Confused over M42 Adapters

[gembobs]

Hi,

Just bought my first two MF primes today of e-bay - a Zeiss Jena 135 F3.5 and a Soligor 28mm F2.8! I got them both pretty cheap (£6 for the Soligor, and £38 for the Zeiss), so I am expecting to have to clean them / kill some fungus.

I have been looking at adapters to fit these lenses onto my Canon 40D, but after reading some posts on the web for what I should get I am really confused!

From what I can gather, the Zeiss does not need the adapter with a flange as it doesn't have a pin, but I think the Soligor looks like it does have a pin, so would need the flange? Would it affect the lens / camera if I used an adaper with a flange on a lens which doesn't require it or vice versa?

For these lenses, do I need the AF confirm chip? Should I be looking at the cheaper aluminium adapters or the brass ones? Can anyone recomend a retailer in the UK for these?

Sorry if these questions appear a little silly, but I just want to make sure I get the right adapter(s)!

Gembobs

[Attila]

These are right questions, I think some of our Canon owners will answer to you within one day.

Welcome to aboard!
_________________

Olympus E-1,Bessa L,Bessa RF,Olympus OM2n,Nikon FA,Yashica Eletro 35 GN,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl Zeiss Jena:Flektogon 2.8/20mm,4/25mm,2.4/35,2.8/65mm,4.5/4cm Tessar, 8/500mm Fernobjektiv
Pancolar 1.4/55mm,1.8/50mm,1.8/80mm,Tessar 2.8/50mm,Biotar 2/58mm,1.5/75mm,1.5/7,5cm
Carl Zeiss: Sonnar 2.8/135,2.8/180mm,Tessar 4/135mm
Nikon: 3.5/20mm,2.8/28mm,1.4/35mm,1.4/50mm,1.2/50mm,2/50mm,1.8/105mm,2.5/105mm,4/200mm macro,4.5/300mm
Pentax: Pentax 1.2/50mm,1.8/85mm,4/200mm
Helios: Helios-40 1.5/8,5cm,Helios-44-1 2/58mm,Helios-44-2 2/58mm
Olympus OM: 3.5/18mm,3.5/21mm,1.4/50mm,3.5/55mm macro,2.8/135mm,2/90mm macro,35-70mm,60-250mm
Meyer: 4.5/35mm Primagon,Primoplan 1.9/58mm,1.9/75mm,2.8/100mm,Orestegor 2.8/135mm,4.5/40 Helioplan
Leica: 4/100 Macro Elmar,2.8/90 Elmarit last version
Please visit my Ebay shop to support my reviews !

[patrickh]

If your eyesight is like mine (failing with age after being poor when young) then I would strongly recommend the chipped version. Do some research to find the good ones (I don't think I have found the right one yet). Live view can help, but I find the confirmation quite effective/accurate most of the time.


patrickh
_________________
DSLR: Nikon D70 Nikon D200 Canon 40D
MF Zooms: Kiron 28-85/3.5, 28-105/3.2, 75-150/3.5, Nikkor 50-135/3.5 AIS // MF Primes: Nikkor 20/4 AI, 24/2 AI, 28/2 AI, 28/2.8 AIS, 28/3.5 AI, 35/1.4 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 35/2.8 PC, 45/2.8 P, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 55/2.8 AIS micro, 55/3.5 AI micro, 85/2 AI, 100/2,8 E, 105/1,8 AIS, 105/2,5 AIS, 135/2 AIS, 135/2.8 AIS, Nikkor 200/4 AI, 200/4 AIS micro, 3004.5 AI, 300/4.5 AI ED, Kiron 28/2 Panagor 135/2.8, Tamron 28/2.5, Tamron 90/2.5 macro, Vivitar 90/2.5 macro (Tokina) Voigtlander 90/3.5 Vivitar 105/2.5 macro (Kiron) Kaleinar 100/2.8 AI Tamron 135/2.5, Vivitar 135/2.8CF, 200/3.5, Tokina 400/5,6
M42: Vivitar 28/2.5, Flektogon 35/2.4, Takumar 35/3.5, Curtagon 35/4, Arsat 50/1.4, Volna-6 50/2.8 macro,Mamiya 50/1.4, CZJ Pancolar 50/1,8, Oreston 50/1.8, Industar 50/3.5, Sears 55/1.4, Helios 58/2, Jupiter 85/2, Helios 85/1.5, Jupiter 135/4, Jupiter 135/3.5, Takumar 135/3.5, Tair 135/2.8, Takumar 150/4, Jupiter 200/4
Exakta: Topcon 100/2.8, 35/2.8
C/Y: Yashica 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8
P6 : Mir 38 65/3.5, Biometar 80/2.8, Kaleinar 150/2.8, Sonnar 180/2.8

[Orio]

hi,
there are lenses that need the flanged adapter, lenses that can use both, and (more rare) lenses that need the not-flanged adapter.
So I have both adapters in my arsenal, and I suggest you to do the same. If you have to start with only one, start with the flanged one because it covers most lenses.
_________________
_
ХОРИОС-61 ( ώρεος ) : Lens sana in corpore sano
www.timelessphotography.eu
www.oriofoto.net

Read list of equipment HERE

[gembobs]

Thanks for the tips, so now I know what I should be looking at a flanged adapter with a chip!

