What is the best non M digital body for M lenses?

[Filson Back]

All -

I have been a longtime M film shooter but work is keeping me from having time to develop images. I am considering a digital body
for my M lenses? What is the best **non-M** digital system to use with M lenses? I would need focus peaking to be good to great
for portraits and the like. Thanks in advance.

 

[plexi]

I see many reports issues in the corners when adopting M lenses on Sony so I would rule out them.
I get great result on my Canon R6 Mk II, but it seems that Nikon is even better for adapting lenses to, check out this video:

 

[JeffS7444]

Which specific lenses? Not all will play nicely with a digital sensor, including Leica's. The first-generation 15 mm, L39 Cosina Voigtländer Heliar would be one such lens. It's mostly the wider lenses which may be troublesome.

 

[Filson Back]

Which specific lenses? Not all will play nicely with a digital sensor, including Leica's. The first-generation 15 mm, L39 Cosina Voigtländer Heliar would be one such lens. It's mostly the wider lenses which may be troublesome.

I have a 35 Cron ASPH and the Zeiss ZM 50 f2.0 -

 

[plexi]

And then there's this, you can get an adapter that even gives you autofocus.

 

[Oren Grad]

Here are two very informative posts on this question:

Filter Stacks compared: Sony E | Nikon Z | Leica M | Kolari UT

Best fullframe mirrorless camera for adapting manual focus lenses?

FWIW, I've tried M lenses on a Canon EOS R and on a Nikon Z6, but was very unhappy with both combinations - the R because image quality loss in the corners was pretty severe, the Z6 because focusing was a nightmare. I've not had the opportunity to try a Zf, though.

There is always some image quality loss in the corners with adapted M lenses because of the sensor cover glass; how much varies with the lens and the camera to which you are adapting. Only you can decide whether the results are acceptable for your purposes, given the particular lenses and camera you want to use. So whatever camera you decide on, consider renting one to try with your lenses so you can judge for yourself before committing to the cost of a camera purchase.

 

[Darthfeeble]

I don't use them very often but I've had good results with my M mount Voightlaner wide angle to 50mm lenses on my A7CR Sony
.

 

[kxl]

I’m happy with the Nikon Z6III, but only with the TechArt TZM-02 adapter, which enables AF. Not as thrilled when using a manual focus adapter.

 

[JeffS7444]

I have a 35 Cron ASPH and the Zeiss ZM 50 f2.0 -

50 mm ought to be fine.

It's been awhile since I've used 35/2 Summicron pre-aspherical + M9 but I was never 100% satisfied with corner performance with that, or a newer 28 Elmarit-M, so I'd typically crop at least a little bit. Leica's thin sensor glass + offset micro lenses can only do so much. That's why Leica's debut digital M effort was built around an APS-H sensor. This was actually a decent solution, but the market demanded FF no matter what, so...

 

[Darthfeeble]

Epson R-D1 while quite an antique is a fine and fun camera to get you into digital. It was made to use M mount.

 

[Michalm]

Kolari Ultra Thin converted Nikon ZF or z5II + Ttartisan M to Z 6 bit adapter would be ideal If Leica M10 or newer model is out of reach.

 

[splitimageview]

I use a Nikon Z6 which I find quite good, although I don’t have any modern glass, it’s all vintage. Those two lenses should work fine on a Nikon Z. Used Sony A7-II in the past but much prefer the Nikon menus and the much quieter shutter.

 

[Archiver]

I have a 35 Cron ASPH and the Zeiss ZM 50 f2.0 -

For those lenses, either the Nikon Z6/f, Panasonic S1/5 or Leica SL/2/3 will do. Anything wider will have variable results depending on the camera. Even the SL2S isn't great for a number of wide angle M lenses. 35mm seems the limit for non-Leica bodies. I know a guy who swears by the Nikon Zf and the Summilux 35mm FLE, he says he sees no difference between the Zf and SL in terms of sharpness and that lens.

I regularly use the Summicron 50 on the Panasonic S1 and S5, and it's fine there. Differences in rendering/sharpness between the S1 and Leica M9 seem to be more about the M9's colour and inherent pixel level sharpness than the way the lens behaves with the sensor.

 

[Archiver]

Which specific lenses? Not all will play nicely with a digital sensor, including Leica's. The first-generation 15 mm, L39 Cosina Voigtländer Heliar would be one such lens. It's mostly the wider lenses which may be troublesome.

Interestingly, I've had decent results with the Voigtlander 15mm v1 and the Panasonic S5, and decent results with the SL2S, too. On the M9, the 15mm has a distinct red edge, but on the S5, S1 and SL2s, there isn't at all. Same with the Voigtlander 25/4 P, it's surprisingly good on the SL2S, which I did not expect, given that other wides like the Zeiss 21mm f2.8 is mediocre on the S1, S5 and even SL2S.

The SL cameras have the benefit of microlens arrays on the sensor to help with M lenses, and a whole bank of preset M lens profiles to adjust for vignetting, red edge etc. They are also considerably more heavy and expensive than the Nikon Zf or Panasonic S5.

 

[kxl]

I have a 35 Cron ASPH and the Zeiss ZM 50 f2.0 -

i have the 35 Cron ASPH v2 and it works perfectly fine with the TZM-02 adapter. The 50mm Planar should be perfectly fine as well—my ZM Sonnar works very well with the adapter.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Digital antique: Epson R-D1s or x
Nikon Zf
Leica SL

 

[plexi]

Woa I checked out what the Epson RD-1s go for now. Needless to say it would be completely idiotic getting one instead of a Nikon Zf, which can be had for less!
The Epsons are cool, but hell not $2k cool 🤣

 

[justins7]

Why not just look for a used digital M body, like an M9 or M240? I love my M9.

If you need something cheaper there's always Micro 4/3 (with crop factor). I still think it's pretty useful and fun to adapt my vintage lenses to my Panasonic GX.

 

[joe bosak]

Ricoh GXR with the M module would be another older, APS-C option, renowned in its day for the micro lens design which helped it work better than other options with wide angle RF lenses.

 

[pgk]

What is the best **non-M** digital system to use with M lenses?

Depends on a lot of things. I use a Sony A7II. Whilst not perfect it does a fair job, is reasonably priced and numerous adapters are available (I use Metabones). With the two lenses you mention it should be a competent performer. As for focus, well again it depends. Its pretty good using a button accessed magnification, but slower than using a rangefinder. Using focus peaking is less precise but acceptable for some situations. The last thing it all depends on is you and what you find acceptable which is the tricky one and one that only you can answer.