mutiexposure via B mode with large format lenses including shutter on a digital leica M?!?!

[geotrupede]

I am looking for a way to create multiple exposure on a digital camera, by using the B mode and then actuating the shutter of a vintage lens multiple time within a single take, except I have no clue on which lens. which shutter, what options are available and if it would work.

Looking on ebay I can see many options for vintage large format lenses...

But I am using a leica M, so flange distance not an issue, but overall size might be.
Ideally I would like a lens whose focal is no longer than 50mm, and it would be great to have a shutter capable of 1/250th or preferred 1/1000th.

Using sunny f16 and ISO64 I should be good at 1/250th. to take at least 2/3 exposures.

Did anyone look into this before?
Are there options?
Where should I look?
Any suggestion welcomed,

G.

 

[Alan]

Do you have a mounting method in mind? If you don't want to re-cock the shutter between exposures, you'll need a press-type shutter (self-cocking). Actual LF lenses in the 50mm range will be wide angle design. Something salvaged from an old medium format or 35mm folder might be more appropriate, but again, do you have a plan for mounting and focussing? You won't find 1/1000s - I think Copal press shutters went to 1/125. Not sure what was available on folding cameras.

What context will you be shooting in - could you use multiple flash pops for the exposures instead?

 

[geotrupede]

Thanks! Yes flash, I do that at night, it is precisely the idea. But during the day I would like to do with natural light. Was yesterday in a used camera shop looking at options, so I think that a lens with a leaf shutter will do, need to find something for small format, rather than adapting the large one as the sensor is too small. The mount is the next puzzle. G.

 

[Godfrey]

It's not too difficult to hack together a focusing mount out of a Voigtländer VM-E focusing adapter and then fit a view or press camera lens/shutter in front of it. Getting the back focus distance correct is a bit of detail work, and making sure that the helicoid focusing mount has enough range (and is positioned correctly) for the distance range you want. A self-cocking shutter is convenient, but if you're working on a tripod most of the time (as you normally would for multiple exposures), recocking the shutter shouldn't be too much difficulty.

The larger issue is how quickly you are going to make the multiple exposures on the same frame capture as most of the Leica M digital bodies shut the exposure down after 30 seconds (or a minute, can't recall) to prevent sensor overheating (and damage) even on the B setting. I haven't timed the M10-M and M10-R bodies yet because I haven't had the occasion to need more than about 10 seconds exposure time. For this reason, most of the multi-exposure work I've seen was captured as separate exposures and composited in post processing efforts.

G

 

[geotrupede]

hi there and thanks for coming back, so in the end I took the lazy route of cannibalising a compur shutter from a large formate lens (size 3) and then mount in front of a 35mm M lens in the hope to minimise the vignetting. There is some, but actually do not care much, i can crop. works like a charm and I am using a 8s exposure and fast re-aim re-load re-trigger action ;-) It is a lot of fun and recommend.