Canon 28mm 2.8 LTM

[corefunk]

Hi, I was wondering if any one can provide advice for this lens. I have just bought this lens and excitedly put on the m mount adaptor and then fit it into my Leica M4-p. To my horror, it does not focus up to infinity when mounted onto the camera. It stops at 25ft and the focusing tab refuse to go any further. I really like the look of this lens and hate to return it. Anyone has a similar experience? Is my lens faulty? Or is the adaptor faulty? - it's a 28mm adaptor. Oddly enough, when the lens is taken out of the camera the focusing ring turns to infinity....

 

[jonmanjiro]

Is the focus tab on the lens hitting the frame selection lever on the camera?

 

[Timmyjoe]

I've had this issue with a number of different Canon & other LTM lenses when mounted in adapters. If what Jon mentioned, the focus tab hitting the frame selection lever, isn't the problem, I would try a different adapter. Try to get a good quality one, maybe even a Leitz one if you can find it. Make sure the surface between your adapter and the flange of the lens is perfectly clean, make sure there are not dented threads on the lens mount.

The Canon 28mm f2.8 is an interesting lens. I really like mine. Garry Winogrand used one for years in NYC for street photography. Mine is tack sharp in the center, even wide open, but pretty soft at the edges until about f5.6.

Good luck with yours.

Best,
-Tim

 

[shimokita]

I have a Canon 28mm f/2.8 in Canon S-mount (LTM) which I use on a Leica IIIf and with a Leica adapter on my MP (film) with no problems... love the lens

If you have access to a Leica thread mount camera give it a try before ordering a different adapter...

 

[DennisM]

Canon 28mm LTM

Canon 28mm LTM

Hi, I was wondering if any one can provide advice for this lens. I have just bought this lens and excitedly put on the m mount adaptor and then fit it into my Leica M4-p. To my horror, it does not focus up to infinity when mounted onto the camera. It stops at 25ft and the focusing tab refuse to go any further. I really like the look of this lens and hate to return it. Anyone has a similar experience? Is my lens faulty? Or is the adaptor faulty? - it's a 28mm adaptor. Oddly enough, when the lens is taken out of the camera the focusing ring turns to infinity....

I recently acquired the exact same lens with screw to bayonet adapter. Works perfectly on my CLE and M6 bodies. Focuses to infinity and brings up the 28mm frame lines on both bodies. The adapter has the numbers 10632 on the flange that contacts the camera body if that is any help. Does your lens bring up the 28mm (and 90mm) frame lines on your M4-P?

 

[DHK]

I use that 28 with a fotodiox (sp?) adapter on an m5. No complaints.

 

[raid]

I used to own a Canon 28/3.5 ltm. It worked very well on all my Leica cameras.

 

[Spavinaw]

I tried my Canon 28/2.8 ltm on several brands of ltm cameras and with three different brands of adapters on a Leica M5. Worked perfectly on all of them.

 

[dourbalistar]

OP, check which type of LTM adapter you have, as there are different types. Some have cutouts to accommodate certain lenses, where the infinity locks are very close to the mount (e.g. Leitz Elmar 5cm f/3.5). Our Head Bartender has some info here:
https://www.cameraquest.com/adaptltm.htm

Fotodiox makes two different types sold on B&H. The non-pro version has a cutout:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/995069-REG/fotodiox_l39_lm_35_135_leica_m39_lens_to.html

The Pro version is perfectly round with no cut-out for the infinity lock and lever:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1238918-REG/fotodiox_l39_lm_35_135_p_leica_m39_lens_to.html

 

[DHK]

OP, check which type of LTM adapter you have, as there are different types. Some have cutouts to accommodate certain lenses, where the infinity locks are very close to the mount (e.g. Leitz Elmar 5cm f/3.5). Our Head Bartender has some info here:
https://www.cameraquest.com/adaptltm.htm

Fotodiox makes two different types sold on B&H. The non-pro version has a cutout:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/995069-REG/fotodiox_l39_lm_35_135_leica_m39_lens_to.html

The Pro version is perfectly round with no cut-out for the infinity lock and lever:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1238918-REG/fotodiox_l39_lm_35_135_p_leica_m39_lens_to.html

Didn’t notice that. I think this is the one I have with the 28 and m5. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/995068-REG

 

[Timmyjoe]

I use a couple of those Fotodiox adapters on a couple of Canon LTM lenses. I use them because they have been machined for 6-bit coding, and I like to use the Canons on a digital Leica. But those Fotodiox adapters aren't the highest quality. They cause issues (stiffness in focusing with the Canon lenses) on a number of different Leica bodies I've tried them on. I also have a couple of Leitz adapters, which unfortunately cannot be 6-bit coded, which when attached to either Canon lens, have no issues with focus smoothness no matter what Leica body I try them on.

Years ago, I was having this same issue with a Collapsible 5cm Summicron on a IIIf that had just come back from Leica service. Someone suggested I talk with Gus Lazarus(sp) about the issue and he told me that when reassembling the IIIf camera, there was one weird step, and if it wasn't followed exactly, the flange on the front of the camera would not be perfectly flat. He told me how to undo the assembly and put it back together again the correct way, and when I did, the Collapsible Summicron focused smooth as silk.

Ever since then I've been convinced that whenever an LTM lens focuses smooth as silk when off the camera body, but was stiff and binding when mounted on the camera body, the cause was some component, the lens flange, the adapter, or the camera flange, was not perfectly flat/straight.

My 2¢ worth.

Best,
-Tim

 

[corefunk]

Ok. Latest update is that I thought it was the adaptor that I used. So I bought a better one - voigtlander. And it does focus to infinity now but it does not lock back into the focusing lock....