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Contax G lenses to M mount
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:33 pm    Post subject: Contax G lenses to M mount Reply with quote
Does anyone have an idea if this is possible or better yet if you know someone who does it
I know that the 16mm hologon in G mount is converted easily as it is non coupled and manual focus
After seeing the G 2.8/90 converted to Nikon mount I wonder if this can be done for M
The option to have a 2.8/90 sonnar is very attractive as the price of the ZM 2/80 is almost $4K
The 2.8/90 can be had for $150 and coversion ?$
Also the 2/45 planar would be nice to have in M

Thanks for replies


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Andy, I know for sure that many Leica M users have converted G lenses to M mount, the most popular for this conversion are the two Biogons the 2.8/28 and 2.8/21
See this thread in photo.net:
http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00DvXe
and also try to go asking to
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a converted 21mm Biogon ex Contax to LTM which via M-bajonet adaptor fits nicely.

But you may want a rangefinder coupled one - right?
Much more effort....


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio thanks for the links. Eventually they led me here:
(click on lens modification and then on hologon16 to get to G list)

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.hayatacamera.co.jp/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.hayatacamera.co.jp/index.html%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den

This guy does custom modification to LTM. It is actually very interesting. He builds a new barrel for the lens to be RF coupled in most cases but the Sonnar.
He will not do any work from outside of Japan so I would need a liason.
The cost is about $500 so that means you can have the Planar 2/45 or Sonnar 2.8/90 in LTM for about $600-$650. Far less than the ZM series.
And the 2/45 still is sharpness king from what folks are saying at RFF.
It is a long shot for me but still very interesting.
Mostly I think such mods are a bad idea. The G-mount could be an exception as these G bodies will stop working long before the lenses become obsolete.
Check out the cute translation from google the PARANA 2/45
Laughing it's charming.
Scroll down and look at the other lenses he does
You can actually have the Yashica Electro lens converted into an LTM barrel as well as Nikon P&S 28mm and others Shocked
Pretty cool stuff

@ Klaus
Yes, you have the Zeiss Contax RF 21 biogon
That is a very interesting lens as well
for that FL I think that scale focus (uncoupled) is fine
It is the G series 45 and 90 I am most interested in as they are very nice performers and have become very inexpensive
RF coupled is the only way to go in those FL's


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There is one in Japan. Here>

http://www2.mitte.nir.jp/~m-kam/remodel/index.htm#mm44

The company does not accept foreign oder though.
G-Biogon 21/2.8 mod can have range_finder coupling,
the price of conversion is reduce to 50,000 yen.

@ Andy
You beats me.
@ Klaus
G-Biogon 21mm is the best 21mm for 135 format, I think.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
F16SUNSHINE wrote:

Mostly I think such mods are a bad idea. The G-mount could be an exception as these G bodies will stop working long before the lenses become obsolete.


This is also a worry for me, as I have 5 G lenses Sad I have to hope that my G2 will last long. The whole lens modification + M-mount digital body game is WAY too expensive for me Sad


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I want to convert G-Biogon 21mm to M-mount if I can get the second copy relatively cheaply.
There are already very nice 28, 35, and 50mm lenses for M/L mount cameras, though G-Planar
35/2 is very tempting too. This lens has a certain character which I like personally and wide
angle planar lens too. Very Happy



Last edited by koji on Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:57 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
koji wrote:
I want to convert G-Biogon 21mm to M-mount if I can get the second copy relatively cheaply.


Koji,
Dotti has a copy of the lens that is like new (it really is, look at the photos!) and complete with viewfinder, for a price that perhaps is not a bargain, but it's decent:

Click here to see on Ebay

They are a reliable shop, I visited there several times, Attila visited too, and their descriptions are accurate. They provide 6 months warranty on this Biogon.

They also have other G lenses for sale at the moment.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 2/35 is not one that I have used
It is interesting to see the planar formula in a 35mm FL
If I remember correctly the Zeiss Contax RF system had a planar 35 also
That is another I have yet to try
Rolling Eyes So much Zeiss so little time Laughing


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
F16SUNSHINE wrote:
The 2/35 is not one that I have used
It is interesting to see the planar formula in a 35mm FL
If I remember correctly the Zeiss Contax RF system had a planar 35 also
That is another I have yet to try
Rolling Eyes So much Zeiss so little time Laughing


I have the Planar 35, it's a nice lens, perhaps not striking sharp as the 45 but sharp enough, and the focal lenght is -to my habit- more useful.

It is not an easy lens to find used, because it was output later, together with the G2, and was quite expensive, so only a few people bought it.
The other lenses were output for the G1 and so there are more of them available today.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks Orio.

I found a cheaper one at KEH.
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