What to expect#
Aperture control: these are mechanical lenses with aperture rings — set the aperture on the lens and shoot in aperture-priority or manual.
Focus: use focus peaking and magnification in the viewfinder. Exposure metering works normally because the camera meters through the lens at working aperture.
Crop factor: on a 2.7× crop Nikon 1 (CX) body a 50 mm Leica M lens frames like 135 mm. A focal reducer (“speed booster”) can bring back some width and gain about a stop of light.
Leica M lenses you could adapt#
Nikon 1 (CX) cameras#
- Nikon 1 J5 2015
- Nikon 1 V3 2014
- Nikon 1 S2 2014
- Nikon 1 J4 2014
- Nikon 1 AW1 2013
- Nikon 1 S1 2013
- Nikon 1 J3 2013
- Nikon 1 V2 2012
- Nikon 1 J2 2012
- Nikon 1 V1 2011
- Nikon 1 J1 2011
Other systems for Leica M lenses#
Frequently asked questions#
Will Leica M lenses autofocus on Nikon 1 (CX)?
No — adapted lenses are manual focus on this combination.
Does a Leica M to Nikon 1 (CX) adapter affect image quality?
A glass-free adapter is just a precisely machined spacer, so image quality is unchanged when it is built to the right thickness. Cheap adapters can be slightly too thin or thick, which shifts the infinity mark.
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources