Shel: Leica rangefinder lenses need to be much closer to the film plane than SLR lenses to focus to infinity. This is why you cannot use them on an SLR except for macro purposes.
There's no difference in that regard between a film and a digital SLR, if the mount is the same. So the istD has no advantage over any other K mount camera--the distance between the mount and the film plane is the same. j On 2/11/06, Shel Belinkoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi, > > I somewhat understand what you're saying, but not with 100% clarity. I > always have difficulty understanding descriptions of mechanical things > unless I can actually see them for myself. Once I do, everything falls > into place and becomes quite clear. Having thought about this a bit, it > may be that Juan was talking about using a Leica (RF) lens on the istD, not > a Pentax film body. That way the smaller mirror of the istD would allow > the lens to fit closer to the film plane. Am I misunderstanding what > you're saying? > > Anyway, I found what I believe is the adapter Juan has, and I may just go > ahead and order one and see how it works with my Rangefinder lenses. Then > I'll both understand what you're describing and will know for 100% > certainty what works and what doesn't. > > And just to reiterate, I could very well be mis-remembering what Juan said. > > Shel > > > > > [Original Message] > > From: Godfrey DiGiorgi > > > It would be doable with a Leica R lens, or a longer focal length > > Leica RF lens with short mount and Pentax M42 adapter. > > > > The Leica R cameras have a deeper register than the Pentax M42 and K- > > bayonet mount so a mount adapter could be constructed easily enough > > if the flanges and aperture actuators, etc, are not placed with too > > much interference. > > > > Leica RF lenses are designed for a much thinner mount register and > > could not be adapted to Pentax without optics, unless you use a short > > mount lens (designed for bellows/reflex housing) and build a custom > > short mount with a Pentax end. > > > > Godfrey > > > > On Feb 11, 2006, at 7:35 AM, Paul Stenquist wrote: > > > > > Please report back. If there's a way to achieve this, it flies in > > > the face of both the physical evidence and my personal experience. > > > Paul > > > On Feb 11, 2006, at 9:59 AM, Shel Belinkoff wrote: > > > > > >> My memory of a discussion about this with Juan suggests otherwise > > >> - but, I > > >> could be mistaken. I'm looking into the issue now. > > >> > > >> Shel > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >>> [Original Message] > > >>> From: Paul Stenquist > > >> > > >>> Unfortunately, there is no way to enable infinity focus with a Leica > > >>> rangefinder lens on a Pentax SLR. The lens will hit the mirror if > > >>> it's > > >>> mounted close enough to allow infinity focus. > > >> > > >> > > > > > > -- Juan Buhler Water Molotov: http://photoblog.jbuhler.com Slippery Slope: http://color.jbuhler.com
