das
Well-known
New: Leica M rangefinder camera adapter for 50mm M42 and Pentax K lenses - Pentax & Ricoh Rumors
Focus Studio announces a new SHOTEN R50 Leica M rangefinder camera adapter for 50mm M42 and Pentax K lenses. Two different versions are available: M42-LM R50 for M42 mount and PK-LM R50 for Pentax K-mount (not compatible with DA lenses). The new adapter is already listed on Amazon Japan for ¥...
pentaxrumors.com
Someone has finally a made screw-on rangefinder-coupled adapter from SLR lenses to Leica M. From this article, the two adapters being made are just for Pentax K and M42 50mm lenses. What fantastic news and hopefully there will be more of these to follow in different mounts and focal lengths.
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shawn
Mentor
That is a cool idea but I wonder what it will be like in practice? I'd expect the length of the lens+adapter will mean it will block at least some of the viewfinder.
das
Well-known
There are some Japanese language YouTube videos out there of folks who have already tried these adapters out. The reviews seem to be positive. It seems to work by keeping the lens maybe at infinity and then using the focus tab on the adapter itself. Hopefully we will see these in Nikon F, Leica R, and C/Y at some point. A C/Y adapter would be nice because you could just put an M42 to C/Y adapter on it and be able use both types of lenses.
I'm not a Pentax K person but 50mm M42 lenses are really not that different in size than these modern VC super fast 50s. Even though these adapters can't probably replace a real conversion, it's nice to have options. Like I've always wanted to be able to use dumb lenses like the M42 Industar 50mm f/3.5 on an M, a lens that should have been made in M39 but wasn't.
shawn
Mentor
The adapter is going to add another 17.66mm to the lens length at infinity. That is going to be sticking out pretty far and will likely be into the viewfinder quite a bit.
Retro-Grouch
Well-known
Is there any reason this couldn't be used with other focal lengths? One could hold the frame selector in position or use an accessory finder. The 40mm pancake would be cool, and would probably not intrude in the finder any more than some big fast 50's. But maybe I'm missing something, since I see this adapter as a solution in search of a problem.
shawn
Mentor
The rf cam won’t be correct for other focal lengths. To move a 50mm from infinity to focusing at 1m the lens extends a different amount compared to a 28mm or a 90mm.
das
Well-known
Yeah, you would need different adapters for different focal lengths. Too bad that many of the cool older M42 standard lenses were 58mm or 55mm instead of 50mm. But there are plenty of great 50s -- like the CZJ Pancolar and the various standards from M42 era as well as the Zeiss/Cosina 50mm f/1.4 ZS lens. What is also neat about these is the close focus ability that can be used by digital M liveview people. Hopefully they will RF couple at least down to 0.7m.
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Here is the thread I mentioned:
rangefinderforum.com
Another cult lens
Phil, where are you ? For more details on the lens, have a look here, for instance: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-02-11-24.shtml. Pictures say more than 1000 words .... Here is how it was made...
rangefinderforum.com
das
Well-known
Sorry for the bad cell phone photos. But this Shoten rf-coupled adapter is AWESOME. I only had these two M42 50mm lenses laying around. But no VF blockage with either on a .72x finder. What a great time to be alive.
AAlfano
Well-known
I'd love to try one of these just so I could find out how well the 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar I got for $20 (with a nice Spotmatic body) would work on a $9,200 Leica M11. (I say that in all seriousness—I bet the Super Tak would give a pretty good account of itself.) I could afford the adapter but the M11 will have to wait…
bcostin
Well-known
That's pretty neat. Being able to use my M42 50mm lenses would definitely be fun.
I wonder if you could insert an M42 adapter ring in the PK-mount version? Then you could use either type of lens. Those inside-the-mount adapters are a bit of a nuisance to install and remove, of course.
I wonder if you could insert an M42 adapter ring in the PK-mount version? Then you could use either type of lens. Those inside-the-mount adapters are a bit of a nuisance to install and remove, of course.
That should work without any issue.
das
Well-known
Yeah, I should have waited for the C/Y adapter to come out so that I could use both M42 and Contax lenses on the same adapter.
I assume the C/Y only works with 50mm lenses as well?
das
Well-known
Yep. Helicoids have to match the focal length. Shoten is prob going to make them in 35mm at some point as well, I would imagine
hap
Well-known
I have a super takumar which can be used on a spotmatic F for aperture open use. I would not expect that aperture open on the M camera....just wanted to know if the rear end is ok for the shoten ?
Archiver
Mentor
As a fan of old lenses, I like this idea, but I'm wondering about the benefits apart from the fun factor? Sure, we can use a 40 or 50 Pentax lens on a M body, but unless you have a real attachment to the way that lens renders and also an attachment to how M bodies handle, I'm struggling to see how much benefit the user gets from this outside of novelty. I have Dad's lovely Pentax M SMC 50mm f1.4, and it's great on a film body like the ME, but less than stellar adapted to a digital body like the Panasonic S5, particularly wide open.
