Thread: Leica Lenses - field of view

I'm hoping someone can help me with the above M? lenses for the Leica M8/9. If I were to buy a 35mm lens or 50mm lens etc., would the fov be the same on a Sony NEX APS-C sensor? I've become rather confused having used m43rds and now using old Contax G lenses on the NEX. 45mm and 90mm ranges on the Contax G lenses are not the same fov on the NEX. They are longer I think? Anyway, now I'm looking for a bit of clarity here

Well, a 35mm or 50mm is always a 35mm or 50mm lens. What's different is effective focal length. m43s has a crop factor of 2, so they'd be equivalent to 70mm and 100mm on m43. Sony NEX has a crop factor of 1.5, so it'd be 52.5mm and 75mm.

Chistina

Is it the crop factor that you are after for the NEX

the M9 = 1 (i.e. it is true 35mm), as is say the Nikon D700
the M8 = 1.3
the DX sensor on the Nikon, say the D300 = 1.5 plus a bit, maybe 1.6
M43 = 2

etc.

APS-C - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

but some argue about FOV not being the same as say a 50mm lens on an M43 which would be 100mm

(answered at the same time as deirdre)

Another thing to note, Christina, is that if you are using a lens made for a Film Rangefinder Camera, or indeed a film SLR, that when you use this lens on a "cropped" sensor only part of the lens is really in view, i.e. used - (so I have read anyway).

The reverse of this is seen when you use a lens designed for the Nikon DX sensor, (i.e. the DX range of lenses), on a FF, (full frame 35mm), Nikon - the lens only uses part of the sensor and this can be seen in the image that is produced

Thanks for the replies Bill and Deirdre. I realize now where I began to get confused. I thought that the M9 was APS-C sensor and now I see that it's full frame! Now it's making more sense to me

Ahh, yes, the M9 is definitely full frame.

Originally Posted by deirdre

Ahh, yes, the M9 is definitely full frame.

And how sweet it is!

Now then, don't set us all off again with the "wants"

I can't hear them, Christina.

Ahh, you must be getting a little hard of hearing then BB