Voigtlaender L lenses and Bessa R2A or R3A body

[haris]

Hello,

I find good deal in Europe for Voigtlaender Bessa R2A and R3A cameras and 35mm/f2,5 Color Skopar PII (M mount), Nokton 40mm/f1,9 (M mount), M39 12mm/f5,6 Super Wide Heliar, M39 21mm/f4 Color Skopar, M39 28mm/f1,9 Ultron lenses.

Now prices (all new equipment) attracted me enough to buy one of those bodies and one lens for start (I am between 35mm Color Skopar and 21mm Color skopar, maybe 28mm Ultron).

I know about Stephen Gandy from Cameraques in USA, but I find dificult to deal with USA (paying without credit card) comanies, and these prices in Europe are simillar to Stephens.

Now, my question is: I know about adapter ring for mounting M39 lenses on Bessa R2A or R3A bodies, which have VM (Leica M) mount. But, what is situation if I decide to buy some of Voigtlaender L mount lenses (for example 50mm Color Skopar or 90mm Apo Lanther). I have not seen how Voigtlaender L mount lenses are mounted on Bessa R2A or R3A bodies, that is I have not seen adapter for that.

Next question, betveen lenses I mentioned what is by your opinion best for start, 35mm Color Skopar, 28mm Ultron, 25mm Snap Shot Skopar or 21mm Color Skopar. I am toward 25mm, but it is L mount lens, so buying depends on can I mount it to Bessa R2A or R3A body. I plan to have kit with 50mm lens (Color Skopar will be most certain choice depend of L/VM answer because it is L mount lens), one wide angle (and there is my biggest dillema), and one short telephoto (75mm or 90mm, will see yet, again mount issue).

So, in short, can Voigtlaender L mount lenses be mounted on Bessa R2A or R3A camera?

Thank you.

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Haris,

The Voigtlander screwmount lenses can be mounted on the R2A or R3A with the same adapter you would use for a Leica M. The R2's and R3's use the same bayonet mount as Leica and the lenses are interchangeable. I have a 21mm Skopar, a 40mm Nokton S.C., and 75mm Color-Heliar that I use on a Leica M6 and a Hexar RF with no problems. I find the Voigtlander lenses to be quite nice and a great value.

Richard Wasserman

 

[Mark Pope]

It depends on what your photography style is as the lenses you mention are quite different.
My first rangefinder lenses were 35mm and 90mm. I added others when I felt it was appropriate.
You could do a lot worse than get the 35mm IMHO - ask yourself whether you will really need to justify the extra expense and weight of the f1.4 vs the f2.5.

All of the CV lenses are excellent.

Good luck with your purchases!

 

[haris]

Thank you, Richard and Mark.

Richard, I am sorry, I wasn't clear enough. I know I can use M39 to M mount adapter for Bessa cameras. My question was about L mount lenses on Bessa R2A or R3A cameras. I haven't see L mount lens to M mount camera adapter. How to put L mount lens on M mount camera, both are Voigtlaender?

For example: How to put 50mm Color Skopar (L mount) lens on Bessa R2A (VM (M)mount) camera?

I know about adapter M39 lens to M mount camera, it is not my question.

Thank you.

 

[ElrodCod]

Haris,
I'm not sure about what you mean by "L" mount lenses. If you mean lenses for the Bessa L camera, they are Leica Thread Mount. The Bessa "SL" lenses are for the SLR cameras and I don't think that there is an adapter for them.

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Haris,

If I'm not mistaken the Voigtlander L mount is the standard Leica screwmount thread and all you need is a regular Leica thread to M bayonet mount adapter such as: Dead Link Removed. I hope this helps.

Richard Wasserman

 

[Roger Hicks]

Haris,

If I'm not mistaken the Voigtlander L mount is the standard Leica screwmount thread and all you need is a regular Leica thread to M bayonet mount adapter such as: Dead Link Removed. I hope this helps.

Richard Wasserman

Dear Richard,

If you are mistaken, so are we all including Hirofumi Kobayashi.

Incidentally, how many people realize that this is 39mm x 26 tpi, not 39x1mm (39mm x 25.4 tpi)? Apparently some lens makers didn't, in the 1950s...

Cheers,

R.

 

[Lee L]

Dear Richard,

If you are mistaken, so are we all including Hirofumi Kobayashi.

Incidentally, how many people realize that this is 39mm x 26 tpi, not 39x1mm (39mm x 25.4 tpi)? Apparently some lens makers didn't, in the 1950s...

Cheers,

R.

I've read that this 26 tpi pitch is "inherited" from a common microscope thread pitch before metric was fully adopted. Not sure if that's urban legend or not.

Lee

 

[Ole]

It's probably derived from the pitch angle of the threads, just like the utterly weird threads on the Compound shutters...

 

[Roger Hicks]

I've read that this 26 tpi pitch is "inherited" from a common microscope thread pitch before metric was fully adopted. Not sure if that's urban legend or not.

Lee

Dear Lee

That's what I've heard too, and it's logical. RMS (Royal Microscopical Society) threads were the first in the world to be standardized -- before the metric system was invented, unless I'm mistaken -- and Leitz were microscope manufacturers.

Of course the fact that it's logical doesn't make it true.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Steve Smith]

I've read that this 26 tpi pitch is "inherited" from a common microscope thread pitch before metric was fully adopted. Not sure if that's urban legend or not.

I't's also standard British bicycle pitch. Although I expect they are all metric now!


