Would an LTM Lens fit onto a Epson R-D1s (M mount) with an M39 to M mount adapter ?

[bluestar01]

EDIT: I noticed I had been saying 'L39 to M adapter' in this post, when I in fact meant 'M39 to M adapter'! From what I gather, these are the Soviet era lenses (like M42), and so wondered if that makes it any different to the L39/LTM lenses? Would an LTM lens still work in an M39 to M adapter?

I am gonna pick up an Epson R-D1s from a local camera store, and in their store they also have a mint Voigtlander Ultron 28mm 1.9 LTM in silver, and they offered a discount for both of these together.

I just wanna make sure, since the R-D1s is M Mount, and the Voigtlander is an LTM, can I use this lens on this camera with a M39 adapter like this URTH M39 to M adapter? Will it fit and the rangefinder work correctly right off the bat?
It is my first M Mount camera, and I what I have researched so far is kinda confusing me as to wether or not an LTM lens will fit and work using an M39 to M adapter. I'm not too fussed about the frame lines on the adapter since the R-D1s has adjustable framelines anyways, just to make sure it'll fit and work the rangefinder mechanism correctly!

I also already own a Jupiter-8 2/50 and an Industar-61, would these also fit and work with the M39 to M adapter?

 

[xayraa33]

It should fit, as most LTM lenses fits most M mount Leicas. Just be sure there is no problem like with collapsible lenses in their collapsed state might interfere with anything near the shutter like a lightmeter cell on the M5 and the CL, as I am not familiar with the Epson R-D1 camera .

 

[farlymac]

Yes, the LTM lenses will adapt to the Voigtlander M mount. I would recommend you do get a 28/90 adapter just to make sure everything fits up well. Soviet lenses will not be an issue as long as they don't jam up on the adapter. Here is an owner who uses the J-12 with no problems. https://www.scottscheetzphotography.com/blog/equipment-reivew-epson-r-d1s

PF

 

[bluestar01]

Yes, the LTM lenses will adapt to the Voigtlander M mount. I would recommend you do get a 28/90 adapter just to make sure everything fits up well. Soviet lenses will not be an issue as long as they don't jam up on the adapter. Here is an owner who uses the J-12 with no problems. https://www.scottscheetzphotography.com/blog/equipment-reivew-epson-r-d1s

PF

Sorry! I just realised I had typed L39 to M adapter throughout this post! In actual fact, the adapter that I am looking at is an M39 to M mount adapter, which from what I gather are the Soviet era clone lenses (like M42, and L39 are the proper Leica lenses). Would this make any difference? Can a LTM lens fit into and work with an M39 to M adapter ? I can't seem to work out if M39 equivalent to L39/LTM..!

 

[bluestar01]

It should fit, as most LTM lenses fits most M mount Leicas. Just be sure there is no problem like with collapsible lenses in their collapsed state might interfere with anything near the shutter like a lightmeter cell on the M5 and the CL, as I am not familiar with the Epson R-D1 camera .

Yes! I saw collapsable lesnes can pose issues! Luckily the Voigtlander doesn't do this, and I don't plan on picking any up any time soon but it'll be kept in mind..!

 

[santino]

Are there M39 (Zenit SLR) to M mount adapters?

 

[the_jim]

The adapter that you linked to should work perfectly on the Voigtlander 28mm. And, as you can select the frame lines manually on the R-D1, it should also work with your Russian LTM lenses (just switch the selector on the top of the camera to 50mm). Whether the Russian lenses will focus accurately on the Epson is another question altogether…and the answer is…possibly (you’ll definitely find out).

 

[bluestar01]

The adapter that you linked to should work perfectly on the Voigtlander 28mm. And, as you can select the frame lines manually on the R-D1, it should also work with your Russian LTM lenses (just switch the selector on the top of the camera to 50mm). Whether the Russian lenses will focus accurately on the Epson is another question altogether…and the answer is…possibly (you’ll definitely find out).

Ah, thank you! Yes the manual frameline selector is a nice feature on the R-D1.

