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dan_
Joined: 05 Dec 2012
Posts: 1054
Location: Romania
Expire: 2016-12-19
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 Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:19 pm Post subject: Rolleiflex SL26 lenses on a Sony NEX camera |
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dan_ wrote:
I've always been tempted by the 3 lenses of the Rolleiflex SL26 camera.
Why?
Well, first of all becouse they were designed for the 126 format (24x24mm) and therefor they cover well APS-C in the same time being smaller than the FF lenses.
Second, as the Rolleiflex SL26 was the most expensive camera for the 126 format. I expected its lenses to be of a higher quality than others. And they are Zeiss. When they were new, in the late ’60 and early ’70, the camera and the 3 lenses cost was ~ 1400DM(~700$). According to the site dollartimes (http://www.dollartimes.com/calculators/inflation.htm) in today's money this means ~4 800$. A lot of money!
In the end I have won on ebay a broken camera with the 3 lenses and extras and decided to make an adapter to use the lenses on my NEX.
The Lenses
The 3 lenses of the Rolleiflex SL26 system are : 40mm f/2.8 Tessar, 28mm f/3.2 Pro-Tessar and 80mm f/4 Pro-Tessar. The lenses are not complete lenses, they consists of an optical part permanently attached to the camera and a removable part. The attached to the camera part is in fact the rear optical block of the normal 40mm Tessar - therefore their name: Pro-Tessar. But they are not Tessar by design.
The schemes of the 3 lenses are:
The Adapter
I have just finished the adapter for using the 3 lenses on my NEX. I had to remove the shutter and fixed optical part from the camera and make them fit my NEX. It was not a simple task. The 80mm Pro-Tessar could not focus closer than 2m when used on the original SL26 and I wanted to address this shortcoming with my adapter. For this reason the adapter has a built in tube extension for close-up (and portrait with the 80mm lens).
In the end it looks quite nice, I think.
The adapter:
The adapter in normal and extended position:
 
The 3 lenses are quite well balanced with NEX body and quite comfortable to use.
The 3 lenses and the adapter
Pro-Tessar 28mm f/3.2 on Sony NEX:
Tessar 40mm f/4 on Sony NEX:
Pro-Tessar 80mm f/4 on Sony NEX:
Pro-Tessar 80mm f/4 with the adapter extended:
Today the light was not perfect for testing but I had to make some quick and very basic tests with my new toys, at least with the 80mm Pro-Tessar.
Pro-Tessar 80mm f/4
Some samples with 100% details:
Last edited by dan_ on Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:57 pm; edited 7 times in total |
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Pancolart
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 3693
Location: Slovenia, EU
Expire: 2013-11-18
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:57 pm Post subject: |
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Pancolart wrote:
What a fantastic job with the adapter. I'd love to see more samples. That 4/80 thick inner element design is very intriguing.
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Nordentro
Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 4713
Location: Lillehammer, Norway
Expire: 2015-01-29
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Nordentro wrote:
+1, I didn`t expect such an interesting topic. The adapter look awesome! 
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Lars | Manuellfokus.no |
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bernhardas
Joined: 01 Jan 2013
Posts: 1437
Expire: 2017-05-23
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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bernhardas wrote:
+2 very cool adapter looks great. Interesting lenses. |
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Layer-cake
Joined: 18 Mar 2013
Posts: 560
Location: Cape Town
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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Layer-cake wrote:
god that adapter is really put together well!! did you take any pictures during the construction process?
the images of the blossoms really impress me  |
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pavko
Joined: 31 Jan 2011
Posts: 216
Location: PL
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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pavko wrote:
Fantastic engineering - look "oldschool" yet is functional. Some more samples please |
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philslizzy
Joined: 07 Aug 2012
Posts: 4748
Location: Cheshire, England
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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philslizzy wrote:
Super adapter, well done and congrats on your lucky find!
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duckrider
Joined: 11 Dec 2013
Posts: 437
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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duckrider wrote:
What a g r e a t and impressive Job!
