Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bob, Even though the CL is a good 2nd or backup M camera, it cannot hold a candle to a true M camera like an M4-P. The M4-P is basically an M6 without the meter. It has all the solidity, smooth feel, ultra quiet shutter, focussing ease, etc., that we all know and love. Plus, it has all the frame lines for most popular M lenses, a hot shoe and the ability to take Tom A's Rapidwinder. A formidable picture taking machine. As far as screw to bayonet adapters go, once you put the adapter on the screw mount lens, there is no functional difference from a true M bayonet lens. In fact, some of the classic early bayonet M lenses were really LTM lenses with an adapter held on by a small grub screw or a form of superglue. I have both an early 35/2 Summicron and 90/2 Summicron as well as a 21/4 Super Angulon which are all official factory conversions by these means. The neat thing about these lenses is you can remove the adapter and use these wonderful lenses on a screw mount camera for a fraction of the cost of the original LTM lenses. Conversely, the screw to bayonet adapters allow you to use the oldest standardized Leica LTM lenses on the newest Leica M camera body. No other camera manufacturer can claim the same degree of backwards and forwards compatibility. The only drawback of the screw to bayonet adapters is that they might not activate the proper frame lines in the finder. Leica adapters all have the frame lines which will be activated by the adapter engraved by them. And they cost about $75 on the used market. Bill Rosauer