Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Are these T and T2 mounts?
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:28 am    Post subject: Are these T and T2 mounts? Reply with quote
I was under the impression that T and T2 mounts were interchangeable. Are they?

This is a Vivitar 200/3.5 preset (T mount?) that I purchased yesterday, and the Minolta adapter that came with it:








And this is my Tokyo Koki Tele Tokina 135/2.8 preset (T2 mount?), and the Nikon mount adapter that came with it:








I wanted to try the Vivitar on my Nikon D700, so I grabbed the Nikon adapter that came with the Tokina and tried to screw it to the rear of the Vivitar... but the thread of the Vivitar was too small.

So what's going on here? Are these indeed T and T2 mounts?

I'm really confused. Any help will be appreciated!


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Vivitar is a proper t-mount ( or t2 mount, same thing).
The lens side thread is M42x.75
The Tokina has the weird early Tokina copy of the t-mount with a 47mm thread. Only Tokina used this. Of course most Tokina lenses were sold under importers brands so you will find these things under many names. Tokina later abandoned this system and used the standard t-mount.
As for the name t-mount vs t2-mount, from what I can tell in the early days it had no name at all, at least in US marketing. "Standard interchangeable mount" is typical of what it was called.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you very much, Luis. I didn't know that Tokina had a different early version of the T mount.

Are you familiar with the Vivitar 200/3.5 preset? If so, is it worth the hassle of getting an adapter?


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
The Vivitar is a proper t-mount ( or t2 mount, same thing).
The lens side thread is M42x.75
The Tokina has the weird early Tokina copy of the t-mount with a 47mm thread. Only Tokina used this. Of course most Tokina lenses were sold under importers brands so you will find these things under many names. Tokina later abandoned this system and used the standard t-mount.
As for the name t-mount vs t2-mount, from what I can tell in the early days it had no name at all, at least in US marketing. "Standard interchangeable mount" is typical of what it was called.


I have information the original T-mount was invented by Fred Spira (Spiratone), was picked up by other manufacturers and modified somewhat, such as "weird early Tokina copy of the t-mount with a 47mm thread", before becoming industry standard T2 mount (42mm). The very first T-mounts had no "inner ring"; the "inner ring" was part of the lens. Soon after, the "inner ring" was moved to become part of the T-mount adapter, but adapters from different manufacturers had various threading...


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am satisfied that it was a Tamron invention.
The evidence is circumstantial but compelling.

1. Tamron had a very similar interchangeable mount system in the 1950's (1957-58 certainly), for its popular 135/4.5 "Twin Tele" type, and also for its 135/3.5. This was exactly the same concept as a T-mount, with inner ring that could be adjusted by set screws, etc. The only difference was in dimensions - 37mm thread and less back focus. The t-mounts as we know them today are obviously descended from this, with larger thread and longer back focus to make the system more flexible.

2. ALL the earliest proper T-mount lenses known are Tamrons. The dating for the earliest types is well known, 1960-61 more or less. I have no evidence of any other manufacturer having this earlier. Other third party lens makers of that time offered their lenses in fixed mounts, or had some factory-level interchangable mount system normally held on directly by setscrews.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am familiar with the Vivitar 200/3.5 preset.
Its a rather nice looking lens of unusual appearance. I had one at one time.
I thought it was average for its time, but others here have had much more positive opinions.
With all these old things there is copy variation of course.
Since T-mounts are very cheap (under $10) I dont see why you don't get one to match your camera/adapter. It will let you use any t-mount lens, not just that one.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
And re the inner ring vs solid t-mount question - I have been collecting early Japanese lenses for a long time. I have never seen one without an inner ring. Even if these were fairly rare I think I would have spotted at least one by this time. If such a thing was popular enough to generate a name and a distinction (t vs t2) it seems unlikely that it would be so rare.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I got this.

From the book "The History Of Photography As Seen Through The Spira Collection", by S.F. Spira, Aperture Foundation, ISBN 0-89381-953-0

In the last chapter, "Fred Spira: A Personal Appreciation", by Bernard Danis:

Quote:
I have known Fred as a friend and business associate since 1946...

"Fron the initial Spiratone Fine Grain Labs to the corporate entities of Spiratone, Inc., Accura Industries, and the Photographic Importing and Distributing Corp....

"... Burt Keppler, publisher of Popular Photography, notes that Fred is one of the few people who could tell the Japanese what they ought to make, and they would make it...

The Spiratone (SUN brand) 90mm f/4 range finder coupled lens, introduced at $39.95, was the first in the line of accessories for the Leica. Then followed the Sun 135mm f/4 telephoto...

Spiratone developed the "T" System of interchangeable mounts for 35mm SLR lenses. They were designed with a basic "T" rear thread and a series of "T" screws on camera adapters that would custom fit the lens to many popular 35mm SLR cameras. This meant that with a small lens inventory and a full stock of "T" adapters, any order could be filled. Our "T" system became an industry standard...

We also developed a major accessory line of front lens attachments, ... To make these attachments more adaptable to lenses of various sizes, we developed lens Customizers -- conversion rings to change the front lens diameter...


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
T-mounts are solid; with them the lens' orientation when mounted on the camera can't be adjusted. The exterior connects to the target camera, the interior is threaded to accept the rear of a T-mount lens (threaded M42x0.75), and the adapter's thickness is the T-mount flange-to-film distance (55.0 mm) minus the target camera's flange-to-film distance.

T2-mounts have what's been referred to earlier in this discussion as an inner ring. They're in two parts, an outer section that fits the target camera and an inner section that accepts the rear of a T-mount lens. The inner section is held in place by three (usually) set screws; when the set screws are backed out the inner section and lens can be rotated to orient the lens as desired.

I use a Vivitar Series I T-to-Nikon adapter (solid, well-made) to connect a couple of my lenses to Nikons.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi Dan,

You have a solid T-mount ?
I would appreciate a picture. First such animal for me.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I always thought "T-mount" means "Tamron-mount"

Confused Smile


PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
Hi Dan,

You have a solid T-mount ?
I would appreciate a picture. First such animal for me.


Luis, y'r request prompted me to take a close look at my two Series I T-mounts. I was mistaken, but only partially, about them. I can't be absolutely sure without removing the F-mounts from their rear ends, but they appear to be two-piece adapters with the inner ring staked in place from the inside. I can't see screw heads or evidence of holes on the outside of the outer rings, but the inner rings are threaded internally (for baffling, I think, you'd be surprised at how little it takes to tame internal glancing reflections) and have two bright spots 180 degrees apart. I think the bright spots are the stakes.

Here http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vivitar-Series-1-T-mount-Canon-adapter-/121358860942 is one on eBay.
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1