Can a Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux be adapted to a Canon 5D Mark III without modifying the camera?
Asked 10/15/2012
5 views
2 answers
0
I’d like to use a Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux on a Canon 5D Mark III, ideally with some kind of adapter and without permanently modifying the camera body. I know Leica R lenses can be adapted to Canon EF, but I’ve read that Leica M lenses are different and that some people physically modify DSLR bodies to make them fit. Is there any practical adapter-only solution that preserves infinity focus and image quality?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
7
You'd have to wonder why people would go as far as sawing off the front of their DSLR if there was another way to do it!
M rangefinder lenses are designed to sit closer to the film/sensor than an SLR body allows, hence the need to saw off the front to get them to work.
Any simple adaptor would place the lens too far away, and you wouldn't be able to focus on anything further than a few centimetres away, as the lens would be projecting a sharp image way in front of your sensor. You can correct the focus distance optically, but this would severely degrade the quality of the image.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In practice, no. A Leica M-mount Noctilux is designed to sit much closer to the sensor than a Canon EF DSLR body allows because rangefinder lenses have a much shorter flange distance than SLR lenses.
A simple mechanical adapter would place the lens too far from the sensor, so you would lose infinity focus and only be able to focus very close. An adapter with corrective optics could restore focus range, but it would degrade image quality.
That’s why people resort to physically modifying DSLR bodies when trying to mount Leica M lenses like the Noctilux on Canon 5D cameras.
So if you want to use a Noctilux without extensive modification, a Canon 5D Mark III is not a practical host. More realistic alternatives mentioned were using a native Canon fast lens such as the EF 50mm f/1.2L, or using the Noctilux on a mirrorless body with a suitable Leica M adapter.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI13y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why doesn’t my Canon 5D Mark III show lens correction data for some lenses?
Is the Canon WFT-E7B II compatible with the EOS 5D Mark III?
Can a Minolta Maxxum 7000 A-mount lens be adapted to a Canon EOS 5D Mark II?
What lenses can be adapted to Leica M mount, and will the rangefinder still work?
Is the Canon 5D Mark II autofocus accurate enough for f/1.2 lenses, and is the 5D Mark III better?