leica R lenses on M system??

[mad_boy]

Hi Guys,

On the bay there is a bloke that advertises a super angulon for the R system and claims it can be used with an adapter on the M's (see ad 7537019385).

Is this correct?
If so could one also use other R lenses (much cheaper) on M's?.
If R lenses fit, will they not block part of the view-finder?
(Not relevant for the angulon, uses separate finder anyway).

Regards,

Mad_boy

 

[merciful]

Is this correct?

Yes: http://cameraquest.com/adaptslrRFM.htm

 

[ray_g]

If so could one also use other R lenses (much cheaper) on M's?.
If R lenses fit, will they not block part of the view-finder?
(Not relevant for the angulon, uses separate finder anyway).

Regards,

Mad_boy

Yes, you can. It would be difficult to focus correctly, tho, because you will lose the RF coupling. With the SA, zone focusing is enough because of the large DOF. I guess you can do this too with the 35mm, but would be harder with longer lenses.

 

[Graybeard]

Another way to obtain low cost WA lenses for Leica rangefinders is to use Pentax/Practica screw mount lenses with a LTM/Pentax screw adapter. This works because the lens registration distance (film plane to lens mounting flange distance) on a Leica rangefinder is smaller than that of a Pentax-mount SLR. The adapter provides the additional spacing to make up the difference in registration difference as well as providing the appropriate mating threads.

These adapters are available commercially; I believe that they are offered at Cameraquest. I machined my own from a piece of scrap aluminum - this isn't too difficult a lathe exercise provided the lathe can cut the metric threads for the female Pentax threads. (The LTM mount is actually a sort of hybrid with English pitch threads). You use a LTM to Leica M adapter is the camera has the M-mount. You could probably cobble a similar adapter together for Leica R optics using an inexpensive T2 adapter to provide the Leica R bayonet mount.

This works best with WA lenses where zone focus is practical because of the large depth of field inherent in a wide angle - there is no rangefinder coupling with this arrangement. I use the adapter with a Russian 16mm fisheye and a 24 mm Soligor on several different LTM bodies, Barnack Leicas, Russian Leica clones, and the Bessas.

I actually used it with a 300mm Soligor telephoto as well, for a distant subject with the lens set on infinity focus. This is more of a stunt rather than a practical use because of the difficulty in accurately framing the shot with a RF viewfinder.