Adapting Leica M mount glass on an Mirrorless Fujifilm XT-4 camera

My primary camera system for assignment work is my Fujifilm GFX 100s. For fun and family pictures plus the occasional foray into bird watching/photography, I use my Fuji XT-4 with a couple of Fujifilm zoom lenses.

I’ve shot Leica cameras most of my career. My first serious camera was a Leica M2 with a collapsible 50mm Elmar that I bought from Ritz Camera in Washington DC for $150 way back when.

I thought it would be fun to test out a few of my current Leica M mount lenses on the Fuji XT-4, using the Novoflex Leica/Fuji adapter. Yes, it is manual focus, however, the Fuji camera uses an APS sensor which is an advantage when shooting with stellar Leica, Zeiss or Voightlander glass, you use the best portion of of the lens – the center.

Setting up the XT-4 with focus peaking is easy and you can punch into the frame to insure your focus is spot on. (I use the red highlight for focus peaking – there are other options – white, yellow or blue)

I own several unusual Leica Thread Mount lenses that I am looking to use with this system. First one that I will test is the “Japanese Summilux” – the Canon 50mm f/1.4 thread mount from the early sixties that Canon sold for their Leica clones. That will be a double adapter test – first Leica Thread Mount to M mount – then M mount to Fujifilm X mount.

Which adapter to use? I use the Novoflex adapter for several reasons: It is extremely well made, the adapter is tight- but not too tight – the M mount lenses fit perfectly without any movement. The release is positioned perfectly so that you don’t accidentally push it and release the lens.

In the background of a few of these images you will see my Tenba Tool Box 4 – it is perfect for carrying my Leica mount lenses within my backpack or camera bag.