Nikon/Canon RF lenses for R-D1?

[Waterman100]

As a newbie to RFs, I am still confused by the various, and historical, lens and mount systems out there, and what can / cannot work with R-D1.

For instance, the other day I was at Adorama looking at a Nikkor 35mm/f-2.5 screw mount lens: http://www.adorama.com/US 385526.html and I thought it was a LTM mount and didn't realize that an adapter was needed...

Also, I am intrigue by both the Nikon RF 50mm/1.4 lens (made for the Nikon SP) and also the Canon 50/1.4 (made for Canon P). What adapters do I need to have them work with my R-D1? What brand should I get, from where, and how much?

I read in CameraQuest that some no-name / third-party adapters are poorly made, but many old, brand-name adapters are no longer available or have ridiculous prices... So I'm not sure what my options and the total costs are, if I want to use old Japanese lenses for the R-D1.

Any help will be appreciated!!

 

[RichC]

New Voigtlander adapters and old Leitz ones (e.g. from eBay) are consistently accurate. But they're pricey.

There are lots of cheap to moderately priced Chinese adapters on eBay: some poorly made, others pretty good (price isn't always a guide, but the photos do give an indication of quality: if it looks shoddy, it probably is). That said, all the ones I've bought (however cheap) have all worked correctly, albeit the cheapest looked horrible!

I'm sure folk will mention reliable and well-made Chinese brands to go for...

With regard to the lenses:

• Don't be surprised if a second-hand lens misfocuses. I've bought over a dozen Leica-fit lenses older than a decade (mostly Leica/Canon, from various places), and nearly all of them were out if adjustment. I always get second-hand lenses serviced when I buy them now, as a matter of course - even if their focus is spot on, most old lenses have knackered grease, loose rings and other faults and need a service anyway...

• The Canon lenses are generally very good. The pick of the bunch are the later black-bodied ones from the 1960s. I prefer slightly older lenses (1960s-1970s) to modern ones because I find the look given by modern high-contrast lenses rather harsh - and Canon lenses tend have high resolution yet lower contrast than modern lenses. Wide open, the lens aberrations and flare can give funky effects - which may or may not be a good thing! Stopped down below f/2, they improve massively.

• Some older lenses when mounted on the camera have the central aperture marker skewed to the left, rather than in the usual location at the 12 o'clock position. This is deliberate, I believe, and not a fault!

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Nikkor 35mm/f-2.5 screw mount lens: http://www.adorama.com/US 385526.html and I thought it was a LTM mount and didn't realize that an adapter was needed...

That lens IS an LTM lens. LTM = Leica Thread Mount. The term is not quite official, so new users can get lost in the semantics. LTM= thread mount= Leica screw mount= M39= screwmount. It's all the same.
Lenses for a Canon P will fit on a Leica M or RD1 with the adapter.
Lenses for a Nikon S rangefinder need an adapter like Amadeo's.
Some of the Nikon lenses were made in LTM for use on Leica bodies (with LTM->M adapters).
The RD1 takes a Leica M mount, so there is an LTM -> M adapter that you'd put on the back of the Nikkor or Canon lenses.

The cool thing about the RD1 is that you can use any adapter keyed for any focal length since you choose the framelines with the selector switch (the adapters are specific to focal length for use on Leica M bodies to automatically select framelines)

Regarding the Canon 50mm f/1.4: it is an outstanding lens. I use it all the time on my M8 and I have no focus issues at all. (In fact, the only lens I DO have focus issues with is a Leica 90mm thin Tele-Elmarit...) All my screwmount lenses focus perfectly on my M8 and that camera takes no prisoners.

Hope this helps!
Phil Forrest

 

[Ezzie]

The confusing thing about Nikkor RF lenses is that they were made in both LTM and Contax/Nikon S RF mount. LTM to begin with, before Nikon started their own famous RF series. Make sure you get an LTM mount, its easier. But it is possible to get adapters for the Nikon S lenses, as the Contax/Nikon mount is farther from the film plane than Leica M and LTM mount. Making room for an adapter.

 

[Waterman100]

Thanks for the quick responses.

As in many things in life, I am now clearer on some, but more confused on other things... Like: I just did a quick search on Ebay and saw three Ads by the same seller for these three similar products: "M39 lens to Leica M Adapter Ring 35mm/135mm", "... 50mm/75mm", "...28mm/90mm".

What do the two numbers mean? Many thanks again.

 

[furcafe]

On Leica M bodies since the M4 in '66, the different adapters will bring up different pairs of framelines (the full complement of pairs since the M4-P in '81), e.g., you see the 135 & 35mm framelines in the VF @ the same time. Your R-D1, like the Cosina Voigtlander Bessa R3 it's based on, doesn't have this feature & you have to set the framelines manually.

Thanks for the quick responses.

As in many things in life, I am now clearer on some, but more confused on other things... Like: I just did a quick search on Ebay and saw three Ads by the same seller for these three similar products: "M39 lens to Leica M Adapter Ring 35mm/135mm", "... 50mm/75mm", "...28mm/90mm".

What do the two numbers mean? Many thanks again.

 

[Ezzie]

In other words, save money and buy non-coded adapters, since you don't need the coding.