The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Would R Lenses Fit On The A900?

T

TimF

Guest
I wasn't sure whether to put this here or on the Leica board. It's just some musing really.

This morning I went to view a Leica 35-70mm f/2.8 Vario-Elmarit-R (wow! what a beauty that thing is), but was slightly disappointed that it appears impossible to use it on any Canon DSLR due to the large protective baffle on the back (for those who don't know the lens, the rear element projects quite a long way behind the rear flange at the 35mm setting). I didn't take any measurements, but comparing the lens with a 24mm (which also won't mount on most (all?) Canon bodies, the rear projection was greater still. Even a x1.6 crop body didn't look like there was sufficient room.

Anyhow, this set me thinking again about the A900 and those terrific Zeiss lenses. A little bit of homework suggests that the Sony flange to focal plane distance is a handy 44.5mm (Canon's being 44mm), which, in theory at least, suggests the possibility of mounting Leica R lenses (F to FP 47mm) via adapters. Do any of the splendid people here know whether this has been tried at all? I've not had a close examination of the mirror box on the camera - the mirror may be too big of course.

I'm not overly enthused by the 'look' of Canon digital SLRs, hence the question. Nikon is a possibility for some lenses, but they would require surgery to change the mount.
 

douglasf13

New member
Leica R lenses are easily adaptable to the Minolta/Alpha mount, but, AFAIK, they do take a mount replacement, because the Leica's are too big around for an adapter. What's great is that some of the holes line up with Minolta/Alpha mount, so no drilling required, and it is reversible. Here is a thread that shows some Leica to Sony conversions, with some instructions:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1037&thread=27889520&page=1

As far as the mirror clearance of the A900, here is a nice illustration from another forum that shows how handy that new, hinged mirror assembly is:

 
T

TimF

Guest
Yes indeed. Something to ponder.

I wonder if SRB could bash something up.
 

docmaas

Member
Probably not relevant since there are no elements in the rear of my telyt but I did put an M42 chipped adapter on it in place of the original leica flange. There are two obtrusions on the barrel that necessitated removing part of the adapter inside the bayonet blades. Given the difference in register I would think that almost any R lens should be adaptable.

Mike
 

Jan Brittenson

Senior Subscriber Member
Perhaps someone could convert it to R mount and provide a Miny adapter so it can still use OEM lenses. That would make it very attractive to me at least.
 

docmaas

Member
Perhaps someone could convert it to R mount and provide a Miny adapter so it can still use OEM lenses. That would make it very attractive to me at least.
Are you suggesting converting the A900 to take R lenses? I don't think that would be a good idea.

If you are thinking of something like the eos adapters that fit over the exisiting flange on contax lenses I don't think there is room to get one around an R lens and still fit it into the Alpha mount. They are quite close in size.

Mike
 

robmac

Well-known member
Word is that leitax are working on an R to MA conversion kit as per their R-Nikon and Pentax units. The possibilities...
 
Top