do leica ltm collapsible lenses fit the r?

[paulfish4570]

rather, do they collapse into the body without harm? i fondly remember an elmar 50/2.8 ...

 

[wotalegend]

They will certainly mount and focus normally on the R, but they will not collapse fully into the body. All the Bessa bodies have protrusions inside the lens mount which prevent the lens tube from collapsing all the way. I have just done a test with my R using a FSU collapsible lens (because I don't own a real Leica collapsible) and found that it stops about 5mm short of fully collapsed. I have seen some people claim that there is a danger of damaging the shutter with a collapsible lens. I don't know if there are differences between Bessas, but on mine at least there is no danger of that because of the body protrusions top and bottom, which stop the lens tube about 3-4mm short of the outer grey shutter blades. And my L, T, and R3A are all the same.

 

[Bingley]

I use Leica collapsibles on my Bessa T and R3A, and used them on an R when I had it... BUT! the previous poster is correct that they go not collapse all the way into the body. Here's what I do when using my Elmar 50/2.8 or Summitar on a Bessa: I take an elastic hair band (expropriated from my daughter) and wrap it several times around the lens barrel; you can then collapse the lens into the body part way, w/out scraping the innards of the Bessa. Works like a charm.

 

[paulfish4570]

the reason i ask is that a couple of elmar 50/2.8s are on ebay, one at a resonable price. i had an m-mount vesion on a leica m3 30 years ago, and loved the results with tri-x. AND i need a lens for the r body i'm expecting any time. thanks for the tips.