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Ricoh GXR M mount: Question to Tom Caldwell

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Zagato

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Dear Tom,

I'm asking you for an advice:

I have a few old CZJ lenses (Flektogon 2,8/35mm, Tessar 2/50mm and Sonnar 4/135mm) and some others. The CZJ on my M4/3 GH2 gave some very sharp results but the real challenge and thrill would be to use them on the GXR.

There are adapters for Exakta to M4/3 and even to Fuji FX but an adapter Exakta to Leica M is not to be found. Browsing through the web I found that long time ago an Exakta to Leica M39 had been produced but presently is nowhere available. The idea was, by double adapters Exakta to Leica M39 and Leica M39 to Leica M (which is available) to try these lenses on the GXR.

Maybe it's possible via M42 or other system?? I have a M42 to Leica M and a Nikon to Leica M adapter.


Since I know that you are very experienced in using a number of "exotic" lenses on your GXR and adapters for those are probably not easily found, I wonder if you could give me some advice or maybe it's anyway not possible to achieve infinity focusing by using two adapters.

Many thanks in advance

Brgds

Michael (Vienna)
 
While Tom's on his way, I'll chip in..

Infinity focus will depend on flange distances: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flange_focal_distance

I can't work out the Exacta flange distance, it's not on the Wiki page and it's not here:

Loading…

www.exakta.org

If you happen to know it, you can imagine it in the wiki table at the appropriate point..

Harry
 
Harry,

thanks a lot for your information and the link to the Exakta page!

Brgds

Michael (Vienna)
 
Hi Godfrey,

I have really been searching for days and maybe I should have put in "exa/topcon to leica m adapter" for the google key search.

Thanks a lot for your valuable information which has finally contributed to my calming down from my obsession to find this adapter.

It's great to have such supporting colleagues in this forum!

Many thanks again

Brgds

Michael (Vienna)
 
Thanks Godfrey, I have been looking for an Exakta to LM adapter. This must be the only one available.

In reality there were few adapters to LM about pre the release of the Ricoh mount module. The good number now available is surely down to Ricoh's efforts.
 
Zagato said:
Zagato wrote:

Dear Tom,

I'm asking you for an advice:

I have a few old CZJ lenses (Flektogon 2,8/35mm, Tessar 2/50mm and Sonnar 4/135mm) and some others. The CZJ on my M4/3 GH2 gave some very sharp results but the real challenge and thrill would be to use them on the GXR.

There are adapters for Exakta to M4/3 and even to Fuji FX but an adapter Exakta to Leica M is not to be found. Browsing through the web I found that long time ago an Exakta to Leica M39 had been produced but presently is nowhere available. The idea was, by double adapters Exakta to Leica M39 and Leica M39 to Leica M (which is available) to try these lenses on the GXR.

Maybe it's possible via M42 or other system?? I have a M42 to Leica M and a Nikon to Leica M adapter.

Since I know that you are very experienced in using a number of "exotic" lenses on your GXR and adapters for those are probably not easily found, I wonder if you could give me some advice or maybe it's anyway not possible to achieve infinity focusing by using two adapters.

Many thanks in advance

Brgds

Michael (Vienna)
Click to expand...
Michael

The sun in it's circuit finally found Australia :)

You have already had good help from others, I can only add my little volume of anecdotes (grin)

When I checked flange back distances I saw no physical problem why a Exakta->LM adapter could not be made.

I could not find Exakta adapters despite a good trawl of the web some time ago - Godfrey helped where I could not. I thought I had quite a good number of adapters already and didn't need an Exakta one as well. Exakta mount lenses were cheaper but the price has been rising since the NEX and M4/3 adapters appeared. Furthermore the bulky wide Exakta lenses have that stupid little shutter button extension arm so necessary for Exakta cameras and so unecessary for any other. Most CZJ lenses can also be found on M42 mount. In fact some telephotos can have their Exakta ends "swapped" for M42 (which I have done). It is a pity that the "end" of the very nice little 100mm Meyer Orestor f2.8 with the "early model" 14 blade aperture cannot be swapped, but a cheap adapter .... and an Exakta version would work. Pity that the NEX/M43 guys have found them as they used to be pretty cheap.

Another tip that I was going to try was to message "RJ" at Jinfinance and ask if they would make this adapter for sale. In the past I have found RJ very receptive to making adapters if there was any commercial demand for them.

As far as double adaptering goes - the DKL->M42 works very well with the M42->LM to allow Kodak/Bessamatic lenses to work on the GXR-M. This is of course helped by the very fine fit of the Yi Neng adapters which are made of very similar material and fits so seamlessly that they "are part of the lens" - even to auto-adjust to the aperture capabilities of individual lenses - to all extent each adaptered lens becomes a truly "M42" mount lens ready to be further adaptered.

I have used LTM->LM, FD->LM, PK->LM, M42->LM & DKL->M42->LM (all work well). There are others such as Nikon, Contax, Minolta, etc that are available and used by others.

It might be an interesting exercise "show us your most exotic mount". My first entry is the abovementioned DKL->M42->LM. Michael, you can add the first Exakta->LM.
 
I have messaged Rong Jin - I will let you know if they are interested in making this adapter. If they are they they are usually fairly quick. Will let the forum know the reply.
 
Well, prior to the GXR there was precious little reason or advantage to adapting lenses to the M-bayonet lens mount. Most Leica users bought the system for the Leica (and Zeiss and whatever ..) lenses in the first place.

