I am in need of a real expert

[Denyse]

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I have both Leica M and Leica Screw mount cameras.   What I want to be able to do is use some of my M mount lenses on my Screw Mount Cameras.    I have been searching for weeks and weeks, and finally was told I should ask here.    All I can find are adapters to use Screw Mount lenses on a M Mount camera, but not the reverse.   When I had the funds, I chose to buy M Mount lenses and figured sooner or later I would get Screw Mount ones, but never did.   Now, I am stuck.    Does such an adapter exist?   If so what is it called, and where would I get it.   I do not care if the lens is not able to use the rangefinder as most of my shooting would be landscapes at infinity.

Please can someone help me?   Thanks for reading, and I will be appreciative even if I cannot do what I want, for you taking the time to respond.

Denyse.

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[jaapv]

You can’t.  The M register distance is 1mm longer than the LTM. The lens would not focus to infinity. Adapting lenses to another mount is always a one-way street. 

[MPWhite]

Not to argue with a moderator, but actually there is a way SORT of...   If you can find a "KOMURA" 2x Teleconverter.  Unscrew the rear adapter plate, and you can then screw on the Teleconverter onto your screw mount camera.  The other end of the unit is a M Mount.   You can then mount your M Lens.   Now remember the Komura unit is 2X.  So a 35mm will become a 70mm , a 50mm a `100mm etc... also a F/2.0 is a F/4.0 and so forth so it is a trade off.   I have used this setup a few times, and it works, but it is a trade off.    The only time I have really done so is to use a 90mm lens, giving me a nice compact 180mm but then again it became a f/5.6   Best of luck.

[spydrxx]

It doesn't work that way. However you can use your screwmount lenses on your M body with inexpensive adapters ($15-20 USD). There is no way to use M mount lenses on a screwmount body. Having said that I do remember several years ago somebody had a screwmount body adapted for M mount lenses...but it was an irreversible custom job.

[jaapv]

Or machine a few mm off your M lenses 

[jaapv]

34 minutes ago, MPWhite said:

Not to argue with a moderator, but actually there is a way SORT of...   If you can find a "KOMURA" 2x Teleconverter.  Unscrew the rear adapter plate, and you can then screw on the Teleconverter onto your screw mount camera.  The other end of the unit is a M Mount.   You can then mount your M Lens.   Now remember the Komura unit is 2X.  So a 35mm will become a 70mm , a 50mm a `100mm etc... also a F/2.0 is a F/4.0 and so forth so it is a trade off.   I have used this setup a few times, and it works, but it is a trade off.    The only time I have really done so is to use a 90mm lens, giving me a nice compact 180mm but then again it became a f/5.6   Best of luck.

You won’t be able to focus to infinity. 

[UliWer]

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52 minutes ago, Denyse said:

Does such an adapter exist?

Of course jaapv is right that the longer flange to film distance rules out the "normal" use of M-mount lenses on a screwmount Leica, so there is no adapter which could be used to attach the M-mount lenses directly.

Though there is a "workaround" - at least for some lenses. 

The (old optical) Visoflex II was made in a version for screwmount for the camera's side whilst it had an M-mount on the lenses side. So you can use all lenses made for the Visoflex (e.g. 65mm Elmar, 200mm Telyt etc) with your screwmount body. It gets interesting with longer lenses which have a detachable lens head to be used with certain adapters (16464 together with 16471 or 16472 etc) on the Visoflex. The first version of the 90mm Elmarit, the 135mm Elmar, the first version of the 135mm Tele-Elmar or the 135mm Hektor can thus be used in their normal range with extended close focussing.  

Though on the other hand it is clear that most of these lenses (the 135mm Tele-Elmarit is the exception) also came in screw-mount versions, so you don't really need this "workaround" with the Visoflex for the normal range of the lenses if you are not looking for close focussing. 

[UliWer]

 

This is the combination of an IIIf with Visoflex Ii and the 65mm Elmar.

[jaapv]

55 minutes ago, UliWer said:

Of course jaapv is right that the longer flange to film distance rules out the "normal" use of M-mount lenses on a screwmount Leica, so there is no adapter which could be used to attach the M-mount lenses directly.

Though there is a "workaround" - at least for some lenses. 

The (old optical) Visoflex II was made in a version for screwmount for the camera's side whilst it had an M-mount on the lenses side. So you can use all lenses made for the Visoflex (e.g. 65mm Elmar, 200mm Telyt etc) with your screwmount body. It gets interesting with longer lenses which have a detachable lens head to be used with certain adapters (16464 together with 16471 or 16472 etc) on the Visoflex. The first version of the 90mm Elmarit, the 135mm Elmar, the first version of the 135mm Tele-Elmar or the 135mm Hektor can thus be used in their normal range with extended close focussing.  

Though on the other hand it is clear that most of these lenses (the 135mm Tele-Elmarit is the exception) also came in screw-mount versions, so you don't really need this "workaround" with the Visoflex for the normal range of the lenses if you are not looking for close focussing. 

