Contax RF to Leica M adapter: adapter on body first, then lens, OR on lens first?

[sleepyhead]

Hello, I recently purchsed a Contax RF to Leica M adapter from HK to allow me to use my contax mount 50mm/1.5 sonnar on my Leica M4-P body.

However, I'm having difficulty (unable) to mount the lens. I have first put the adapter on my Leica body (figuring that this mimicks the Contax RF body situation), but then the lens will not insert into the adapter. I have tried to set both lens and adapter at infinity so that the small tabs on the lens can pass through the openings on the apdapter, but the lens seems too big for the hole in the adapter.

Is there a trick to this that I'm not aware of?

Should I try to put the adapter on the lens first?

I don't want to screw up the lens or the rangefinder cam of my Leica M4-P in the process...

THANKS for your help!

 

[jonmanjiro]

Sounds like a tolerance problem. The lens should mount either way.

Does the lens mount on the adapter when the adapter is off the camera?

 

[sleepyhead]

Hi Jon, i've not been able to get the lens to mount the adapter either way (with adapter on or off the camera). I've not wanted to force anything.

I'll try again once more this evening - should the lens and adapter be at infinity? Or does that not matter?

If I can't get it to mount, I'll try to return the HK adapter for a refund.

The item I bought was this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CONTAX-NIKON-RF-LENS-LEICA-M3-M4-M6-M7-M8-ADAPTER-/270577258964?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3effa951d4

 

[jonmanjiro]

Yaron, that doesn't sound good. With an internal mount lens like the Sonnar 50/1.5 it won't make any difference if the adapter is set to infinity or not.

If the Sonnar won't mount, its probably best to return the adapter.

 

[steveyork]

Amedeo adapters seem to have good reviews.

 

[bogelgelbo]

Yes, Jonmanjiro is right. The adapter should mount either without the lens or with the lens. I order the same adapter from the seller too 2-3 months ago. It works fine to this day. Ask the seller to exchange it or return it and get your money back.

 

[sleepyhead]

Thank you everyone for your QUICK and USEFUL info!

I will try to get an exchange...

 

[raid]

I got an Amedeo adapter, and I am a happy dude.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Plus one for both Jon's advice and Raid's endorsement of the Amadeo adapter. The only S or C-mount lenses that I have trouble mounting on an M and using it are the C/V 35/2.5 and the 28/3.5, which have rear element groups too large to fit into a Leica body. The 50's work fine with the adapter, as do longer focal length lenses (105/2.5 etc.)