Aram,
Thanks for lending your voice of experience to this topic, i.e., how, or even
if, we can use manual focus lenses on the juggernaut of mirrorless AF cameras
washing over us?
One metaphor keeps cropping in my head: We have thrown the baby out with the
bath water.
An interchangeable lens Leica Q would be a giant step in AF-ing the M in size
and weight. But what about all those MF lenses we are discarding?
Now. with the computer processing power available today, someone (Leica?) needs
to lead the way and create a digital representation of a split field range
finder in an EVF.
Why not? It is, as the old joke goes, a simple matter of programming.
Before shooting in MF, the computer-in-the-camera is just idling, waiting to
process an image if it ever comes, running a few housekeeping do loops.
Why can’t it compute and display a manual focus aid in that time interval?
After all, the same light stream that it welcomes coming through an AF lens is
still coming through the MF lens and the same focus information is available on
the sensor as well.
Why not use that information to create an image of a focusing aid in the EVF
instead of turning a motor in an AF lens?
Think what that would do for the closets that are full of
believed-to-be-obsolete MF Leica (and other) lenses.
If we can put a man on the moon…etc. What do you think?
Bill
On Feb 6, 2019, at 7:41 PM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Bill. As far as Leitexing R lenses, I have done that. It does work, but
in a kludging way, at least for me. The optical viewfinder is indeed
superior to an EVF in my mind, but a modern optical viewfinder is not really
designed for manual focusing. No split image or any other focusing aids. It
is darn near impossible to focus that way. There is a focus conformation
light, but it really does not work well. It can be lit through a few degrees
of rotation of the focus ring. I have even attached a viewfinder magnifier
with not much luck. The only way that really works if you want to shoot wide
open or need critical focus is to use live view, so in other words, an EVF on
the back of the camera. Magnify for fine focus as long as the light is OK to
see the LED screen on the back. I do use them, especially the 100 APO and
the 35-70/4 because they are much better than anything Nikon has, but cannot
use them for anything that is moving or needs a quick snap.
I know there are replacement view screens for some digitals, but they have
other problems like with metering, so I have not tried any of them.
Now slap those lenses on my R8 and see what a real viewfinder is suppose to
be like.
Aram
On 2/6/2019 5:02 PM, Bill Abbott 3 wrote:
Hi Neil,------
I hear you. I gave serious thought to the R-on-SL solution, until I realized
that as of now the SL’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) can’t supply an R (or M)
style split field range finder, which makes M-on-SL very clumsy for me to
use, not at all as handy as using an M body.
That is the deal breaker for me for me and why I gave up trying to use my M
lenses on my SL or any thought of buying my old favorite R lenses to use on
the SL.
Yes, I know how the SL can enlarge the image for focusing but the ergonomics
for that doesn’t work for me, as the M-on-M does handily.
I have no idea how an R-on-SL would handle but don’t believe it will have a
split field range finder either.
I discovered through Google that you can also use an M to SL adapter with an
R to M adapter stacked on it. Go here for a lot of discussion about the
subject
https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/275470-best-adapter-solution-for-r-lenses-on-sl/
If I had R lenses to use, I would be tempted to explore Leitax-ing them to
an optical viewfinder camera.
Just my two cents’s worth. Good luck,
Bill
On Feb 5, 2019, at 11:40 AM, Neil Gould <neil@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:------
Hi all,
In anticipation of the release of the Lumix S1 & S1R cameras I was hopeful
that they'd have a "native" lens mount for the R lenses, only to be
disappointed and frustrated yet again.
<https://shop.panasonic.com/cameras-and-camcorders/cameras/lumix-interchangeable-lens-ilc-cameras/DC-S1RBODY.html>
Not only is the body expensive compared to other full-frame options, but to
use the R lenses, one would have to add an R to L mount for another $800US.
<http://us.leica-camera.com/World-of-Leica/Leica-News/Global/2018/L-Mount>
It seems that most folks on this list have moved on to other brands.
Perhaps that's the wisest option.
Neil
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