However, that is not the M mount but the V mount 🤩

[UliWer]

30 minutes ago, jaapv said:

However, that is not the M mount but the V mount 🤩

Well, just try to attach any M-lens to a Visoflex II or III body: it works. So the mount of a Visoflex is an M-mount. Look at the lenses which were made for the Visoflex II or III: do they have a proprietary mount? No, you need an adapter like the 16464 or the 16466. All these adapters have an M-mount on the side of the Visoflex body.

It's another question whether the extension of the Visoflex body allows you to use an M-lens directly. Yes you can. This chart shows that you can use M-lenses with 35 or 50mm directly on the Visoflex: https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Visoflex_III_1970s_Chart. Though of course the range is extremely limited. 

No take a 135mm Tele-Elmar (1. version), which was only produced with M-Mount. You know that you can unscrew the lens head and you can attach it to a 16464 focussing mount - which has an M-mount. The combination works on a screwmount Leica as it does on any M. It focusses from infinity down to 0.98m (directly on the M it focusses only to 1.5m):

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(the photo was taken with a digital M with another 16464 focussing mount and an Elmar 65mm).

Of course this "workaround" will not enable you to use all M-lenses in their proper range, though this is no problem of the mount, but just of the extension caused by the Visoflex body.  

 

 

[jaapv]

The V mount was introduced by Leica as mechanically the same as the M mount with a (far) longer register distance. Hence the designation V-Telyt etc.  M mount lenses will only be useful for close-up, unless the optical cell fits a shorter focusing module, as you note. Those will be some 90 and 135 mm lenses. 
 

[Sandokan]

4 hours ago, Denyse said:

I have both Leica M and Leica Screw mount cameras.   What I want to be able to do is use some of my M mount lenses on my Screw Mount Cameras.   ...

Denyse.

hi Denyse, 

The question is which M-mount lens is a must-use lens on the screwmount body? They both use film and so modern high resolution lenses are wasted on film. If it is characterful lenses, enjoy the character of the screw lenses. Or, get a modern Voigtländer lens in screw mount. 

[jaapv]

Reasonably true, but not quite. A lens/film ( sensor ) imaging system is an additive situation, not a weakest link one. A better lens will always give a better result regardless of the recording medium, a better recording medium a better result regardless of lens The only question is : improving which of the two will give the best result. 

[frame-it]

8 hours ago, Denyse said:

I have both Leica M and Leica Screw mount cameras.   What I want to be able to do is use some of my M mount lenses on my Screw Mount Cameras.    I have been searching for weeks and weeks, and finally was told I should ask here.    All I can find are adapters to use Screw Mount lenses on a M Mount camera, but not the reverse.   When I had the funds, I chose to buy M Mount lenses and figured sooner or later I would get Screw Mount ones, but never did.   Now, I am stuck.    Does such an adapter exist?   If so what is it called, and where would I get it.   I do not care if the lens is not able to use the rangefinder as most of my shooting would be landscapes at infinity.

Please can someone help me?   Thanks for reading, and I will be appreciative even if I cannot do what I want, for you taking the time to respond.

Denyse.

as others have said, you cant..

but u can always look for and buy this lens 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[250swb]

Voigtlander make an excellent range modern of screw mount lenses covering all the usual M focal lengths, buy these and with an LTM>M adapter you can use them on both types of camera. Older Canon LTM lenses are also very good. Some cost more than an equivalent Leica LTM lens, some cost less, but the point is that you can have fun re-evaluating your LTM problem by searching out the high performers and tracking them down.

[LocalHero1953]

This is my favourite starting point when looking for LTM options. I don't know how complete it is, but there are lots of ideas to try.

[earleygallery]

3 hours ago, 250swb said:

Voigtlander make an excellent range modern of screw mount lenses covering all the usual M focal lengths, buy these and with an LTM>M adapter you can use them on both types of camera. Older Canon LTM lenses are also very good. Some cost more than an equivalent Leica LTM lens, some cost less, but the point is that you can have fun re-evaluating your LTM problem by searching out the high performers and tracking them down.

They don’t actually make any LTM lenses now but plenty on the s/h market. 

[250swb]

26 minutes ago, earleygallery said:

They don’t actually make any LTM lenses now but plenty on the s/h market. 

Apparently they actually did until recently, but yes it's the second hand market where most people would look

https://robertwhite.co.uk/collections/lenses/Brand_Voigtlander?sort_by=best-selling&filter.v.price.gte=&filter.v.price.lte=&filter.p.m.custom.lens_mount=L39+Screw

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 11:08 AM by 250swb

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[pedaes]

6 hours ago, 250swb said:

Voigtlander make an excellent range modern of screw mount lenses

Be quick if you want new

https://robertwhite.co.uk/collections/lenses/Brand_Voigtlander?sort_by=best-selling&filter.v.price.gte=&filter.v.price.lte=&filter.p.m.custom.lens_mount=L39+Screw