Well, at least it's official...

[Zack Birlew]

Hey guys. Just wanted to let you know, I've actually tried to get Leica lenses on my Nikon camera. I tried using the Schneider Optics Leica to T mount adapter and T mount to Nikon adapter to make a sandwich adapter. Unfortunately, this didn't result into having straight Leica performance on a Nikon camera, it instead resulted in a killer macro setup that would only be useful for special effect as far as moviemaking goes.

For those that don't know, there was a discussion a long while back about doing this method and nobody ever really put the money forth to try it. Well, it's official now, it just doesn't work. I hoped that it would, granted it would have been great if we could get Leica M lenses on Nikon but M42 or Leica R would have been fine enough I suppose. Unfortunately, if this didn't work, I would greatly assume that replacing the Leica M42 to T mount adapter with a Leica R to T mount adapter would just result in a Leica R macro setup. I did have some hope for C mount to T mount and maybe finding a Canon 50mm 0.95 TV lens in C-mount but that obviously wouldn't work either. Granted, putting an old school C mount movie lens on a Nikon camera would be interesting to see but I don't think I'll waste any more time and money into this.

However, if you'd like a really razor sharp macro setup, you would be well served going the Leica route. The 50mm lens I tried out in the store was an old clunker and even that was fantastic in terms of sharpness.

 

[Valeriu Campan]

It is physically impossible to achieve focus at infinity with a Leica M lens on a Nikon camera or Arri...
Check the flange distance from this chart before you go ahead to sandwich a zillion adapters.

Leica M lenses are not all a tele-centric design, they perform great for film but digital sensors are reacting in a very different way to lenses that are very close (vignetting, port-holing, CA.... the works).
Even the new Micro 4/3 has issues with C mount lenses, as their flange distance is few mm shorter.

Hopefully, Scarlet's lens plate will bring into the fold many other older lenses.

 

[Peter Arnold]

I'm not sure if this will work for you, because I never worked with Leica Lenses, but actionproducts have a Leica Mount for RED.

Here

Peter

 

[David W. Jones]

I use Leica R mount lenses on a Cannon EF mount via an adapter all the time.
They give a little different look than my Zeiss Contax mount lenses, but both offer great quality vs price. As a matter of fact, I have not rented a super speed set in a very long time now.

 

[Matthew Duclos]

It seems to work fine for me.
Converted from Leica R to Nikon.
Collimates perfect at infinity.

 

[Zack Birlew]

Well, the whole point was to get Leica lenses onto a NIKON camera and, conversely, RED through the Nikon mount, thus having your cake and eating it too. Of course there are Leica plates for RED, whether from Doug at Long Valley or from P+S Technik's IMS system, but again, it's the ease of use versus having to switch back and forth every time.

My personal reasoning for trying this was to get, basically, Noctilux lenses or equivalent, hence the Canon 0.95 TV lens. Not just because they would be awesome for low light, but also for the DOF effect you can get with such low apertures. I wanted to try the Leica to T mount first since, as I said before, nobody had used it before and, if that failed, I'd try the C mount to T mount as the Canon 0.95 TV lens can be found in C mount from time to time. But alas, it simply doesn't work.

Once Scarlet comes out and, if the mounts are the same or similar, I'll definitely look into third-party options, even IMS, because I figure that I'm already budget-limited, so that means still lenses, and I don't want to be even more limited by having to go with one particular brand of lenses over another, as some lenses are more useful than others, hence the need for Noctilux lenses, so I ultimately want as many options as I can get and PL, Nikon, and Canon FD just isn't enough.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

I do not need any conversion to get affordable FF35 lenses from the following brands/mounts for my RED1:

Canon FD, Angeineux FD, Leica -R, Angeieux/Leica-R, Leica-M, Nikon AI/S/D, Contax/Yashica, M42...

(Left) Canon 50mm FD L f/1.2, (Middle) Leica - R Summilux 50mm f/1.4, (Right) Nikon 50mm AF/D f/1.8, all with IMS mounts.

Affordable Leica Summicron - M 90mm f/2 on RED1.

 

[Matthew Duclos]

Zack,

Im not sure I follow you.
The photo I posted was a Leica R lens with a Nikon mount conversion.

 

[Valeriu Campan]

Zack,
The Canon 0.95 TV lens is a C mount with 17.526mm flange distance designed to cover an image with a diameter of ~11mm. Red One PL mount has a flange distance of 52mm with an image diameter above 32mm. Using it, you'll get a huge macro field of view within a circle with black borders.

Might be useful for a future Scarlet with 2/3" sensor or on micro 4/3 camera like Panasonic G1H where folks managed to use some exotic lenses. Have a look at this thread.

 

[Jeff Zueger]

Thanks Matt

Thanks Matt

and Paul at Duclos. I just received my cinevised Leica R to Nikon converted lens set. They look great. Used them on a job Friday with great results.
I have 24,35,90,135,180 primes plus 35-70 and 80-200 zooms all moded by Duclos. Thanks again Jeff

 

[chuck colburn]

17.526mm is more than close enough for "C" mount depth. But it is actually an imperial figure. .690 inches

 

[Mike Harrington]

It seems to work fine for me.
Converted from Leica R to Nikon.
Collimates perfect at infinity.

how much Matt?

 

[Jeff Zueger]

Leica R/Nikon mt Lens pics

Leica R/Nikon mt Lens pics

In case anyone is interested... btw these are not for sale just showing them off.

 

[Matthew Duclos]

I'm not a sponsor on Reduser, No pimping products, just sharing knowledge.

 

[Christopher Barrett]

There's also the Allstar route. I've got his adapter on my Red with a PL adapter to use my Panchro/i's and have Zeiss ZF 35mm and 85mm plus a Leica R 28-70 all adapted and easily swapable. Good stuff!

CB

 

[ALLSTAR]

Well, the whole point was to get Leica lenses onto a NIKON camera and, conversely, RED through the Nikon mount, thus having your cake and eating it too. Of course there are Leica plates for RED, whether from Doug at Long Valley or from P+S Technik's IMS system, but again, it's the ease of use versus having to switch back and forth every time.

Once Scarlet comes out and, if the mounts are the same or similar, I'll definitely look into third-party options, even IMS, because I figure that I'm already budget-limited, so that means still lenses, and I don't want to be even more limited by having to go with one particular brand of lenses over another, as some lenses are more useful than others, hence the need for Noctilux lenses, so I ultimately want as many options as I can get and PL, Nikon, and Canon FD just isn't enough.

Why not choose A-mount system?