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Leica M to EOS adapter?

Arne Hvaring

Arne Hvaring

Well-known member
drazin said:
is there an adapter or a solution to use M lenses on a canon EOS system (full frame 5d)?
Click to expand...

Basically no, the distance between the flange and film (sensor) of the M cameras is far too short to accommodate a SLR mirror. If you have older M-lenses (65mm or longer) some might be detachable for use with the Visoflex mirror viewfinder; these should be adaptable to current SLRs. Given the quality of present days optics, I doubt if it's worth the bother though...
 
C

cookedart

Member
The only adaptable mount for M lenses right now is Micro Four Thirds - this can be achieved because there is no reflex mirror (and thus, only an Electronic Viewfinder is possible).

Novoflex has an adapter that lets you mount M lenses onto Panasonic or Olympus M43 bodies, but of course, the sensor sizes are a 2x crop (so definitely not full frame, like you're asking).
 
Greg Lockrey

Greg Lockrey

New member
There is an adapter that will let you attach a Leica extension bellows (for the Visioflex) and if you have that and the associated hardware you can use all of your lenses 65mm and longer. You can also use it with the 400 mm Telyt. If you are inclined to do very close up work, the you can use the shorter lenses. You can get it at Camera Quest. FWIW.... it is preferable to use this set up with a tripod since it weighs a "ton". :)
 
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LCT

LCT

Member
"[SIZE=+0]This adapter can work with lenses having both only automatic diaphragm (A) and selector A/M (automatic/manual diaphragm)"

Mistaken for R lenses i guess.
[/SIZE]
 
LCT

LCT

Member
This guy knows nothing about M Lenses i'm afraid. The latters are too far from dSLR sensors to works otherwise than in macro mode.
 
O

oyang

Guest
I am completely new to this, so forgive me if I get the terms wrong. I decided to invest in a Leica M3 and some lenses for it; great fun! A friend of mine has a Canon EOS, and like the original poster of this thread, I was hoping to mount the Leica M-lenses to the Canon SLR. I got a cheap adapter on eBay and discovered what you are all saying: it can only allow the lenses to work as macro lenses, and does not allow focus to infinity.

After some reading and thinking I finally understood the problem you all have been discussing here: the focal length of the lenses is too short compared to what is needed to reach the Canon sensor. If this were to work, it would require another lens in the adapter to push the focal length further back to reach the sensor.

This crude diagram is my understanding of the problem. So I pose the question: how can I get an adapter made that does this? A helpful technician at a company I called suggested that I try some biconcave doublet lenses from Edmund's, and if I could find one that works, have a machinist make the adapter.

Questions for everyone:

1. Can I calculate the lens correction I would need so I have a rough idea of what doublet lenses to order?
2. Would the image suffer so much degradation that this is not worth the trouble and expense?
3. If I get this all figured out, would there be a market if I could get several adapters made?

Thanks much for any information,

Otto
 
LCT

LCT

Member
It is not a matter of focal length (FL) but of flange focal distance (FFD) as mentionned in your diagram. Problem is the FFD of RF lenses is shorter than that of SLR cameras. Optical doublets are used to correct chromatic aberrations usually but i don't know if they can modify FFD in any way. Failing which, an adapter should protrude into the SLR's body which would let little room for the lens if any and would require a permanent lockup of the mirror. FFIW.
 
O

oyang

Guest
LCT said:
It is not a matter of focal length (FL) but of flange focal distance (FFD) as mentionned in your diagram. Problem is the FFD of RF lenses is shorter than that of SLR cameras. Optical doublets are used to correct chromatic aberrations usually but i don't know if they can modify FFD in any way. Failing which, an adapter should protrude into the SLR's body which would let little room for the lens if any and would require a permanent lockup of the mirror. FFIW.
Click to expand...

So then I'm confused. Doesn't adjusting focal length with a corrective lens make up for the altered FFD? Using a concave lens (Barlow) should move the focal length back to match the FFD, no? Isn't that how glasses and eyeballs work? Someone who is near-sighted has a focal length that is too short to reach the retina due to the geometry of the cornea and lens, and glasses are used to adjust the focal length backwards (negative diopters).

It sounds like you are suggesting that the lens needs to be moved to match the FFD.... instead, can't this be done optically, with "glasses" for the Canon EOS to correct near-sightedness with the Leica M-mount lenses?
 
O

Oren Grad

Active member
oyang said:
It sounds like you are suggesting that the lens needs to be moved to match the FFD.... instead, can't this be done optically, with "glasses" for the Canon EOS to correct near-sightedness with the Leica M-mount lenses?
Click to expand...

Yes, it can be done optically. Such adapters with corrector elements already exist for some lens mount combinations. But often the reason for wanting to adapt lenses across systems is to take advantage of distinctive optical characteristics that those lenses offer. Adding glass to an adapter will necessarily change those characteristics, almost always for the worse, defeating the purpose of adapting the lens.

More simply: once you put additional glass behind your adapted lens, it's not the same lens any more.
 
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