Congrats and thanks for letting us part in Your project!
I love the leatherette look and the near focus option of Your adapter.
Thanks
Thomas
_________________
T*homas
(from the origin land of Zeiss, an obligation  )
Zeiss ZF 3.5/18, 2.8/25, 2.0/35, 2/50macro, 1.4/50, 1.4/85, 2/100macro
Nikon Df, F2AS, F2A, F3/T, FM
ALPA 11Si, Angulon 2,8/35 ; Xenar 1,9/50 ; Tele-Tessar 4/200
Leica R3 SAFARI Safari Lenses 2.8/28 ; 2/50 ; 4/180
Rolleiflex SL 350 , Zeiss 2,8/16 ; 4/18 ; 2,8/25 ; 2,8/35 ; 1,4/35 ; 1,8/50 ; 2,8/85 ; 1,4/85 ; 4/135 ; 4/200
Leica M9-P, Leica M4-2, Tri-Elmar "Wate", Distagon 2,8/21, Biogon 2,8/28, Biogon 2/35, Planar 2/50, Tessar 4/85, M-Elmar 50mm, Summicron 90
Sony alpha 7r & adapters for all lenses above |
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Attila
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 57849
Location: Hungary
Expire: 2025-11-18
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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Attila wrote:
wow! Many thanks to share it!
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Items on sale on Ebay
Sony NEX-7 Carl Zeiss Planar 85mm f1.4, Minolta MD 35mm f1.8, Konica 135mm f2.5, Minolta MD 50mm f1.2, Minolta MD 250mm f5.6, Carl Zeiss Sonnar 180mm f2.8
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uddhava
Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 3072
Location: Hungary
Expire: 2021-06-21
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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uddhava wrote:
Really professional looking adapter! I am in awe! |
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harry tibi
Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Posts: 58
Location: nl
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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harry tibi wrote:
Great job. I've got the longer two of those lenses too, and even deconstructed a broken SL26 to accomplish the same goals as you, but got distracted somewhere on the way I was planning to adopt the camera end of the lens to M42 and use a standard helicoid. It might be easier, I'd think.
I'm still in doubt about the IQ of these 'compromised' lenses; maybe your results will change my mind  |
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BurstMox
Joined: 04 Dec 2011
Posts: 1998
Location: France
Expire: 2016-08-02
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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BurstMox wrote:
Great job, and it's true that those lenses looks great on the Nex!
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Pierre
sovietlenses.fr
Soviet lenses Facebook group |
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Lloydy
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 7785
Location: Ironbridge. UK.
Expire: 2022-01-01
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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Lloydy wrote:
Superb job, and impressive results so far. 
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I have loads of stuff that I have to get rid of, if you see me commenting about something I have got and you want one, ask me.
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GoldMark
Joined: 21 Aug 2012
Posts: 185
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 6:02 am Post subject: |
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GoldMark wrote:
Here a link (only in German) how i adapted contaflex lenses to NEX and mft via VNEX/VmFT
http://www.digicamclub.de/showthread.php?t=18664&page=2&p=203229&viewfull=1#post203229
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https://deramateurphotograph.de/ |
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dan_
Joined: 05 Dec 2012
Posts: 1054
Location: Romania
Expire: 2016-12-19
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:41 am Post subject: |
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dan_ wrote:
Thank you all gentlemen! I very much appreciate your kind words. |
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memetph
Joined: 01 Dec 2013
Posts: 942
Location: Poland
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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memetph wrote:
Fantastic job ! Rare lenses.. No wonder that Rollei could not survive with such a product strategy. |
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jamaeolus
Joined: 19 Mar 2014
Posts: 2929
Location: Eugene
Expire: 2015-08-20
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| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 12:35 am Post subject: |
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jamaeolus wrote:
Fantastic! I have the Pro-tessar 80 (in virtually mint condition) which I bought for a few dollars and was thinking of doing something like this. What components went into the adapter? The prices for SL 26 are very low as film is seriously problematic. Do you think it would work on EOS for a 60D (also an APS-C sensor)?
