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D3200 with Leica lens

fotoism

Member
Lately D3200 price has dropped below $500 (with kit lens) and that got me thinking if it's a good idea to add it to my Leica system as a carefree body.

Are there good quality adapters you would recommend for M, R, and Viso mount lenses to be used on the D3200? I understand it will be manual focusing, and the focusing screen is not the best, but is it at least comparable to visoflex matt screen?

On the other hand, I read there will be "no metering" for non-AF-S lenses. Does it mean you have to guesstimate aperture and shutter speed? Will one of those "focus confirmation chip" allow the adapters to talk to the body?

I appreciate if anyone using the D3200 with Leica lenses would share his/her experience.
 

Hulyss Bowman

Active member
I don't think any ppl having leica lenses would use it on a Nikon D3200 ... But that's just my opinion.
I call it "Jam to piglets".
 

fotoism

Member
Actually I am thinking more of using the D3200 with my existing bellows systems as well as the Telyt lenses as a substitute for the visoflex housing. The 15-135 range lenses will still remain mostly on the M bodies, except it won't hurt to explore the differences how the two bodies/sensors render.
 

John_McMaster

Active member
M lenses and the Visoflex have too short a register distance to work on a DSLR, R lenses need their mount changed to fit Nikon - there is no extra adaptor like for Canon (again the register distance).

john
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
You need a better viewfinder than the one on the D3200 to focus manually. The cheapest option would be a used D200. Then you would also have metering. A D300 or D2X would be even better. As has been mentioned above, only R-lenses will work, and you need to change the mount (Leica & Pentax & Nikon | Leitax).

If you are going to use wide aperture lenses, I would recommend changing the focusing screen to one more suitable for that, possibly one with split screen/microprism. But the best camera for this is not a Nikon, it's the Canon 6D or the classic 5D. All Leica R, and the cheaper Zeiss CY mount, lenses can be used with an adapter, and the focusing screen is replaceable. They cost a bit more than $500 though.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Are there good quality adapters you would recommend for M, R, and Viso mount lenses to be used on the D3200? I understand it will be manual focusing, and the focusing screen is not the best, but is it at least comparable to visoflex matt screen?
Though poor, it will be better than the Visoflex focusing! :shocked:

On the other hand, I read there will be "no metering" for non-AF-S lenses. Does it mean you have to guesstimate aperture and shutter speed? Will one of those "focus confirmation chip" allow the adapters to talk to the body?
Yes. The chips (like Dandelion and such) would allow for metering (perhaps not matrix and definitely not 3D matrix metering). However, they need to be implemented properly in the lens side of the mount. Fairly straight forward if you are handy with a Dremel.

I would strongly suggest that you look at a NEX (specifically the NEX-6) for the M and the Viso lenses. The EVF allows for much superior focusing, the size of the camera is great and the image quality pretty good. Metering (all types) are allowed and is off the imaging sensor itself. Can not get better than that!
 

BSEH

New member
Put in the Dandelion chip for matrix metering, and a Katzeye spilt focus screen, rip out the AA filter on the sensor and you in business....:)

Leitax have what you need - setting on the Chip on his bajonets is not that hard.. and cost is like 150 usd - the katzeye is 105 usd.. maybe tax ? .. i donno...

taking out AA filter.. around 400 usd..:)

But then i buy a D7100 and put in the Katzeye...
 
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fotoism

Member
Looks like although the D3200 is cheap, it is not the candidate for incorporating my M, R or Viso lenses. For that I need to look in other directions as suggested, and maybe just use it as a spiced-up P&S.
Thanks for all the inputs.
 
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