Steve.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Although I expect they are all metric now!
Steve.

Dear Steve,

I'd be surprised. Once adopted, threads are amazingly persistent, for obvious reasons. Spares are made with the same thread as the original, so new originals are made to match available spares, so...

Cheers,

R

 

[haris]

Haris,
I'm not sure about what you mean by "L" mount lenses. If you mean lenses for the Bessa L camera, they are Leica Thread Mount. The Bessa "SL" lenses are for the SLR cameras and I don't think that there is an adapter for them.

What I mean by L mount lenses is next: This is copy from Voigtlaender web site, precisely from:

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_asan6m4dw7.html

And this is it (copy for 50mm Color Skopar lens):

Focal Length 50mm
Aperture Ratio 1 : 2,5
Smallest Aperture 22
Lens Construction 6 groups / 7 elements
Picture Angle 46 degree
Aperture Blades 10
Nearest Distance 0,75 m
Diameter 49,6 mm
Length 33,6 mm
Weight 208 g
Filter Size 39 mm
Mount L-Mount
Rangefinder Coupling infinity - 0,75 m (depends on camera body used)

I bold part which write about L mount lenses. And that is part which confuses me.

Thanks for answers.

 

[haris]

Haris,

If I'm not mistaken the Voigtlander L mount is the standard Leica screwmount thread and all you need is a regular Leica thread to M bayonet mount adapter such as: Dead Link Removed. I hope this helps.

Richard Wasserman

Richard, thank you, I thought the same, but I have no experience with Voigtlaender and wanted to check before buying.

 

[haris]

And while I am on this issue, on Voigtlaender web site it written that adapter ring is for 35 / 135mm, 50 / 75mm, 28 / 90mm lenses. Can I use wider (25mm or 21mm) lenses with it. I seriously think about 25mm lens.

Thank you.

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hi Haris !
If my memory serves me right, there is one adapter specifically designed to fit 21 to 28 mm lenses. So there are 4 of them. I think the difference is in the rangefinder coupling amplitude.

 

[haris]

Georges, thank you, I initially tought there is one adapder for all 6 lenses, and only when saw your post I saw there is one adapter per combination of lenses, so there are three (four if you are right about 21 to 28 lenses).

Thank you.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

The only difference between L39 to Leica M adapters is the way in which they make frames pop up in a Leica M viewfinder. If like me you have a Voigtländer T camera, you can use any adapter with any lens. I know the earlier Voigtländer R series cameras had manually-selected viewfinder frames, maybe they all do - if so, any adapter will do. The choice of adapter has no effect on rangefinder operation.

Regards,

David

 

[haris]

Thanks David, I will get Bessa R2A (or R3A) and as I can see viewfinder frames are manually selected.

 

[ElrodCod]

Haris,
The "L" mount is what Cosina ( Voigtlander) is calling their lenses with the Leica Thread Mount.

 

[haris]

Haris,
The "L" mount is what Cosina ( Voigtlander) is calling their lenses with the Leica Thread Mount.

Thank you, it is clear to me now. L mount is in fact M39 thread mount.

Thank you all for help.

 

[pnance]

Haris,
I'm not sure about what you mean by "L" mount lenses. If you mean lenses for the Bessa L camera, they are Leica Thread Mount. The Bessa "SL" lenses are for the SLR cameras and I don't think that there is an adapter for them.

Interestingly enough, there is an adapter for mounting Nikon mount lens on Leica thread mount bodies, and with the M mount adapter will also fit on M mount bodies. Gandy carries the F-L adapter for this purpose (Its made by Voigtlander (Cosina). When I got the 12mm heliar, I got it in the Nikon mount, and with the adapters, fits my R2. Nothing like the solid feel of a Nikon F with this lens. (Kinda strange, using a SLR as a rangefinder body, since the lens isn't coupled for focusing doesn't matter whether using it with rangefinder body or not, and with its depth of field, doesn't matter much anyways.

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Interestingly enough, there is an adapter for mounting Nikon mount lens on Leica thread mount bodies, and with the M mount adapter will also fit on M mount bodies. Gandy carries the F-L adapter for this purpose (Its made by Voigtlander (Cosina). When I got the 12mm heliar, I got it in the Nikon mount, and with the adapters, fits my R2. Nothing like the solid feel of a Nikon F with this lens. (Kinda strange, using a SLR as a rangefinder body, since the lens isn't coupled for focusing doesn't matter whether using it with rangefinder body or not, and with its depth of field, doesn't matter much anyways.

In fact there are adapters to fit almost any kind of SLR lens (with an aperture control - not sure about Canon EOS) to Leica thread mount. I got mine from SRB-Griturn (www.srbfilm.co.uk), it is for M42 lenses (Pentax screw thread, etc.). There is no rangefinder coupling but this was not a problem for the 28 and 35 mm lenses I was using.

 

[haris]

Thank you all for help. I just ordered Bessa R2A grey colour camera and one lens, and I would like if you can tell me about lens. Lens is:

Maker: Voigtländer f. M-mount
Type: 35mm/2,5 Color Skopar P-II
Condition: A
Prod. Year: 2005

new black pancake lens, complete with caps, papers in maker´s box

So, what I would like tp know if you can tell me, what is difference between pancake and non pancake lens.

Thank you.

 

[haris]

Oh, I am sorry, I found on Stephen Gandy web site informations about 35mm pancake lens, no need for informations anymore.

I am sorry again and thank you all.