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dan_
Joined: 05 Dec 2012
Posts: 1054
Location: Romania
Expire: 2016-12-19
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| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:52 am Post subject: |
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dan_ wrote:
| jamaeolus wrote: |
| Fantastic! Do you think it would work on EOS for a 60D (also an APS-C sensor)? |
Thanks jamaeolus and memetph!
The adapter has a thickness of 15mm., the back mask of the adapter's lens assembly is 1-1.5 mm thick (I don't remember exactly) and the NEX flange distance is 18mm. This gives a total distance of 34-34.5 mm between the back of the lens assembly and the sensor. |
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jamaeolus
Joined: 19 Mar 2014
Posts: 2929
Location: Eugene
Expire: 2015-08-20
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| Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:41 am Post subject: |
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jamaeolus wrote:
| dan_ wrote: |
| jamaeolus wrote: |
| Fantastic! Do you think it would work on EOS for a 60D (also an APS-C sensor)? |
Thanks jamaeolus and memetph!
The adapter has a thickness of 15mm., the back mask of the adapter's lens assembly is 1-1.5 mm thick (I don't remember exactly) and the NEX flange distance is 18mm. This gives a total distance of 34-34.5 mm between the back of the lens assembly and the sensor. |
I have managed to find a "parts" sl26. I was high bid (99c plus shipping) and it included the 40mm so as soon as I get an afternoon I am going to try to duplicate your efforts. I have an extra m42 extension tube I can sacrifice for the mount to EOS via a chipped adapter. I would be greatly appreciative of a more detailed explanation. I do not have a lathe or metal mill but I have jewelry metalworking experience and lots of hand tools, files, etc. my general plan is to extract the lens base with aperture from sl 26 and attach that to the m42 extension tube, (glue, rivets, somethin!) How did you build in the extension tube thingy?
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Jentzi
Joined: 09 Aug 2014
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 6:46 pm Post subject: Where could I find the pictures to the first post? |
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Jentzi wrote:
I stumbled upon a SL26 including the three lenses. In researching if adapting the lenses would be a worthwhile project, I found this thread - but could not see the pictures in the starting post. Reading the positive comments made me buy the Camera - it is now on its way to me...
So I registered, hoping to see the pictures of Dan_'s Adapter - but they remain lost. Does anyone know where I might find them? Or would it even be possible to re-upload them - if not too inconvenient?
Many thanks in advance - jentzi |
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uddhava
Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 3072
Location: Hungary
Expire: 2021-06-21
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:02 pm Post subject: Re: Where could I find the pictures to the first post? |
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uddhava wrote:
| Jentzi wrote: |
I stumbled upon a SL26 including the three lenses. In researching if adapting the lenses would be a worthwhile project, I found this thread - but could not see the pictures in the starting post. Reading the positive comments made me buy the Camera - it is now on its way to me...
So I registered, hoping to see the pictures of Dan_'s Adapter - but they remain lost. Does anyone know where I might find them? Or would it even be possible to re-upload them - if not too inconvenient?
Many thanks in advance - jentzi |
The forum was down recently and some of the uploaded images were lost. Hopefully Dan will see your request and re-upload them. Best of luck welcome to the forum also! |
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Jentzi
Joined: 09 Aug 2014
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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Jentzi wrote:
Oh, sorry to hear that. Thanks for the welcome an speedy reply. |
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dan_
Joined: 05 Dec 2012
Posts: 1054
Location: Romania
Expire: 2016-12-19
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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dan_ wrote:
Pictures re-uploaded! |
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dan_
Joined: 05 Dec 2012
Posts: 1054
Location: Romania
Expire: 2016-12-19
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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dan_ wrote:
And 2 more recent urban landscapes with the 80mm Pro-Tessar, this time with a lot of PP in Photoshop.
And 100% central detail of the above image:
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Mark
Joined: 01 Dec 2012
Posts: 251
Location: Budapest, Hungary
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Mark wrote:
Nice job and interesting post! Thanks for sharing it!
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