Using wide-angle Leica M-mount lenses on S5?

Foskito · Nov 3, 2021

Hello,

As you might know, most wide-angle M-mount lenses perform not so great specially in the corners when paired to full-frame mirrorless bodies, other than Leica SL, SL2 cameras.

Just wondering if you have experience using Lumix bodies and if the problem still exists, like with the Sony or Nikon cameras.

Thank you.

JDLaing50 · Nov 3, 2021

Foskito said:
Hello,

As you might know, most wide-angle M-mount lenses perform not so great specially in the corners when paired to full-frame mirrorless bodies, other than Leica SL, SL2 cameras.

Just wondering if you have experience using Lumix bodies and if the problem still exists, like with the Sony or Nikon cameras.

Thank you.

I have no problem with wide M primes on a Panasonic body.

Foskito · Nov 3, 2021

Thank you, JD. I remember how bad my ZM 35mm performed with the A7Rii, and I am interested in adding a new more modern body without spending 5K on an SL2S...

JDLaing50 · Nov 3, 2021

Foskito said:
Thank you, JD. I remember how bad my ZM 35mm performed with the A7Rii, and I am interested in adding a new more modern body without spending 5K on an SL2S...

Let me take a few tomorrow with 35, 28 and 21 lenses so you can judge.

Foskito · Nov 3, 2021

JDLaing50 said:
Foskito said:

Thank you, JD. I remember how bad my ZM 35mm performed with the A7Rii, and I am interested in adding a new more modern body without spending 5K on an SL2S...

Click to expand...

Let me take a few tomorrow with 35, 28 and 21 lenses so you can judge.

That would be awesome, thank you!

Pawel Olas · Nov 4, 2021

Foskito said:
Hello,

As you might know, most wide-angle M-mount lenses perform not so great specially in the corners when paired to full-frame mirrorless bodies, other than Leica SL, SL2 cameras.

Just wondering if you have experience using Lumix bodies and if the problem still exists, like with the Sony or Nikon cameras.

Thank you.

here is voightlagen 15mm f4.5 (leica m-mount) on S1

not perfect but acceptable. stopping it down makes not much difference to the corners.

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aiphoto1980 · Nov 4, 2021

Foskito said:
Hello,

As you might know, most wide-angle M-mount lenses perform not so great specially in the corners when paired to full-frame mirrorless bodies, other than Leica SL, SL2 cameras.

Just wondering if you have experience using Lumix bodies and if the problem still exists, like with the Sony or Nikon cameras.

Thank you.

Hi, my experience has been quite negative, I wouldn't get the s series to use only with m lenses unless you want to deal with corner smearing and color cast issues. Better get a used sl, will give you much better results and for just a bit more.

I was an s1 user and found that none of my m lenses gave me satisfactory results. All of the following lenses behaved perfect on the m10, no color cast nor smearing. And on the sl2s they work much better than on the s1, in some cases as good as on the m10.

24mm elmar: surprisingly sharp on the s1, but suffers from weird color cast, easily perceived if you shoot in sunny days. On the sl you dont have this color cast...

28mm summicron: color cast and soft corners.

Voigtlander skopar 35mm: terrible corners, not even closing down will make them sharp. But no weird colors, (this lens works great on the sl, and on the m10 is sharp corner to corner)

Zeiss 35mm 1.4: also has some weird color cast going, and corners are soft, (this lens shines on the m10 and sl).

50mm Summliux preasph: i dont have this lens any longer so i cant say how it behaves on the sl, but on the s1 it was okay. Its not a wide lens, so no surprise.

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Tom Schum · Nov 4, 2021

Some cameras have the ability to correct for vignetting and for color cast issues when using non-electronic lenses.

I have a Sigma fp L and it has this. Sorry I don't know what is available in the Panasonic line.

Even with this, soft corners are not going to improve.

aiphoto1980 · Nov 4, 2021

Tom Schum said:
Some cameras have the ability to correct for vignetting and for color cast issues when using non-electronic lenses.

I have a Sigma fp L and it has this. Sorry I don't know what is available in the Panasonic line.

Even with this, soft corners are not going to improve.

Foskito · Nov 4, 2021

Thank you very much for the clarification.

When I had terrible results with the Sony A7Rii corner smearing; I thought that maybe the Lumix would be better... I was thinking in the S5 as a poor man’s SL

.

Tom Schum · Nov 4, 2021

Foskito said:
Thank you very much for the clarification.

When I had terrible results with the Sony A7Rii corner smearing; I thought that maybe the Lumix would be better... I was thinking in the S5 as a poor man’s SL .

The 7artisans 28mm F1.4 for Leica M mount is made in a special version to better match optical performance with Sonys. A friend has one of these. From the B&H website:

"FE-Plus Version This unique lens features a native Leica M lens mount, however its optical design has been refined to better suit Sony E mirrorless cameras, and requires a separate Leica M to Sony E lens adapter for mounting to an E-mount camera."

I don't know of any other lenses that specifically address the problem.

aiphoto1980 · Nov 4, 2021

Foskito said:
Thank you very much for the clarification.

