This might be a stupid question, but is there such a thing as perspective control lens for a Leica M?

-- Laurie Kimber (mgb80@telusplanet.net), May 24, 2002

Answers

No, there is none I know of. I don't think a short focal length lens usually used with PC lenses (like a 28 or 35mm) could be made to focus to infinity with the visoflex housing. You need to be able to see through the lens when using a PC lens--a rangefinder type of viewing just won't cut it.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), May 24, 2002.

You could get a Nikon F to M adapter and put a 28mm Nikkor PC on a M camera. Plus you'll have to use a 28mm finder on the shoe since the large lens will not allow you to see through the viewfinder. I've seen a photo with this in a LHSA Viewfinder issue. Framing can be quite a challenge.

-- chris a williams (LeicaChris@worldnet.att.net), May 24, 2002.

If you're hooked on Leica glass there are also adapters to fit the Leica-R 28 or 35 PA lenses onto the M (also Canon, no doubt) - but the viewing/framing/scale-focusing challenges will be the same as with the Nikkors-plus-adapters.

With experiment, experience, and a lot of "bracketing" the shifts (shoot, move it a mm, shoot again, etc.) you could probably get pretty good at using these combos.

But it seems a bit like using a Miata to haul a trailer.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), May 25, 2002.

If you are seriously interested in photographing architecture with a shift lens, you should not try to use whatever lens on an M, because the Leica M is not made for that kind of work. You need a SLR to check the shift, preferably on a tripod. I have been using my shift lens on an old Canon A1 for 15 years or so, and it works great, but you really need to check the image throught the lens, so you will need an SLR.

-- Lex Bosman (ledxb@wanadoo.nl), May 25, 2002.

Ok, a SLR is the better tool to get this done. But if you want to have it on a Leica M, maybe a Focoslide is a way to go? Thus you will get through-the-lens framing. However, i don't know if it's possible to adapt an SLR perspective control lens to a Focoslide.

-- Gerd Hechtfischer (Gerd.Hechtfischer@t-online.de), May 25, 2002.

What is a focoslide?

-- Jim Lennon (jim@jmlennon.com), May 25, 2002.

the focoslide (? sp) is a device for the close and deliberate focussing with the Leica rf (screw, one version, M another). Basically, it is a sliding/locking device which a lens is focussed by looking through a ground glass focussing screen directly at the film plane position, then, after composition and focussing are complete, you slide the actual camera body and film inot the same phsycial location. It works, but clearly was a klutzy way to do something an SLR is made for. They do not make it anymore -- I think Leica made the last one around 1958, when the SLR became so obviosu the choice for this.

I have one, and it does increase the lens to film plane distance, so it is not for use with any standard R to M body or Nikon to M body adapters (they would need to be custom built, just a tad thinner) -- if you want infinity focus. It is really designed for copy work, very close static macro work, say with an enlarging lens or focotar, not really for landscape or architrectural work. It is clumsy, and size- wise and time wise, I could use a small view camera (say, 6X7) with greater ease. I also have an occsionally found Kopil bellows for leica screw (earleir thread on the forum) which allows shift and tilt on a Visoflex, but is of no use unless you use a longer lens (such as a 100-135 view camera or enlarger lens beacuse all these adapters extend the lens to film distance.

The article mentioned as being in the Viewfinder was a SLR adapted PC lens, with a viewfinder that was angled/rasied differently according to lens shift, but it had to be calibrated,a sI remember, by trial and error, asnd was just one person's fanatic effort (a great dedication to making the M work, but a hobby, not a practical optimum). By the time you buy all these adapters, you have more than paid for a SLR camera body -- and that SLR body will take up less camera bag space than the Visoflex or focoslide (I use a visoflex, but I also use the Leica R body and adapter as a replacement, and it is more functional)/

-- l smith (lacsm@bellsouth.net), May 25, 2002.

I believe there was a Perspective Corrector outfit for Focomat 1c and Valoy 2 enlargers consisting of a tilting negative carrier holder, hinged negative carrier and tilting easel holder. By tilting the negative carrier and easel holder independently, perspectives could be corrected or distorted as desired.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), May 26, 2002.

Laurie,

there is an shift-finder with movable finder-masks made by the italian manufacturer Silvestri for their MF-shift-camaras. You could attach this finder on Your Leica and use it together with M-adapted Nikon or Leica PC-lenses (for a 28mm lens You need the 58mm/6x9 finder-mask). The Silvestri finder (I have one for my Silvestri SLV) works fine but costs at least $ 550 and is therefore kind of overkill for 35mm format. So You better/cheaper use an additional SLR with PC- lenses or buy the real thing (Silvestri/Horseman Shift-Cameras or large format like Linhof Technikardan.

-- J. Hildebrand (j.hildebrand@hildebrand.de), May 27, 2002.

Laurie: Forget all the Rub Goldberg gimmicks. If you need PC for your work (ie, architecture), buy the 28mmPC F/2.8 Leica lens along with an R8. I have had the PC for years and it is an incredible lens. It does take practise but once you get used to it you will be quite pleased. You can probably get both second-hand if money is a question.

-- Albert Knapp MD (albertknappmd@mac.com), May 28, 2002.