Nikon Lens on Leica III?

[michael_pye]

Hi,

I have had a search and can't really find anything on this. Before I was

browsing around Flickr looking at the old Leica III which I'm considering

buying. One guy was using an old canon lens on his Leica III from the 30's.

 

The results were fantastic.

 

Considering Nikon is my main chosen brand I shoot with. Does anybody know if

you can put manual Nikkor lenses on an old Leica Rangefinder III.

 

An adapter?

 

Thanks.

[Troll]

Yep!

[pensacolaphoto]

The Nikon 5cm/1.4 and 5cm/2 are available in Leica mount.

[kelly_flanigan1]

For 35mm Nikon made lenses for Canon RF cameras before WW2; for the Nikon rangefinder; for Leica Thread mount cameras; for the Exakta slr; for Nikon F slr

[fred_c1]

It was Topcon who used the Exakta mount. Nikon (then Nippon Kogaku) did not have lenses in that mount.

[02Pete]

From the early 1950s to the early 1960s, Nikon manufactured Nikkor lens for rangefinder cameras in both Contax/Nikon mount and in Leica thread mount (LTM). These included Nikkor 35mm f/1.8, 50mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/2, and 105mm f/2.5 lenses in LTM mount. The LTM versions of these lenses fit and worked correctly on Leica IIIs, or on a variety of Canon rangefinder cameras, without an adapter. With a Leica LTM to bayonet adapter, they would also fit and work correctly on any Leica M-series body. David Douglas Duncan and other American photojournalists used Nikkor lenses on Leica bodies at the start of the Korean War. Duncan's photos of Marines in combat in Korea, published in Life Magazine in 1950, built Nikon's reputation as a manufacturer of first-class optics. These Nikkor LTM lenses are neither very common nor extremely rare; they show up from time to time on auction web sites, and in the inventories of firms that handle used photo equipment. While now roughly 50 years old, if found in good condition they are still capable of taking highly effective photographs.

[kelly_flanigan1]

Peter; The 135mm F3.5 Nikkor was also factory built by Nikon for Exakta 35mm slr too; and also came in nikon rf and LTM too. I think Michael's question is about using his own inventory of Nikon F mount lenses; the same question was posted in about 3 areas at once. As I mentioned in another thread there is the novoflex adapters. Here one is scale focusing; its ok for wideangles on a sunny day; but dicey with closeups:)

[love4leica]

Leica 111 with adaptor for Nikon lens.<div></div>

[love4leica]

You will of course need and external viewfinder.

[vivek iyer]

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Nafw

 

"Hi, I have had a search and can't really find anything on this."

 

My advice is to buy old LTM lenses and/or CV lenses and forget about the adapters and/or F mount lenses.

[love4leica]

I agree with Vivek - thats the best way forward.

[pc_b]

The Niklei: beautiful male jewellery (honestly!)- and pretty much useless, unfortunately. I mean, _scale_ focussing for moving subjects with a 50mm at anything under f8?! At f8 any 1.8/2.0 Nikkor will be sharper/less flare-prone etc.

 

Michael, do you really plan on using 28mm and wider exclusively? Or is it all about scenics-and-tripods in your photography?

 

Cheers, P.

[alex_lofquist]

Nikon did make a 135mm f/3.5 foe Exakta VX bodies.

[awahlster]

You can use a Nikon to Canon FD adapter then a Canon mount adapter B to put your F mount Nikon lens on any screw or M mount body (for the M mount you will need a M mount ring as well)

[michael_pye]

Thanks Mark, thats an uncanny idea. Because 2 adapters are being used..are you sure there will not be focusing problems e.t.c.?

[laurentvuillard]

Michael, this is really far far fetched, use a modern Voigtlander-Cosina lens , they come in all sort of shape and prices there will be one to suit you and if it is a 50mm you will not even need a viewfinder, this is the most sensible option for using a Leica III now, unles you really want a period look to your photos. All the F mount adaptor business seems ludicrous , remember you'll need to focus at some point, so why not using a F mount on an F?

[kelly_flanigan1]

Using adapters to mount camera A's lenses to camera B's bodies is not really so far fetched; its often a method done when folks had less money to burn; plus from a time when adapters were easier to buy; when folks experimented more. Using Leica LTM; then Exakta slr; then Nikon F lenses on 16mm cine cameras is ancient. Spiratone made Exakta to c mount adapters; Nikon F to c mount; Nikon F to LTM; precision cine optics in Hollywood made premium versions; often with precision ground surfaces.

[vincenzo_maielli]

It's possible. I own two lens adapters: one allow to mount the 42x1 lenses on the 39x1 thread mount, and one allow to mount the Nikon SLR lenses on the 39x1 thread mount. The infinity focus work, the rangefinder don't work.

Ciao.