OM Lens on a M system. Adapters, what to watch out for?

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RF-OG

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I have a Zuiko 50 1.8 I want to try on a M camera (a bessa R2M if it matters). Can I just purchase an adapter from ebay and it will work? Will the focus work (ie, the patch)? And what about the framelines? Will they be accurate?

Sorry for the stupid questions, I am very new with M cameras.
 
No. All adapters currently around are not coupled - that is, they are strictly scale focus (or to be used with the live view on a digital M mount camera). I vaguely remember that many years ago there was a OM to M adapter which could manipulate the RF cam, turning the Leica into a external rangefinder scale focus camera, where a scale value readable on the adapter after matching the focus patch had to be transferred manually to the lens. But I haven't seen that for ages, and I might even be wrong about the lens side mount...
 
sevo said:
I vaguely remember that many years ago there was a OM to M adapter which could manipulate the RF cam, turning the Leica into a external rangefinder scale focus camera, where a scale value readable on the adapter after matching the focus patch had to be transferred manually to the lens. But I haven't seen that for ages, and I might even be wrong about the lens side mount...
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I'd say, your memory is excellent, and additionally, cf. my recent thread covering that topic: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157067
 
sevo said:
No. All adapters currently around are not coupled - that is, they are strictly scale focus (or to be used with the live view on a digital M mount camera). I vaguely remember that many years ago there was a OM to M adapter which could manipulate the RF cam, turning the Leica into a external rangefinder scale focus camera, where a scale value readable on the adapter after matching the focus patch had to be transferred manually to the lens. But I haven't seen that for ages, and I might even be wrong about the lens side mount...
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Ok, thanks. Then it doesn´t seem like a viable option for my M film camera. :)
 
RF-OG said:
Ok, thanks. Then it doesn´t seem like a viable option for my M film camera. :)
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But basically, uncoupled wide angle lenses work very well on a LTM or M-RF.
E.g., when one is using a humble 35mm-SLR-lens of 35mm focal length, choose aperture 8 and 5m, and you'll have everything from 2.5m to infinity in focus.
 
RF-OG said:
Ok, thanks. Then it doesn´t seem like a viable option for my M film camera. :)
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Not sure whether what you're trying to do is have a camera to use for the 50, or whether you need a 50 for your R2M. If it's about shooting the 50 Zuiko, you could do worse than pick up an OM-10, these go for a song and are actually much nicer than their price suggests..

If it's about having a 50 for the R2M, then as others have already mentioned, scale focusing a 50 is a challenge. Not that it can't be done, and there are plenty old cameras that have nothing else than an uncoupled 50, but you'd have to either accept a fair amount of out of focus shots or never print larger than a post-stamp..
 
pvdhaar said:
Not sure whether what you're trying to do is have a camera to use for the 50, or whether you need a 50 for your R2M. If it's about shooting the 50 Zuiko, you could do worse than pick up an OM-10, these go for a song and are actually much nicer than their price suggests..

If it's about having a 50 for the R2M, then as others have already mentioned, scale focusing a 50 is a challenge. Not that it can't be done, and there are plenty old cameras that have nothing else than an uncoupled 50, but you'd have to either accept a fair amount of out of focus shots or never print larger than a post-stamp..
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Both actually. I have the 50 since my OM-10 crashed and after testing it a little bit, it will be a part of my Fuji X-Pro2 setup. I thought maybe I also can use it on my Bessa R2M. Then I´d have two lenses for the M and shoot it on the Fuji. Awesome, right? I dont think i can use it in the long run on the M though, given the focus challenges. It just means I need to buy a 50 if I find out I need that focal length. I have just started out and trying to maximise what I have already to keep investments low for now.

Thank you for replying.
 
RF-OG said:
Both actually. I have the 50 since my OM-10 crashed and after testing it a little bit, it will be a part of my Fuji X-Pro2 setup. I thought maybe I also can use it on my Bessa R2M. Then I´d have two lenses for the M and shoot it on the Fuji. Awesome, right? I dont think i can use it in the long run on the M though, given the focus challenges. It just means I need to buy a 50 if I find out I need that focal length. I have just started out and trying to maximise what I have already to keep investments low for now.
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Hmm … You are aware that a decent (despite uncoupled) SLR-to-RF-adapter may cost a lot more than, say, a coupled FSU-lens plus LTM-to-M-adapter?
 
radi(c)al_cam said:
Hmm … You are aware that a decent (despite uncoupled) SLR-to-RF-adapter may cost a lot more than, say, a coupled FSU-lens plus LTM-to-M-adapter?
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Maybe, but I just always buy cheap china ebay stuff. Olympus OM to Leica M adapter is USD 23 free shipping.

By the way, I am quite new at this, what is a FSU-lens? Tried to google and everybody seem to know what it is?
 
The Fed 50/f3.5 is an amazing lens , I actually have one which seems to focus OK on the M8 , but I do stop it down to f8 .
I am told that manual focusing on the X-Pro 1 is not too easy , which is why I bought a cheap 27 f2.8 .
 
I'm starting to look at this for my M-P since I have the accessory EVF. I don't care for M viewfinders beyond 75mm, and the EVF opens up a world of options for uncoupled lenses. I have a nice, small, sharp 135mm Zuiko that would make a nice addition to the M kit, and being able to shoot my Nikkor 180/2.8 if needed is very interesting indeed.
 
RF-OG said:
Maybe, but I just always buy cheap china ebay stuff. Olympus OM to Leica M adapter is USD 23 free shipping.

By the way, I am quite new at this, what is a FSU-lens? Tried to google and everybody seem to know what it is?
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RF-OG said:
radi(c)al_cam said:
Former Soviet Union.
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Aah, that makes sense :) I am a little afraid of those, as I heard to they may need to be shimmed to focus correctly?
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Hm. You’re afraid of FSU lenses, but you're not afraid of «cheap china ebay stuff»? That’s a bit inconsistent, IMHO.
 
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