at the same time. Likewise with an AF lens on an AF body. There are many people who do this all the time and find it to work well for them. I find it tedious and distracting. Whether it affects you or not is person and will depend on what you photograph and how you like to photograph it.

[Jean-Michel]

Yep, Stuart,

Same here. while  can use my M lenses on my SL2, I find that I prefer to keep them on my M ( I come from a way too many decades of M use!). For example, for my WATE, I find it much faster and convenient to focus - if at all needed - with the RF and frame with my EVF2, which can conveniently flip up as I frame from a  fairly low position.

Edited August 28, 2024 by Jean-Michel
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