Leica R to M10 - any thoughts?

[GFW2-SCUSA]

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I am interested in people's thoughts on using an R lens (I'm thinking the 60 macro) on an M10 R. I realize it will require the use of the Visoflex, which I have. How is the image quality and does it become a bit unwieldy? Thanks,

George

[TomB_tx]

While I have tried R lenses (including the 60 macro) on my M10, and it gives great results, it's rather clunky compared to using them (with cheap adapter) on just a base model Sony A7. I find the use more enjoyable, and the results comparable. I might prefer a Leica SL2, but the A7 is so cheap now it's a low risk way to try. Now the A7III is my preferred "R Solution."

[Jamison]

GF, 

You could also use a R to M adapter instead of the Visoflex.  You would then focus only with the M10 screen or Digital viewfinder.  The 60mm Macro is especially fine for flat field edge to edge sharpness.  Enjoy.

[Leitzfan]

@Jamison,  I live in Mission Viejo (OC), not close, but not too far from you.  I've 10 Leica cameras of all sorts (mostly system) & more Leica lenses (mostly R) than I can count (Leica is the only brand I use).  I'm a member of Beers & Cameras:  LA, OC & SD.  Given your Wetzlar experience, it would be nice to get your insights into the company, sometime.  If you're ever in OC, give me a shout!

Edited January 23 by Leitzfan

[Jamison]

LF,
If I am on my way through your area, I will reach out.  I am afraid my Leica experience was back in the film days.  Wetzlar still feels like a home town to me.  I was there off an on for about 7 years.  Enjoy your macro adventures. 

This butterfly shot was with a 135mm Tele-Emarit M - glasses, detached from the glasses M focusing and used with a 6467 focusing mount, a 14167 adapter and a Macro extension tube on an old Leicaflex SL.  I don't think a lot of people know that the old 135 and long 90mm M lenses come apart and can be put onto SL and R cameras, with these adapters.

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Edited January 24 by Jamison

[Leitzfan]

On 1/24/2025 at 9:27 AM, Jamison said:

LF,
If I am on my way through your area, I will reach out.  I am afraid my Leica experience was back in the film days.  Wetzlar still feels like a home town to me.  I was there off an on for about 7 years.  Enjoy your macro adventures. 

This butterfly shot was with a 135mm Tele-Emarit M - glasses, detached from the glasses M focusing and used with a 6467 focusing mount, a 14167 adapter and a Macro extension tube on an old Leicaflex SL.  I don't think a lot of people know that the old 135 and long 90mm M lenses come apart and can be put onto SL and R cameras, with these adapters.

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What a beautiful & vibrant shot!  Funny you should mention the macro adapter tubes.  Though I knew that the M (& in my case, LTM) teles: 135s, 90 & my 85 Rex come apart, it only recently (last two months) dawned on me that I could mate those focusing heads to a Visoflex tube + 14167 + appropriate adapters & voila!–they shoot beautifully (in all focal ranges, as well as superb macro) on my Rs, CL & even my Digulux 3!

Funny to see my CL w/ the following adapters all in series: L-M + M-R + 14167 macro adapter + Visoflex + 65mm Visoflex Elmar focusing head, all rendering magnificent images!  Possibly world record for most adapters on one Leica camera! 😄  My CL's brain circuitry is probably thinking, 'WTF'!?

Now to go out & shoot w/ them...  Anyway, I’ll DM you my mobile ph. #, if you’re ever in OC.  I live not far from OC Camera (where Beers & Cameras often meets up).  Beers & Cameras is meeting up tomorrow, in Orange, for a photo walk, etc.; but I'm not sure I'll go if it rains like it's supposed to.  Don't want to have to put a rainsleeve (condom) on my gear. 😄

P.S.  I lived in Aachen, GE for 4 yrs. (‘03-‘07).  One of my many regrets is not having made it to Solms whilst I was in GE.  Oh well, now Wetzlar is another excuse for me to make it back to GE!  I did manage to go to Photokina in Dusseldorf, ‘06.  A crying shame that Photokina is no more...c'est la vie.

Pics. hastily shot w/ my 24 y.o. Leica Dugilux 4.3. 😄

Edited January 26 by Leitzfan

[GFW2-SCUSA]

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I would like my original question to be brought back on track and that is how people have found using R lenses on M cameras via the r to m adaptor.  Thanks. 

[250swb]

4 hours ago, GFW2-SCUSA said:

I would like my original question to be brought back on track and that is how people have found using R lenses on M cameras via the r to m adaptor.  Thanks. 

