Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/01/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]There has quite a bit of discussion on the use of SLR lenses on M cameras. Yes, it is doable, but what is the advantage? If I have some SLR lenses, the chances are that I already have an SLR to use the lenses. Even if I don't have a SLR, it is, in most cases, cheaper to buy an SLR body than to come up with an adapter plus a finder. I have seen some Minolta to M Leica adapters advertized for $175 while you can buy a used Minolta SLR body for less than $100. A Leitz R-to-M adapter costs $250 in some used Leica dealers who also sells R3 for less than $300. It is doubtful that an M3 with a adapted fisheye plus an odd looking finder will offer any advantage over an SLR even for "candid" shots. Ok, there are times one may not be able to use the SLR's finder (when using an opaque IR filter, as being refered to in an earlier post, for example). But even in these cases, a finder can be used with an SLR just as easily as with an M camera. Oh, please don't take me wrong. I have experimented various different lenses on my M4 and Fed, mostly with a T-mount-to-M39 adapter and a S-M adapter. While I do think it's interesting to talk about what can be done with an M camera, sometimes the best solution is to do without one. g.huang gang@mtdcr.att.com