Using Leica lenses on Nikon ZF - advice.

[Mike Rawcs]

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I'm currently photographing with a Leica M6 reissue and the latest versions of 50mm F2 Summicron (V1) and 35mm F2 ASPH lenses.

I'm considering the purchase of a Nikon ZF camera body (possibly to replace the M6) and would like to use my Leica lenses on the camera. Has anyone any experience of doing this? 

Will the lenses work without damage to lens or camera?

Which lens adapter would you recommend?

Thank you for any help you can give

Mike.

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[Robert Ardinger]

Zf works well with manual focus lenses and has a number of firmware features that really help with these lenses.  (This video might be interesting).

Early on for a Z7, I bought the Novoflex M to Z adapter and it works very well but since that time there have been a number of other adapters available that I suspect work well but have no experience with.  At least with the Novoflex adaptor, I cannot see that there is any chance of damage to the lens or camera. 

I have a 30 year old M6 (with recent CLA!)) and a 35 year old 35 V4 and a 45 year old 90 TE and both are fine on the Zf.  I tried the 35 on an M11  and compared the files with those taken with the Zf and the same lens and more or less they looked similar (on my screen, not printed) and probably represent the best the lens can do.

Realistically if I wanted an easier to use setup on a Nikon Z camera, with at least as good (and frankly a bit better as far as overall sharpness) image quality I could just use the 24-70 f/4 (really good) "kit" lens that came with the Z7.  

I basically don't use the M lenses on the Zf (or any other camera but the M6), I actually bought the Zf to use with the Voigtlander 50 f/1 Nokton (manual focus and aperture but with electronic information coupling).

I love the 35 and 90 on the M6 and use the Z7 (and Nikon's slide/negative adapter and a 50mm "Micro" Nikkor) to digitize the negatives.  The Novoflex M to Z adapter does not get much (any) use anymore.

All that said, if you want to use Leica M mount lenses (particularly older ones) on a digital "Non-Leica" body (i.e. not a digital M or an SL body), in my (limited) experience, the Nikon Zf is probably the best one to go with.  The focusing aids are very helpful and It is fun using the dials and nice to be able to reverse the LCD screen.

[3D-Kraft.com]

The filter glass stack on the sensor is a bit thicker, than on digital M cameras, so you may experience different results in border regions of the sensor with some wider angle lenses.

Nikon ZF gives you the option to use Leica M lenses with autofocus when using e.g. the Techart Pro TZM-02 AF adapter. With the pendant of this adapter for Sony E-Mount, I made good experiences. There is also another AF adapter for Nikon (Megadap ETZ21) but I have no experience with that.

I enjoy using M lenses on Sony E-Mount as most of these lenses are more compact and have more character than the native ones.

[Elliot Harper]

Use longer lenses such as least 35mm or 50mm to avoid edge smearing.

i wouldn’t use 28mm

 

Edited May 3 by Elliot Harper

[3D-Kraft.com]

vor 8 Stunden schrieb Elliot Harper:

Use longer lenses such as least 35mm or 50mm to avoid edge smearing.

i wouldn’t use 28mm

That can’t be said in general. I have even 21mm that perform well on a Sony filter stack, which is even thicker than the Nikon. Also the Thypoch Simera 28/1.4 works good on a Sony.

[Mike Rawcs]

Thank you, everyone, for your most helpful insights.

 

Mike.