Using LTM on FD body, become a macro lens?

<p>Hi all,<br>

I have some LTM lenses, such as Jupiter 12 and others. I enjoy using them on my Leica but I hope to use them on my Canon body. I notice there are lens mount available from auction sites and stores. However, someone warned me they will become macro lens and other problems might occur if I used with the mount conveters. Is that true?<br />And is there any suggested bands/ models that can avoid this problem? <br>

Thank you.<br>

Kevin</p>

<p>Many of them won't focus to infinity. They don't become a macro lens per se...they just are restricted to close focus due to the register distance differential (mount to film plane). However, if you have any LTM lenses which separate the lenshead from the focus mount, for use on the Visoflex, you can use these via adapters and achieve infinity focus. For instance I occasionally use a 135mm or 90mm (M mount) lensheads via adapters on my FD, or via different adapters on my Nikon DSLR. Everything, of course is manual, but they work fine.</p>

<p>There are plenty of Canon FD lenses which are far better than any FSU products and which sell for very little so using LTM lenses on a Canon FD camera does not offer many advantages. There are many nice M42 lenses which will fit FD cameras with the proper adapter and which will allow correct infinity focus. </p>

<p>I know that most FD lenses are better than FSU or Leica, but I wish to try them. I notice there is a converter made by Canon itself, known as "Canon Lens Mount converter A" which allows to use LTM lens on the FD body.<br /> Does that one provide infinity focus?</p>

<p>No. The lens mount converter 'A' allows you to put M39 lenses on an FD camera, but it does not give you infinity focus. M39 lenses are designed to be much closer to the film plane, as on a rangefinder camera, where there's no mirror box. The converter 'A' acts as a short extension tube, so you can't focus on distant objects.</p>

<p>The opposite works fine, incidentally. If you have a lens mount converter 'B', you can use FD lenses on your M39 rangefinder camera. You have to focus by scale though.</p>

<p>The distance from the lens mount of a LTM camera to the film plane is much shorter than that of a Canon FD body because of the SLR's mirror (about 28.8mm vs 42.1mm, respectively). If you mount your LTM lens to a Canon SLR body using the Lens Mount Converter A, you're essentially adding an extension tube of about 16mm. As Stephen stated, you will not be able to focus to infinity. You may not be able to focus beyond, perhaps, 12 inches or so. You may get decent images, but don't expect the quality of a true macro lens.</p>

<p>If you go in the opposite direction and mount your FD lenses to your LTM body using the Canon Lens Mount Converter B, you will be able to focus to infinity. Of course, there will be no rangefinder coupling so you'll have to zone focus.</p>

<p>LTM lens registration distance is 28.8mm<br>

FD lenses registration distance is 42mm<br>

in order to achive infinity focus with an LTM mount lens on a FD mount body the lens would have to be pushed 13.2mm into the body of the camera the mirror would be in the way even if such an adapter could be made.</p>

<p>Thank you for the explanation.<br /> I have given up this idea after reading this post. I would let my LTM lenses to stay with my LTM cameras.</p>