Best M adapters for Canon 100 and 135 LTM

[WoodallP]

Hi, sorry am a newbie here and maybe the M Lens discussions are not the right place to post, but then neither is Screw Cameras 🙂 I did search but didn't find what I was looking for so here goes.


The Canon 100 3.5 and 135 3.5 do not have a cylindrical cam like most LTM lenses, instead they have a tab or finger like projection which presses on the rangefinder lever in the camera. The disadvantage of this is that with certain LTM to M adapters this finger is not well located and thus the rangefinder is inaccurate or possibly doesn't work at all. I am sure you have all seen discussions about whether adapter X or Y positions the lens focus index mark at 12 o'clock or 2 o'clock and this is part of the same question. Some people think 12 o'clock is correct but for these lenses the rangefinder just would not work if that was the case.


So my question is, who is using these lenses successfully on an M and which adapter are you using?


There will always be the worthy advice "Old Leica or Voigtlander adapters" are the best an this is probably true but old adapters, with a cutout for infinity lock, do not allow liveview to work on M10s as the camera registers "No Lens Present" and Live View is potentially useful at 135mm.


So can anyone recommend current adapters that are good with these lenses, ideally with the pits for 6 bit encoding. I have tried Kipon but the positioning is not good and cheapies can vary between unknown suppliers.


Thanks for your help.


Phil W

 

[Mackinaw]

I use an old Leitz LTM adaptor to mount my old Canon 100/3.5 on any of my Leica M's (film and digital). Works fine. The only thing I do different is to make sure the lens is set to the closet focus point whenever I attach or remove the lens. This is so the focusing "tongue" on the lens, doesn't bang into the focusing cam in the camera as you screw the lens in (or out).

Jim B.

 

[WoodallP]

I use an old Leitz LTM adaptor to mount my old Canon 100/3.5 on any of my Leica M's (film and digital). Works fine. The only thing I do different is to make sure the lens is set to the closet focus point whenever I attach or remove the lens. This is so the focusing "tongue" on the lens, doesn't bang into the focusing cam in the camera as you screw the lens in (or out).

Jim B.

Thanks Jim, a great start. Assuming your digital M has it, does this combination work in live view mode? I don’t have an original Leitz adapter but I will have to pop to a good shop and try one.

Best wishes

Phil


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[WoodallP]

Sorry Jim another question. Does yours have the large cutout for infinity lock lenses or is it mostly circular with three small “bites” round the outside. I just looked on ebay and there are two types. I think it is only the large cut out ones that confuse live view on an M10.

Thanks

Phil


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[Mackinaw]

Live view works fine on my M240. My Leitz adaptor has one half-circle cutout (5mm in diameter?) that sits at 12:00 when mounted on the camera. Hope this helps.

Jim B.

 

[WoodallP]

Thanks again Jim, time to shop around I think.


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[a.noctilux]

I use on my M Canon ltm 3.5/135mm for decades with Leitz 35/135 adapter.
It worked fine but with M240 or M10 their liveview/EVF don't work anymore.
When use with RF/ovf, it can be used like other film M .


So to use liveview, take the typ II which will "hide" the 6bit sensor, or just "hide" the sensor with some kind of black tape (or sometime, I use one of my digit to "hide the sensor" before pushing "LV button", not practical).


Have a look here for different types of adapters:
https://www.cameraquest.com/adaptltm.htm

 

[WoodallP]

HI, thanks for the tape idea; simple but I hadn't thought of it. I can see that type II or type III are clearly the adapters to have to avoid live view problems and authentic type II Leitz ISOOZ (35/135) adapters exist. I will give one a try and hopefully it will do the job. Certainly some of the cheap adapters I have tried do not pleace the RF "tongue" in the right place.

 

[Goody]

I can confirm that the Canon 100mm 3.5 LTM is, as pointed out, a bit problematic with some LTM cameras (and I assume adapters) -- on one of my LTM camera focuses correctly; on another doesn't.

 

[Huss]

Cant u just turn off the lens recognition setting or set it to manual in the menu? w/o having to tape anything? I’ve never had issues with my M240.

As for LTM adapters I’ve used them all from expensive Leica and Voigtlander to
cheap and have settled on Fotodiox Pro. I see no difference in use and you can return them if you have issues.

 

[a.noctilux]

Cant u just turn off the lens recognition setting or set it to manual in the menu? w/o having to tape anything? I’ve never had issues with my M240.

As for LTM adapters I’ve used them all from expensive Leica and Voigtlander to
cheap and have settled on Fotodiox Pro. I see no difference in use and you can return them if you have issues.

Lens recognition or not, when the camera detect "no lens attached" it turns the Liveview or EVF "off".
When I use the adapter LTM-M with cut-out for Elmar tab, the camera just turns off the EVF/LV function, it detects no lens attached.
Only when I want to use EVF/LV, but with OVF no problem.
Type II ok with every lens

Type I no LV/EVF with M240 or M10 whichever the lens detection set

 

[Huss]

Lens recognition or not, when the camera detect "no lens attached" it turns the Liveview or EVF "off".
When I use the adapter LTM-M with cut-out for Elmar tab, the camera just turns off the EVF/LV function, it detects no lens attached.
Only when I want to use EVF/LV, but with OVF no problem.
Type II ok with every lens

Type I no LV/EVF with M240 or M10 whichever the lens detection set

I just checked my M240. If I turn Lens Detection off, Live View works with LTM lenses. Not sure what is up with yours. No need for tape or any such thing.

 

[a.noctilux]

Also checked with my M240/M10.
You are absolutely right, Huss.
When lens detection set to off, LV works with every adapter I and II .


Thanks for this so easy solution.
I can use more ltm lenses more often now with LV/EVF because those lenses need to frame/focus carefully.


Thanks a lot.

 

[Huss]

My pleasure.
That is what is so great about the digital M system. The menu system is simple, basic and intuitive and only has the bare essentials. Which is what we want on an M. So setting this is very simple, and if you want to change it back, just as simple.
You could even save a custom setting for this.

 

[WoodallP]

Thanks too; the topic morphed and ended up helping people as well as me. I now regret selling a Leitz type 1 adapter to fund a “better” one because of the Liveview problem. Actually everything Leitz/Leica I have sold I regret, but I’m sure many feel the same.


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[Huss]

Thanks too; the topic morphed and ended up helping people as well as me. I now regret selling a Leitz type 1 adapter to fund a “better” one because of the Liveview problem. Actually everything Leitz/Leica I have sold I regret, but I’m sure many feel the same.


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I wouldn't worry about it. I have genuine Leica adaptors, and the ones I have from Fotodiox Pro work just as well if not better. Plus they are new and cheaper.

Once on camera, you cannot see whether it says made by Leica, Fotodiox, or Bubba from down the block.
🙂