As soon as a TTL imaging camera that can use M-bayonet lenses ... and others ... came about with the release of the Panasonic G1, the adaptation market exploded. The GXR caught onto that existing and already ramped up manufacturing base, so a range of adapters ramped up to suit it very quickly.

Most people buying the GXR A12 Camera Mount buy it to use the M-bayonet lenses it was designed for on it. The fact that it CAN be used with other lenses is a hobbyist niche. Both you and I participate in this niche, and a few others on this forum and others. It's enough to keep a small niche business going (along with the other mounts) but pretty insubstantial as a standalone business.

Happily, we can enjoy it.
 
Zagato said:
Zagato wrote:

Dear Tom,

I'm asking you for an advice:

I have a few old CZJ lenses (Flektogon 2,8/35mm, Tessar 2/50mm and Sonnar 4/135mm) and some others. The CZJ on my M4/3 GH2 gave some very sharp results but the real challenge and thrill would be to use them on the GXR.

There are adapters for Exakta to M4/3 and even to Fuji FX but an adapter Exakta to Leica M is not to be found. Browsing through the web I found that long time ago an Exakta to Leica M39 had been produced but presently is nowhere available. The idea was, by double adapters Exakta to Leica M39 and Leica M39 to Leica M (which is available) to try these lenses on the GXR.

Maybe it's possible via M42 or other system?? I have a M42 to Leica M and a Nikon to Leica M adapter.

Since I know that you are very experienced in using a number of "exotic" lenses on your GXR and adapters for those are probably not easily found, I wonder if you could give me some advice or maybe it's anyway not possible to achieve infinity focusing by using two adapters.

Many thanks in advance

Brgds

Michael (Vienna)
Click to expand...
Michael

Apparently Adriano Lolli (COMA) makes one as well now:

Loading…

www.ebay.com.au

On eBay.

My COMA experience is mixed - they had an early PK-LM that worked well but was on the large and clunky side. I also got a FD-LM adapter that didn't work because it lacked the inner pin to set the aperture lever. Their solution was to jam the pin open with a piece of rubber - not my idea of "good". However their product here looks very well made, if on the expensive side. Also from Italy it is closer to home for you.
 
Godfrey said:
Godfrey wrote:

Well, prior to the GXR there was precious little reason or advantage to adapting lenses to the M-bayonet lens mount. Most Leica users bought the system for the Leica (and Zeiss and whatever ..) lenses in the first place.

As soon as a TTL imaging camera that can use M-bayonet lenses ... and others ... came about with the release of the Panasonic G1, the adaptation market exploded. The GXR caught onto that existing and already ramped up manufacturing base, so a range of adapters ramped up to suit it very quickly.

Most people buying the GXR A12 Camera Mount buy it to use the M-bayonet lenses it was designed for on it. The fact that it CAN be used with other lenses is a hobbyist niche. Both you and I participate in this niche, and a few others on this forum and others. It's enough to keep a small niche business going (along with the other mounts) but pretty insubstantial as a standalone business.

Happily, we can enjoy it.
Click to expand...
 
Rayqual has been making the Exakta mount adapter for several years, Tom. I know it was available as early as 2008, before the GXRexisted.
 
Last edited:
Godfrey and Tom,

the web is full of surprises and you providing the information that Exakta to LM adapters do exist and can be purchased opens up yet another possibility to put some of these old lenses to use with the GXR M rather than to keep them in a drawer or a showcase. Moreover the adapter may also be used for Topcor (Topcon) lenses with their Exakta mount.

I shall make an order for the Italian COMA adapter as it is considerably cheaper than the Rayqual one and if it shouldn't work out with infinity focusing, at least the financial loss would be lower.

Quoting Tom:

"It might be an interesting exercise "show us your most exotic mount". My first entry is the abovementioned DKL->M42->LM. Michael, you can add the first Exakta->LM."

My most exotic mount so far: Mamiya 645 to Nikon to LM (works perfectly with infinity focusing, but top heavy).

All my best to both of you and many thanks again,

Michael (Vienna)
 
Zagato said:
Zagato wrote:

Godfrey and Tom,

the web is full of surprises and you providing the information that Exakta to LM adapters do exist and can be purchased opens up yet another possibility to put some of these old lenses to use with the GXR M rather than to keep them in a drawer or a showcase. Moreover the adapter may also be used for Topcor (Topcon) lenses with their Exakta mount.

I shall make an order for the Italian COMA adapter as it is considerably cheaper than the Rayqual one and if it shouldn't work out with infinity focusing, at least the financial loss would be lower.

Quoting Tom:

"It might be an interesting exercise "show us your most exotic mount". My first entry is the abovementioned DKL->M42->LM. Michael, you can add the first Exakta->LM."

My most exotic mount so far: Mamiya 645 to Nikon to LM (works perfectly with infinity focusing, but top heavy).
Click to expand...
I vote you the winner so far ...
Zagato said:
All my best to both of you and many thanks again,

Michael (Vienna)
Click to expand...
 
Canon lens mount adapter E (Exacta to Canon R/FL/FD)

Canon lens mount Adapter B (Canon R/FL/FD to Canon (leica) thread mount)

Leitz SM to M adapter



or

Canon Lens Mount Adapter E and then a Canon FD to M adapter as commonly found...
 
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