Another cult lens

I wonder if a Nikkor 50 1.2 would work on an M body...hmmmmmmm?

Todd
 
Yes, Amedeo has done such conversions. It is the Canon 50/1.2L that I would love to have in M.
 
The Canon and Nikon SLR lenses are still close enough to the old standard of 51.6mm that you should be able to get accurate focus at 1 meter and a sharp image at infinity as long as the helicoid rate wasn't too far off, and it's not. Only the lenses that have really quick focus throw will be unable to be used and the superspeed 50's in question here are definitely not in the fast focusing group.
I think it is perfectly reasonable to have an adapter from an SLR lens to a Leica M camera without having to do a modification on the lens. A Takumar is one thing but doing a permanent mod on a Nikon or Canon 50/1.2 would just be a little painful. The issue is transference of the lens motion to the cam follower in the Leica body. This is not a big deal though because Nikon has provided us with the perfect part: the intermediate cam follower/cam surface on the 10.5cm f/2.5 Nikkor. If there is a parts lens out there, and there must be, this intermediate cam can be scavenged and used to directly push the Leica body cam follower. It's small enough that it will fit into the SLR to M adapter and is soft enough brass that just some careful filing can give the perfect length of the intermediate cam for each lens.
With a little creativity and the ability to grind a fine gear mesh, this same principle could be used to transfer the lens motion from the 24mm f/1.4 L or SSC Canon to the Leica body cam follower.
I've got it all in my head, I just don't have access to the tools to make it happen.

Phil Forrest
 
JSU said:
If somehow this lens could be adapted for Leica M rangefinder coupled use, I would gladly pay no small amount for such.
Click to expand...

Indeed -- my Canon FD 50mm f/1.2 L lens, once my hands-down favorite, has been lying fallow, lo these many years!
::Ari
 
Phil_F_NM said:
I'm still trying to figure out how to adapt the Canon L 50/1.2 FD but the mount and the non-shrouded massive rear element are the problems I see.
Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

I don't see how this could be done. The rear element of the FD 50L is stationary and does not move with the helical thru the focusing range.

The M mount and LTM lenses obtain their correct cam travel by the thread pitch of the helical. The wides cam travels greater distance than the tele cams, while the wide lens group travels the least distance from mfd to infinity, and the tele lens group travels the greatest distance from mfd to infinity.

With some 50ish SLR lenses, there is a happy medium where the lens group travels about the same distance as the rangefinder cam. As long as the rear element housing is about the same diameter as the cam diameter, 33mm, a brass cylinder could be pressure or shim/glue fitted over the rear element housing for a max diameter of about 35mm.

If the linear travel of the lens is close to the cam travel of the rangefinder camera, then the cam can be flat. If rangefinder infinity doesn't match mfd, then the cam needs to have a slope.
 
it's an amazing conversion.
Now for those of you with less technical and master craftsman tools and abilities, here is my real kwik solution.
Take your Canon,Minolta,Nikon or Pentax lens. One of those speed lenses.. f1.2 or 1.4. Mount it on the relative C,M,N or P SLR.
Take some pre-marked Dymo tape, marked/stamped "Leica".
Place over camera's logo. Be Happy.( i also think scanning film, a long trip to images that digital does better..)
Please!Full apologies.
I think the conversion fantastic, wonderful and very creative.
 
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buzzardkid said:
......

Question: is the rear element diameter of the Nikkor 50/1.2 and Pentax 50/1.2 too large to make that cam line up with the RF arm?
Click to expand...

No the rear element is not too large, but it's a close call, see this thread with an 50mm 1.2 rangefinder coupled Nikon AI

The Arm needs to be about a mm from the rear lens element to not disturb blur circles etc.
 
As of today I have my Pentax FA 50/1.4 RF-coupled and the adapter is bringing up the correct frame lines in my M6. Now all I need to do is paint the brass tube optical black, and epoxy it in place (currently it's a press-fit).

I am very excited about this project. Hats off to Roland for inspiration, encouragement, and technical advice.
 
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