Leica M - Nex, quality or cheap adapter ?

[Ken Ford]

I honestly wonder why you use zone focusing on your NEX.
The peaking mode is fantastic!

Some styles of shooting call for zone focusing.

I'm using a few cheap adapters right now, but the inaccurate register is bothering me - plus my OM one (my most used one) doesn't lock at 12:00. I'm tempted to order a Novoflex for my OM lenses and be done with it.

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . . For one Novoflex you can get 10 budget ones. You don't expect all of them to be lemons, do you? Even if every second one is a bad copy, you would get 5 working ones for the price of one Novoflex. . . .

At which point you have may have several bad adapters, and one working cheap one, which may not maintain its precision, PLUS the hassle of buying them all. I can see your point but there's a reason why Novoflex stuff is expensive: it's beautifully made. Frances and I both use Novoflex tripod heads (completely different models). If I wanted to use my Leica lenses on anything other than a Leica, I'd probably buy Novoflex adapters.

Cheers,

R.

 

[GaryLH]

Some styles of shooting call for zone focusing.

I'm using a few cheap adapters right now, but the inaccurate register is bothering me - plus my OM one (my most used one) doesn't lock at 12:00. I'm tempted to order a Novoflex for my OM lenses and be done with it.

So far I have only had two cheap adapters that was spot on at inf. the rest I had to spend time shimming them for good inf focus.. Without that the no use even attempting zone focus. Some adapters cannot be taken apart to add the shimm or the screws being used are too short. But so far I have been lucky with the adapters I have ordered.

Gary

 

[GaryLH]

At which point you have may have several bad adapters, and one working cheap one, which may not maintain its precision, PLUS the hassle of buying them all. I can see your point but there's a reason why Novoflex stuff is expensive: it's beautifully made. Frances and I both use Novoflex tripod heads (completely different models). If I wanted to use my Leica lenses on anything other than a Leica, I'd probably buy Novoflex adapters.

Cheers,

R.

Fwiw.. Bwcolor in a post several months back said he bought an adapter from Amazon which was bad at inf and sent it back asking for a replacement.. The second one he received was spot on...

In terms of build quality, as they say u get what u pay for... I would say Novaflex is the gold standard here. However, if your camera manufacturer has their own mount adapter, their quality level should be just as good.

Gary

 

[Ken Ford]

At which point you have may have several bad adapters, and one working cheap one, which may not maintain its precision, PLUS the hassle of buying them all. I can see your point but there's a reason why Novoflex stuff is expensive: it's beautifully made. Frances and I both use Novoflex tripod heads (completely different models). If I wanted to use my Leica lenses on anything other than a Leica, I'd probably buy Novoflex adapters.

Cheers,

R.

I've personally found the cheap adapters have a place - as proof-of-concept rigs. I'm glad I didn't spend a lot on my M-NEX or AI-NEX adapters, because I'm finding I much prefer my OM glass on the NEX7.

However, I've reached the point that the concept has been proved for me - to steal a phrase from the software field, time to move on to production code. For me, that likely means Novoflex.

Question for those in the know - how do the Voigtlander adapters compare to Novoflex? Do they offer accurate infinity registration?

 

[Kent]

... there's a reason why Novoflex stuff is expensive: it's beautifully made. Frances and I both use Novoflex tripod heads (completely different models). If I wanted to use my Leica lenses on anything other than a Leica, I'd probably buy Novoflex adapters.

I do not deny the high quality of Novoflex adapters. But I don't see the point that my adapter costs more than the lens. For expensive Leica glass you might have a point there.

It also plays a role how many lenses you have. I prefer to have one adapter per lens, so that I do not have to change them often. I could never do that with Novoflex-Adapters without risking divorce. 😉

At which point you have may have several bad adapters, and one working cheap one, which may not maintain its precision, PLUS the hassle of buying them all.

Ahhmm, no, I'd have 5 non-working and 5 working ones if I bought 10 of them and every second one had problems. 😉

And what hassle is it to click on BIN on EBAY? 😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . And what hassle is it to click on BIN on EBAY? 😉

(1) Dealing with ebay
(2) Dealing with payal
(3) Waiting for delivery... seeing if it's any good... buying another...
(4) As (1)...etc.

Cheers,

R.

 

[laoyou]

I honestly wonder why you use zone focussing on your NEX.
The peaking mode is fantastic!

I notice that the focus peaking isn't accurate enough, especially when using a wider angle lens and smaller aperture.

 

[craygc]

I honestly wonder why you use zone focussing on your NEX.
The peaking mode is fantastic!

The reason you would zone focus on a Nex are exactly the same ones that have you zone focusing on any manual focus camera - pre-emptive speed or shooting blind!

 

[kutitta]

I second the helicoid adapter. It allows close focus on the M lenses similar to what SLR lenses have been able to do for a long time. I have the Hawk as well, and infinity is great. There are cheaper copies now, but I have no experience with their quality. If only somebody would design an M body with a close focus helicoid built in 😱.......

Link to a cheap copy....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140780841091?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I'm now in the process of getting a NEX 5N after the price drop in Australia. I will use it with Leica and Olympus OM glass, so i need to get the adapters. I just saw dweekie's post regarding the cheap copy of hawks adapter. Just wondering if any RFF members have used this adapter. It would be great if those who have used this adapter can share their feedback.
Thanks

 

[z.bruce.li]

The cheaper ebay version of helicoid adapter is ok. I have been using one for a few months now, mainly with my CV Nokton 35/1.4. For the ebay version, you should not expect silky smooth and dampened focusing, nor smooth edges, nor grippy focusing ring. And mine need a little bit of adjustment of spring upon arrival. But at the end of day, it gives me the close focus capability for M-mount RF lenses in a very compact and light weight package.

 

[kutitta]

The cheaper ebay version of helicoid adapter is ok. I have been using one for a few months now, mainly with my CV Nokton 35/1.4. For the ebay version, you should not expect silky smooth and dampened focusing, nor smooth edges, nor grippy focusing ring. And mine need a little bit of adjustment of spring upon arrival. But at the end of day, it gives me the close focus capability for M-mount RF lenses in a very compact and light weight package.

Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated!

 

[peter_n]

I use the Novoflex and LME helicoid (Hawk copy) for Leica M lenses. The Hawk copy doesn't have the positive feel of the Novoflex when you insert or remove a lens but once the lens is in the adapter it works well.


NEX-7, LME helicoid adapter, Leica 35/2 ASPH