Adapter guide
Leica R lenses on L-mount
Yes, this works. Leica R has a 47mm flange distance and L-Mount Alliance (Leica, Panasonic, Sigma) has 20mm, so a 27mm mechanical adapter with no glass fills the gap and infinity focus is preserved. Focus and aperture stay manual.
- Leica R flange
- 47 mm
- L-mount flange
- 20 mm
- Adapter thickness
- 27 mm
- Optical elements
- None required
Setting it up
On Panasonic S bodies set Shoot w/o Lens to On and enter the focal length for stabilisation. Leica SL bodies accept adapted lenses without a setting change and Leica sells its own R-Adapter L for Leica R glass.
Automatic diaphragm. The lens sits at the set aperture when off the body, so the aperture ring works directly on an adapter.
Leica R lenses and their field of view on L-mount
Effective focal length changes with sensor size. The lens itself does not change; the smaller sensor simply captures a narrower part of the image circle.
| Lens | Focal length | Aperture | Full frame | Frames like (APS-C (1.5x)) | Years | Used value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leica Elmarit-R 90mm f/2.8 | 90mm | f/2.8 | 90mm | 135mm | 1964-1996 | $300 to $800 |
| Leica Summicron-R 50mm f/2 | 50mm | f/2 | 50mm | 75mm | 1964-2009 | $350 to $900 |
Frequently asked
Do Leica R lenses work on L-mount cameras?
Yes. A plain Leica R to L-mount adapter works with no optics. Leica R has a 47mm register and L-Mount Alliance (Leica, Panasonic, Sigma) has a 20mm register, so the adapter is a 27mm tube that puts the lens exactly where a Leica R body would. Plain adapter ring. Choose one with clearance for the meter cams and ROM contacts so nothing binds; Leica's own R-Adapter L and most current third-party adapters are fine.
Do Leica R lenses focus to infinity on L-mount?
Yes. Because the adapter restores the native 47mm register, infinity focus is preserved and the full focus scale on the lens stays accurate. Adapters machined slightly short let the lens focus past infinity by a small margin, which is harmless; adapters machined long stop short of infinity, so buy from a maker with tight tolerances.
What focal length does a Leica R lens become on L-mount?
On full frame L-mount bodies (Leica SL series, Lumix S series, Sigma fp) the focal length is unchanged: a 90mm lens frames as a 90mm. On APS-C (1.5x) L-mount bodies (Leica CL, TL, TL2) a 90mm lens frames like a 135mm lens on full frame; the aperture and depth of field at a given distance do not change.
More on this mount: Leica R mount reference