Best mirrorless body for Leica M and Zeiss ZM lenses
Asked 2/1/2013
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I want a mirrorless camera mainly for adapted Leica M and Zeiss ZM manual-focus lenses. My priorities are strong manual-focus aids (rangefinder or EVF with focus peaking; I dislike picture-in-picture magnification), a good built-in viewfinder, strong RAW image quality at low ISO, and a workflow that fits Lightroom or similar RAW tools. I do not care about autofocus, JPEG features, or native lens selection.
I also want good-quality adapters and would prefer to avoid systems that are known to perform poorly with M-mount lenses. Which mirrorless systems are worth considering, and what are their main strengths or weaknesses when used with Leica M glass? Are there known issues such as corner color shifts, softness, or framing/focusing limitations?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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You'll certainly want the largest sensor you can get your hands on. Currently APS-C mirrorless systems are available from Sony, Fuji and Canon and Samsung. I wouldn't choose Canon as it's the least mature system with only one camera body, which lacks any sort of viewfinder. Samsung is out, as the flange focal distance is 25mm, only 2mm shorter than M mount, so not enough space for an adaptor.
Personally I would go with Sony and chose the NEX6. Only 16MP compared to it's 24MP but can cope with wide rangefinder lenses without colour shifts in the corners. The sensor has great dynamic range, the body has a built in high resolution electronic viewfinder and the camera features focus peaking for easier manual focus.
The Fuji X-Pro1 is a strong contender, with an innovative colour filter array and no AA filter on the sensor. However you might have problems using lightroom due to the unconventional CFA needing a non-standard demosaicing algorithm.
Looking forward
The ultimate mirrorless camera has yet to be released. All models have their quirks, and all models (other than the Leicas) are limited to APS-C size sensors. However this is set to change.
Sony are widely believed to be working on a full frame version of the NEX which will really make the M-mount lenses shine. Fuji have vaguely hinted at doing the same, however Sony have actually made one full frame E mount video camera, and one full frame mirrorless compact (albeit with fixed lens). Estimated date for the full frame NEX stills camera is early 2014.
With this in mind you may want to wait a bit, or get one of the current bodies as a stopgap.
Metabones make a full frame adaptor for NEX in the form of a focal reducer that projects a full frame image onto the APS-C sensor, however it wont work on rangefinder lenses due to the short flange focal distance for the M mount.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
13y ago
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The strongest options mentioned are Sony NEX, Fuji X, and Ricoh GXR M-Mount.
For adapted Leica M/ZM lenses, sensor behavior with wide rangefinder lenses matters a lot. Sony NEX bodies are appealing for EVF and focus peaking, and the NEX-6 was specifically noted as a good choice because its 16MP sensor handles wide M lenses better than some 24MP Sony sensors, which can show corner color shifts.
Fuji X is also a strong fit, especially the X-E1. It offers excellent image quality and a sharp built-in EVF. The X-Pro1’s hybrid OVF is less useful for precise framing with adapted lenses because of parallax and imperfect frame coverage. Fuji’s own M adapter is a plus.
If your priority is the best optimization for M lenses specifically, the Ricoh GXR with the M-mount module stands out. It was designed around M lenses, with reports of sharp corners and no color shifts, plus good focus aids and ergonomics. Its drawbacks are lower resolution, slower startup, and a discontinued system.
In short: best M-lens optimization: Ricoh GXR M; best mainstream EVF option: Fuji X-E1 or Sony NEX-6.
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