I don't have that adapter but it is only a spacer so not much can go wrong technically. I have however used Nikon F lenses on my M10 and it is a different variety of lenses available so a worthwhile experiment, but the longer ones are over-heavy for an M body to hand hold. In terms of how I imagine my Leica R lenses would work on my M10 I think there would be no benefit if you have comparable prime M lenses already and I do. But you got me thinking and maybe on a personal level the idea of my Vario Elmar's 21-35 and 35-70 on my M10 sounds interesting given those lenses are mostly used for landscape with a tripod anyway. A K&F adapter is only £30 so I've just ordered one.

Edited January 26 by 250swb

[Leitzfan]

@GFW2-SCUSA, I can't speak empirically about the *renditions* of an R-M adapter on your 'M', as I don't own an 'M' camera--though I'm sure that Leica AG wouldn't have produced this modern adapter if it weren't up to their exacting standards.  As "250swb" states, above, "It's only a spacer..."

I *can* tell you about the weight, however.  Many R lenses will be heavier & larger than your average M lenses.  That's why Leica cleverly designed a supplemental tripod mount "foot" (comes in the box) for the R-M adapter ring (see outlined pic.s--that would be your R-M adapter ring w/ tripod foot attached).  You can affix the supplemental tripod mount to your R-M adapter ring & keep it there, or run w/o it (your choice), it mounts onto the adapter ring w/ a couple of Allen screws.

As for me, I don't relish the though of all the physical moments (engineering term) that my heavy R lenses exert on my CL frame/mount; so I keep the tripod foot attached to the R-M adapter ring--and mostly handle the rig by the lens & tripod foot, rather than by the camera itself, when using heavy R lenses.  Hope this helps.

Cheers,

P.S.  Sorry to have hijacked your topic, above.  It peeves me when people do that--and here I am, guilty of doing the same thing!  I'll flog myself, after lunch.

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[UliWer]

Am 26.1.2025 um 19:04 schrieb GFW2-SCUSA:

I would like my original question to be brought back on track and that is how people have found using R lenses on M cameras via the r to m adaptor.  

As has been said above, adapting R-lenses in the normal range covered by the M-system doesn’t make much sense, as you cannot use the rangefinder and the lenses are much larger and not better.

Though there are R-lenses for purposes for which the M-system wasn‘t made. Especially macro and long focal lengthes. I use the R-to-M-adapter with the 60mm Macro-Elmarit, the 100mm Apo-Macro Elmarit and the 1:3.4/180mm Apo-Telyt. For macro and tele I use a tripod so the size of the lenses doesn’t make much difference and it is convenient that you can fix a „foot“ with tripod connection to the adapter, which cheaper adapters won‘t allow. 

So the question is not so much about the R-lenses themselves, but what you wont to use them for. 

[lexffm]

This works very well. I mainly use it for the following lenses:

APO-MACRO-ELMARIT 1:2.8 /100
APO-ELMARIT 1:2.8 /180
APO-Telyt 1:4 /280

I use the Leica adapter

It is important to enter the lens in the camera menu and select it when using it, otherwise you always have to rework it in LR

[UliWer]

What do you have to rework, if you don‘t chose a lens detection?

[Leitzfan]

@UliWer, I believe that lexffm is referring to software logic in the camera that adjusts metering, AutoISO settings, etc. to optimize the camera setup for your specific Leica lens.  At least, that's what "lens profile" does in my CL...  Don't know if Ms are as automated as that.

Of course, you *could* operate the camera without "selecting" a lens or the *correct* lens (as I do, sometimes, when I swap lenses & forget to update the lens profile setting in the camera).  In that case, the camera just uses generic (not optimized) settings--works just fine.

From the "CL Instruction Manual:"  Using Leica M and R lenses
The Leica M and R Adapters L accommodate the use of Leica M and R lenses. There are lens profiles stored in the camera, which allow the following functions:
–– The flash exposure and flash reflector controls utilize the stored lens data (see “Compatible flash units”).
–– The lens data is furthermore written to the EXIF data of the images. A display of the lens focal length is added to the visualization of the extended image data.  The camera will automatically select the appropriate lens type settings if the Leica M lens has a 6 bit encoding, or the Leica R lens has a ROM contact strip. You will have to enter the lens model manually if the lenses are not relevantly equipped.
▸▸ Select Lens Profiles in the Main Menu (3rd screen page)
▸▸ Select automatic lens identification (Auto) in the submenu, or enter the lens model manually into one of the two lens lists, or deactivate the function altogether.
If you want to enter the lens model yourself:
▸▸ M-Lenses or R-Lenses
You can shorten the lens lists by deleting all unnecessary lens types to simplify operation:
▸▸ Select Edit List of M-Lenses or Edit List of R-Lenses in the M-Lenses
or R-Lenses submenu.
▸▸ Activate (On) or deactivate (Off) the lens types you will be using/not using in the lens lists.

Edited February 6 by Leitzfan