When I had terrible results with the Sony A7Rii corner smearing; I thought that maybe the Lumix would be better... I was thinking in the S5 as a poor man’s SL .

The lumix is better than the Sony, but not as good as the SL, I used to have a Sony a7ii, and used leica lenses with it given i had in parallel a m240.

Google sensor stack thickness, i think actually the nikon z, is the camera with the closes results to the Leica sl, is supposed to be better than the panas using rangefinder lenses. This i am just repeating based on what i read online, never had the chance to test one.

Also, why not look at the sl? If you want to use manual rangefinder lenses, the sl can be found for around 2k, thats the same price of a new s5.

Foskito · Nov 4, 2021

Yes, that is what I thought, better to get a used SL (Have seen some in the range of $2500-2750 USD) to compliment my M8 and M9P cameras. I was going to buy a QP from an acquaintance but I rather buy the SL and enjoy the lenses I have.

0Pascal · Nov 4, 2021

And its not just WA lenses that have this problem. Even at 90mm you can see a difference in the corners: REVIEW: TTARTISAN 90MM 1.25

Member said:
On the Leica M10 with its thinner sensor stack midframe and corners show a better performance [than A7R2]

Tom Caldwell · Nov 4, 2021

The FSU Jupiter-12 is an example of an LTM lenses that cannot be mounted on “L” with an adapter simply because the mount light baffles are not chamfered as they are on the Sony FE mount where they are chamfered to allow some wider lenses with significant rear protrusions to get closer to the sensor. (Such as the Jupiter-12 and presumably its Zeiss ancestor). Nor can I mount my 7Artisans 50/1.1 made in recent times in M mount configuration. This of course is a 7Artisans mistake, even though it can mount on Sony FE.

Whether this allows such lenses to do full justice is another matter. But if the square-edge baffles on my S1 are of a different shape to the Leica version of this mount this is something that I don’t know from lack of experience in that area.

But as there are many Leica or other brand M or LTM lenses that have rear protrusion it is quite possible that there are other lenses that simply cannot be used as their rearmost shape precludes this.

Has anyone else come across the situation where a Leica brand lens cannot be adapted to L-Mount?

Of course it is noted that the same lenses are unlikely to be adapted to fit into other ML mounts because of obstruction by internal baffles and electronic contacts.

The only other real comment must be that if the baffle cutout on my S1 is the standard L-Mount shape then Leica did not make a huge effort to allow as many of its M mount lenses as possible to be mounted on their L-Mount bodies.

Presumably they thought that the feedback of poor images from such wide lenses so close to the sensor was not worth the candle and deliberately overlooked it.

This does not particularly worry me but I thought it worth comment.

JDLaing50 · Nov 6, 2021

Foskito said:
Hello,

As you might know, most wide-angle M-mount lenses perform not so great specially in the corners when paired to full-frame mirrorless bodies, other than Leica SL, SL2 cameras.

Just wondering if you have experience using Lumix bodies and if the problem still exists, like with the Sony or Nikon cameras.

Thank you.

Okay rivi,

Here are three images each from an M mount 35, 28 and 21mm lens. One each at f/4.0, f/8.0 and f/1.4

A word of advice here: Don’t fall into the trap of “mushy corners or color casts”, etc. If you already own M lenses and want features of another camera, and want to use those lenses, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Buying M lenses to use on another camera with the intent that you are getting something magic is a fool’s errand. Native lenses are always best on a camera body.

Foskito · Nov 6, 2021

Thanks, Tom, that is interesting. I didn't know that not all M-mount lenses would work well with L-mount bodies. Since I only have a 21mm, 35mm and soon a 28mm I might be ok.

Foskito · Nov 6, 2021

Thank you for those samples JD, they look more than fine to me, I need to check them on my computer for details but at least in my iPhone screen I see no issues at all. Maybe the color smearing is overrated?

My first option was to buy an M240, because along with my M-mount lenses I have a couple of Nikkor AIS and Contax C/Y that I want to put to use, I think the best -and cheaper than an M240- solution will be a used SL to fit my glass.

I have no intention of buying Leica L-lenses.

aiphoto1980 · Nov 6, 2021

Foskito said:
I have no intention of buying Leica L-lenses.

Why no look at the pana 1.8 primes? Yes, they feel cheaply made, but they are weather resistant, focus fast, small and light weight, and have great image quality.

JDLaing50 · Nov 6, 2021

Foskito said:
Thank you for those samples JD, they look more than fine to me, I need to check them on my computer for details but at least in my iPhone screen I see no issues at all. Maybe the color smearing is overrated?

My first option was to buy an M240, because along with my M-mount lenses I have a couple of Nikkor AIS and Contax C/Y that I want to put to use, I think the best -and cheaper than an M240- solution will be a used SL to fit my glass.

I have no intention of buying Leica L-lenses.

Have a look at the Sigma DG DN Contemporary lenses. They’re great.

Using wide-angle Leica M-mount lenses on S5?

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