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Speed booster for NEX

Stefan Steib

Active member
I think it will not be possible as the adapter has to have the correct flange focal distance and the Leica M is too thick ! So you probably never be able to get any usable image.

Regards
Stefan
 

Erik Lund

New member
This is not my first conversion... :)
Do you agree that if the SB extends into the Leica M body I would be able to make the correct flange to sensor distance?
Sort of like the old Leica 21mm lenses does...
 

monza

Active member
Depends on how large in diameter the optics have to be to preserve an image circle large enough to cover the M sensor...
 

Erik Lund

New member
Yes indeed :) Thats why the Novoflex is good for the job the Leica M mount is an integral part of the adapter.

It will not cover the 1.33 sensor completely I'm afraid.
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
As you say there are too many "IFs".
The extension would probably need to go out of the adapterring for about 1 cm. Means you also have to cut the adaptering. Then as you say the imagecircle is probably only a bit larger than the projected Sony sensor so you would get A) a lot of work and B) a minimum result in return -> less resolution for a lot more money......
All for a red dot on the Body ? :eek: ???

regards
Stefan
 

Erik Lund

New member
Yes I will indeed completely remove the 'adapter' part incl mounts of the SB...
As mentioned I could use a Novoflex Nikon F to Leica M adapter that has the correct flange to flange distance for Nikon F lenses. 0.5 mm from a leica R Lens

Then position the SB optics inside the Novoflex in the correct position.

The SB has threaded interface between the adapter and the optics for fine tuning the infinity setting for the exact same reason.

My contraption would be no different in image quality than the SB Leica R to NEX
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Yes I will indeed completely remove the 'adapter' part incl mounts of the SB...
As mentioned I could use a Novoflex Nikon F to Leica M adapter that has the correct flange to flange distance for Nikon F lenses. 0.5 mm from a leica R Lens

Then position the SB optics inside the Novoflex in the correct position.

The SB has threaded interface between the adapter and the optics for fine tuning the infinity setting for the exact same reason.

My contraption would be no different in image quality than the SB Leica R to NEX


Hi Erik,

More power to you.
I wouldn't even know where to begin!
What tools would you need?
How many hours of effort do you estimate are required?

Just curious!

With best regards, K-H.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
This is not my first conversion... :)
Do you agree that if the SB extends into the Leica M body I would be able to make the correct flange to sensor distance?
Sort of like the old Leica 21mm lenses does...
Is this the adapter you are talking about?



The Novoflex LEINIK's aluminum portion is ~5mm. That (without that 5mm) is the correct distance with the SB in it (your calculations are off because the SB changes the registry distances). When you adapt as per your proposal, there is no room to put a Nikon F mount and maintain the correct registry distances. In addition, the mechanical intrusions from the Nikon F mount (lens part) are not trivial to deal with.

So, even assuming that you manage to center the optics properly and align it correctly (not at all trivial unless you have a good optical bench set up!), it will fall short.

However, all it takes is $400 and the time to try it. :)

[OT: That image was taken with the Sigma DN 30/2.8 at f/5.6 on a NEX-6 with a diffuse flash. It is Moire' city!]
 

monza

Active member
Methinks the SB optics would not cover the M sensor even if all the physical dimension issues were resolved. Not to mention focus would be hit or miss until the Typ 240 is out. But good luck with it!
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Ok - if you speak of the M8 you may get a result - but why in the world would anyone want to invest that much money to get an old sensor with 10,3 Mpix working if even an old used Nex 5N body with 16Mpix will get better results ? And for the image circle of the M9 sensor it´s to small !
Red Dot mania ?
 

Erik Lund

New member
No Vivek my adapter looks very different. Thanks for the reminder on the changed back focal length of the SB.

It would take a few days to do, about the same time as converting an 125mm APO Lanthar from Canon FD mount to Nikon F with CPU or putting a CPU in a Noct-Nikkor
Fully working as a G-Type lens.

The Leica M8 with the full upgrade is a perfectly good Pro camera for me anyway.

Yes it would be scale focusing and rangefinder only for one selected distance.

I'll keep my project to my self, no need too make a fuss.
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
:) Eric

Apologies - no offense intended.
I actually like people who do their thing.... :)

But one thing: unless you will not modify the M8 body, you will still have to cut the Novoflex LEM/NIK NT for about the amount the back lens needs to get into the M body. The M is flange focal distance 27,80mm, the Nex is 18,25mm , makes a difference of 9,55mm I think it may even be more as the
Metabones whitepaper states it shortens the actual length of the adapter lens combination with some mm. And then the cost is significant.
The Novoflex adapter is 169 € the Metabones is 599 $+ taxes plus your work.

regards
Stefan
 
From K-H
I also have some old Leitz Telyts 200, 280, 400, 560 mm.
Would any of those be of interest - other than of course to me?
..........................

I would love to know what you think about the longer lenses on the SB when you get around to doing that. So many possibilities here.
John
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I'll keep my project to my self, no need too make a fuss.
Ah, please don't do that! I know your capabilities and do not underestimate you at all.

Don't take Stefan's post to your heart. I do not think he meant any offence (as he himself says). He likes to take a dig at the "red dot" whenever he can.
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Actually I like the S pretty much. But I was never a fan of the M´s,
The lenses are a different story but the historic approach never made me drool. The finder of the S does. If any camera on the planet had such an optical finder, the discussion about electronic finders would be over.
 

Nettar

New member
It's natural that our attention is drawn to speed-boosting FF lenses for APS-C format sensors. Clearly there is considerable demand for this. However, some of us who have large inventories of medium format lenses (and have FF digital cameras) are starting contemplate the possibilities there. Let me mention just one, although for a market that does not yet exist and may never be sufficiently large... Pentax is contemplating producing an FF digital body, and in the past it has marketed very good lenses for 6x4.5 and 6x7. It would certainly make me sit up straight, and pay attention, if my 6x7 lenses (I have a cupboard full!) could be speed-boosted to a Pentax FF body. Then there are my Mamiya lenses... But probably the small size of this market makes that sort of thing unrealistic, and the cost of producing a speed-booster for such a large format would be prohibitive. Nettar
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Something that people are saying is that why not just wait for a FF NEX rumoured for this year? It's a good question however given the pricing of the RX-1 I would assume that the Nex 7N or whatever even with this adaptor will still be significantly cheaper and probably noticeably smaller. What do you guys think?
 
V

Vivek

Guest
It's natural that our attention is drawn to speed-boosting FF lenses for APS-C format sensors. Clearly there is considerable demand for this. However, some of us who have large inventories of medium format lenses (and have FF digital cameras) are starting contemplate the possibilities there. Let me mention just one, although for a market that does not yet exist and may never be sufficiently large... Pentax is contemplating producing an FF digital body, and in the past it has marketed very good lenses for 6x4.5 and 6x7. It would certainly make me sit up straight, and pay attention, if my 6x7 lenses (I have a cupboard full!) could be speed-boosted to a Pentax FF body. Then there are my Mamiya lenses... But probably the small size of this market makes that sort of thing unrealistic, and the cost of producing a speed-booster for such a large format would be prohibitive. Nettar
Take a look through the link K-H posted (post #54 in this page). There are design constraints when dealing with cameras with long registries.
 
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