The innacurate focusing problem is, really, what I was worried about! Would the Voigtlander not have any issues for sure? I was thinking it might, for example, not focus to infinity or its minimum focus distance - since there is a little added thickness due to the metal adapter moving it away from the sensor/focusing lever? I will certainly test the Jupiter-8 on the R-D1! It's the Voigtlander that I am concerned about, with the Jupiter-8 there's no real loss as I already own it, but the Voigtlander I'm specifically buying to use on the Epson, so I wanna make sure it works..! I'm sure the camera store I'm going to will have a spare adapter to try if need be that I can pick up if this one doesn't work!

Is there a reason why the Voigtlander can be used perfectly, but the Russian lenses might have an issue here? Sorry if that seems a daft question!

 

[santino]

Soviet lenses were built to match Zeiss standards, Leica was slightly different. Zeiss used their standard for Lenses in Contax mount, the Soviet transferred it to LTM. The longer the focal length, the more likely it is you will experience focus errors. A 50 should be fine (the thickness of the adapter is not an issue because the M mount has a different register distance than the LTM mount anyway).

 

[retinax]

The Voigtländer should work great. Do check it for haze (shine a flashlight through it and look inside from the other side, but from an angle to avoid looking into the flashlight through the lens), these lenses are notorious for having (unrepairable) haze. Mine has a little and is still pretty good. If it has any and you decide to buy it anyway, negotiate a steep discount, and assume it will get worse.

 

[farlymac]

Sorry! I just realised I had typed L39 to M adapter throughout this post! In actual fact, the adapter that I am looking at is an M39 to M mount adapter, which from what I gather are the Soviet era clone lenses (like M42, and L39 are the proper Leica lenses). Would this make any difference? Can a LTM lens fit into and work with an M39 to M adapter ? I can't seem to work out if M39 equivalent to L39/LTM..!

L39 and M39 are somewhat interchangeable terms, as folks use them to describe the same thing, and LTM. I think they started out different because when the Soviets started making SLRs they kept the 39mm thread mount, but because of the flange distance difference between the SLR and rangefinders called it M39 to keep people from attempting to use LTM lenses, and SLR lenses on an LTM camera. Later on they changed to the Universal M42 mount for their SLRs. I think M39 was also supposed to be a different thread pitch. One can still find sellers trying to pass-off thread mount SLR lenses as LTM, but not as often as before. Check with the seller you are getting the adapter from as to which lenses it is designed for. Usually one gets an LTM to M adapter, then put that on an M to Whatever mount adapter as there's not much of a market for Soviet SLR thread mount to (your camera name here) SLR adapters.

PF

 

[Darthfeeble]

I've used both quality adapters and cheap ones on both my Epson and Leica cameras with no ill effects. I've used a Jupiter 12 on both of those cameras and had no problem. The widest lens I have is a CV15, now the version III but originally the LTM original version and it would vignette but other than that no problems. All that said, it's all been on digital cameras, I suspect film won't be a problem either.

 

[AndersG]

For the Jupiter 12 lens the internal depth and width into the camera varies with version of it (I'm fairly certain that there are many versions). So you need to be careful when you test your Jupiter 12 on a digital (or non-Soviet) camera. My black Jupiter 12 with number 84010XY works on my Soviet cameras and on my Canon 7 (where some Jupiter 12 gets stuck, according to posts on this forum).

 

[shawn]

It should fit, as most LTM lenses fits most M mount Leicas. Just be sure there is no problem like with collapsible lenses in their collapsed state might interfere with anything near the shutter like a lightmeter cell on the M5 and the CL, as I am not familiar with the Epson R-D1 camera .

No meter stalk in the RD-1, main thing to watch for is the shutter with a collapsible lens. I think the sensor in the RD-1 is closer to the shutter than film was in the Bessas. The R-D1 has a small extension on the front of it between the body and lens mount/lens release compared to the Bessas and that gives more clearance to the shutter for collapsible lenses.

Shawn