Anybody have any recomendations on where to buy one from in the UK?

Thanks for the advice so far!

[martinsmith99]

I have the Zeiss 135 for my 40D. I use a AF confirm adapter on it. It doesn't need a flange and in fact it may be better without. I think I'm right in saying that if you have an M42 lens with an auto/man switch then the flange is not needed but it will work fine with either adapter.

If you have an adapter with the flange, you need to set the aperture to its largest setting, focus, then stop down to the required aperture.

If you have an adapter without the flange, you can do the above, or an easier way is to set the lens to the required aperture then set the auto/man to auto (which will open the aperture), when focused select manual (which will stop the lens down to the selected aperture) and shoot away.

The 40D has a tendency to overexpose with my zeiss by about a stop. Use centre weight metering get used to the lenses. The zeiss is a very sharp lens.

As to buying, UK doesn't have many options. I bought mine from US dealers www.fotodiox.com & www.goshotcamera.com. They both have ebay stores. I did have to chase go shot when they sent me a faulty adapter. The others I bought from them were fine, but I'm annoyed that I had to chase them for a refund.

Hope this helps.
_________________
Cameras - Canon 40D, Pentax Spotmatic F, Praktica MTL5 & Praktica TL3
MF lenses - Olympus Zuiko 28mm F2.8, CZ Flektogon MC 35mm F2.4, SMC Takumar 55mm F1.8, Tamron SP 90mm F2.5 macro, CZJ MC Sonnar 135mm F3.5, Tair PhS 300mm F4.5, Osawa 400mm F5.6

[rick_oleson]

I'm sure everyone will have had his own experience, so advice will vary.

First, I would look for a brass adapter rather than aluminum: there is not a high risk of aluminum threads seizing on your lens, but the risk will be effectively eliminated if you choose brass.

You do not need a flanged adapter if your lens has either (1) a preset diaphragm or (2) an Auto/Manual switch. Most M42 lenses fall into one or the other of these groups, but not all; I would try to use lenses that do not need the flanged adapter, unless there is a particular lens that you really want that is Auto-only. The Auto stop-down pins are not exactly the same on all lenses, so the flange may work just right, or not press the pin all the way in, or hit bottom before the lens is fully seated, depending on the lens. Chances are it will work fine, but other things being equal I would prefer to leave this variable out of the equation.

A focus-confirmation chip will certainly do no harm, and you may find it helpful. If you go without it, and use fast manual lenses, you will probably get better results if you swap out the focusing screen with one that is designed for manual focusing. One frustrating thing for me with the AF chips is that they (of course) blink the AF light as you hit exact focus, and (also of course) the focus ring is moving when this happens. The result is that you never stop quite on focus but are constantly hunting back and forth trying to catch the signal light. I'm more comfortable using a better screen and trusting my eyes.
_________________
I don't know what I want to be when I grow up

[peterqd]

Hi gembobs and welcome. I agree with Rick - in preference always go for an adapter without the flange whenever possible. There are some lenses whose rear element needs to pass right through the opening in the adapter, or have stop down levers and stuff, and sometimes the opening is too small. Helios and Tamron lenses are the only ones in my experience so far that need the flange.

I bought my M42 chipped adapters from happypagehk in Hong Kong. His site has some videos and examples of different adapters mounted on lenses. The adapters are very good quality and he's very knowledgable and helpful if you have any questions. I recommend him without hesitation.

Click here to see on Ebay
_________________
Lenses: M42 - CZJ 2.8/20, 2.4/35, 1.8/50, 2.8/50, 3.5/135 - Meyer/Pentacon 1.8/50, 2.8/50, 2.8/135, 4/200
Russian - J9, J21, J37A, M1v, M24m, I50-2, H44m-4 Vega12
Takumar 3.5/28, 2.0/35, 3.5/35, 1.4/50(x2), 1.8/55(x2), 1.9/85, 3.5/135 - Vivitar 2.8/28
K-mount : Pentax-M 2.8/28, 1.7/50 - Tamron zooms :SP28-80, SP35-80, SP60-300, 80-210
DSLR:Canon 400D 35mm SLR: Pentax Spotmatic SP, SPII(x2), SPF, ESII, K2, ME Super, P30 - Chinon CE3 - Minolta XG-M - Praktica Nova 1B, PLC2
Rangefinder: Zorki-4, Beauty Light-o-matic III Medium Format: Yashica-Mat 124G

[martinsmith99]

[peterqd]

[Throndor]

Is there ANY way, to convert an M42 lens to a K mount lens, without ANY risk of unscrewing and dropping the lens while focusing (particularly on lenses with a stiff focus) and still be able to reverse the procedure WITHOUT any permanent changes (like drilling) on the lens?
_________________
Omer

Pentax K100D super

Pentax DA 18-55 AL
Pentax SMC-FA 50 f/1.4
Aus Jena Pancolar 50/1.8 (Zebra)
Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 135/3.5
Varexon 35/2.8
Helios 44-2 58/2

[martinsmith99]

[rick_oleson]

That's correct: if you have a pin in the back, and no A/M switch or cocking lever on the lens, then you will need the flanged adapter.
_________________
I don't know what I want to be when I grow up

[rick_oleson]

[Throndor]