I was digging through some old gear boxes recently and stumbled upon a Leica M to Fuji X lens adapter I bought in a distant past.

Last time it was used was years ago with my X-E3.

I decided to mount it on my X-Pro3 just to see how it works. Then came the idea to write a practical guide for those who want to give this combination a go, but not sure how the camera will react operationally.

Most of what you’ll find below is specific to the X-Pro3’s OVF. But everything else is still applicable to any Fuji X camera using an M lens adapter.

Mandatory camera settings

Because the camera receives no electronic signal from a mechanical adapter, you must configure two settings for proper performance:

Enable “Shoot Without Lens”:

Go to MENU > SETTINGS > BUTTON / DIAL SETTING > SHOOT WITHOUT LENS and set it to ON. If you skip this, the camera will lock the shutter button because it does not recognize a native lens.

Mount adapter settings:

Go to MENU > SHOOTING SETTING > MOUNT ADAPTER SETTING. Select or input your specific lens focal length (e.g., 35mm, 50mm). This registers the correct focal length into your image EXIF metadata and ensures the frame lines scale correctly when using the Optical Viewfinder (OVF)

With the OVF

Provided you followed above, the OVF will display the correct framelines.

However, unlike native XF lenses, with an adapted M-lens the X-Pro3 will not provide dynamic parallax correction.

Hence, you will find two sets of framelines: the main one (thicker); and an offset one (narrower), which is supposed to represent the framing at closest focusing distance.

It is not actually tied to your specific lens’ “closest focusing distance” (which could be 0.7m or 0.3m), because the camera has no idea what lens you mounted.

Instead, it is set to the minimum focus distance that the Fujifilm system assumes is standard for the focal length you manually input.

The frames will remain static in the OVF, which becomes increasingly inaccurate the closer you get to your subject.

Workaround:

You can use the Electronic Rangefinder (ERF), which is the small LCD corner window in the OVF. By default it shows a magnified view of the focus point.

Unbeknownst to many, if you press the rear command dial inward (like a button) it will show a full frame composition overview. So this way you can use the ERF to confirm accurate framing.

Focusing:

The X-Pro3 has no traditional rangefinder mechanism in the OVF like Leica M cameras. Shooting with the OVF, you use the ERF to check focus (you may have to toggle the ERF’s view with the aforementioned workaround).

Whatever manual focus assist you set in the camera (focus peak, microprism, split image) that’s what you’ll find in the ERF. Due to its small size, focus peak is my preferred mode.

Otherwise, you can skip all this steps and use good ol’ zone focusing. It eliminates focusing distractions, letting you concentrate entirely on framing and capturing the decisive moment.

With the EVF

Perhaps the logical way to shoot with an M-lens on the X-Pro3 is to use the EVF, which is pretty straight forward.

With the EVF you get a through the lens view. What you see is what you get, not much to say here.

Focusing:

The X-Pro3 offers several manual focusing assists. My preferred one is focus peaking and it works extremely well on the EVF with M-mount lenses.

Other assist modes are just not as clear to my eyes. I’m getting old and lacking the proper eye power.

Why all this?

This is the core question: why would someone mount a Leica M lens onto an X-Pro3, or any Fuji X camera for that matter?

Bokeh: 35mm Summicron at f2.0

To each their own. The motivations are personal and subjective. I can think of a few:

a) Resurrecting old glass on a budget. You have a drawer full of vintage M-mount lenses and want to give them a second life, but a digital Leica body costs too much. A Fuji X is a financially sane compromise.

b) Craving a mechanical connection. Fuji XF lenses are great, but you got tired of clinical results and automation. You want a slow, tactile experience where manual focus is entirely your responsibility

c) Image quality. You want that unmistakable Leica character, but on a budget. And doing it on APS-C means the sensor crops out the softer corners of the full-frame M glass, utilizing only the sharpest center portion. You get excited just reading this.

d) It looks cool. Let’s be real. Sometimes you trade away modern features because an M lens looks wonderfully classic on an X-Pro3. That aesthetic vibe is a massive part of the joy of photography.

Where do I stand

I’m b) and d).

Nothing beats the smoothness of an M lens focus ring. Fuji’s XF lens by-wire rings? Don’t mention it, please.

And my X-Pro3 looks cool with an M lens. The 35mm Summicron is my favourite. Perfect size and weight.

But

I could wax lyrical about how shooting the X-Pro3 with an M lens feels analog and inspiring.

With the 50mm Summilux

I could talk about how it slows me down and makes me a better photographer.

I could praise the Wetzlar glass, the Leica signature, and the bokeh.

It is all true.

Yet Fuji XF lenses are just as good. Different signature, similarly good. Leica is not objectively better.

Then why use Leica glass on a Fuji

Because it looks cool, and it is fun to try something different.

But you trade away practicality and autofocus. Plus, Leica M lenses suffer from poor close-focusing distances.

And when you have the Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4, which is faster than the Summicron, sharp as hell and a legend in its own right.

From a technical standpoint, adapting an M lens to the X-Pro3 may not justify it. I do it just for fun, to give my M lenses some exercise since they usually sit on my Leica M-E.

But I wouldn’t spend any money to recreate this. Unless you already own M glass, just stick to your XF lenses.

At the end of the day, practicality wins.

And I dare say your XF lenses are just as good as any M glass.