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Using Zenit-M39-mount lenses on Sony A7II?
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 4:44 pm    Post subject: Using Zenit-M39-mount lenses on Sony A7II? Reply with quote

I've been using M42-mount lenses quite happily with my Sony A7II and a Fotga M42 adapter. It's not the best adapter by any means, but it works just fine, and my lenses focus to infinity in the same way as when I mount them on my Pentax gear. All good.

Just recently, I've acquired my first ever M39 lenses, which were fitted to M39-mount Zenit SLRs. Since the flange focal distance for those cameras is shorter - 45.2mm vs the 45.46mm M42 standard - these lenses don't quite focus to infinity when mounted on the A7II with the Fotga M42 adapter and M39/M42 step-up ring... plus, of course, the distance scale on the focusing ring is inaccurate for the same reason.

I assume the best way to address this is to use a helicoid focusing adapter (I prefer that approach to adjusting or modifying the lenses, as I'd rather keep them original). If this is the right way to go, I assume I'd need a helicoid capable of a 27.2mm extension - since the E-mount has a flange focal distance of 18mm, and 18 + 27.2mm would give me the 45.2mm I'm looking for.

Am I on the right track here? If so, can anyone recommend a good but not-too-expensive model that is compatible with the A7II? I'm aware that some adapters will fit the NEX and early A7 cameras, but aren't compatible with the A7II's beefier mount...

Thanks in advance Smile


PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cheapest way would be getting a slim type m42-EM adapter (~2$) and some m42 extension tube (3~4$) instead of helicoid, but having a helicoid would be much more useful later for other exotic lens.


PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the tip... The only thing that confuses me with that approach is being able to source an M42 extension tube of the right length to go on an adapter. Am I missing something?


PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 2:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BigMackCam wrote:
Thanks for the tip... The only thing that confuses me with that approach is being able to source an M42 extension tube of the right length to go on an adapter. Am I missing something?


you need 26mm (1mm is thickness of the adapter) extension but you can use less than 26 and you just lose some mfd distance. its not a big deal. helicoid make things easier for sure. also you can place some rubber between extension and adapter to prevent it screwed all the way in and get the exact length in total that you want.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Using Zenit-M39-mount lenses on Sony A7II? Reply with quote

BigMackCam wrote:
I've been using M42-mount lenses quite happily with my Sony A7II and a Fotga M42 adapter. It's not the best adapter by any means, but it works just fine, and my lenses focus to infinity in the same way as when I mount them on my Pentax gear. All good.

Just recently, I've acquired my first ever M39 lenses, which were fitted to M39-mount Zenit SLRs. Since the flange focal distance for those cameras is shorter - 45.2mm vs the 45.46mm M42 standard - these lenses don't quite focus to infinity when mounted on the A7II with the Fotga M42 adapter and M39/M42 step-up ring... plus, of course, the distance scale on the focusing ring is inaccurate for the same reason.

I assume the best way to address this is to use a helicoid focusing adapter (I prefer that approach to adjusting or modifying the lenses, as I'd rather keep them original). If this is the right way to go, I assume I'd need a helicoid capable of a 27.2mm extension - since the E-mount has a flange focal distance of 18mm, and 18 + 27.2mm would give me the 45.2mm I'm looking for.

Am I on the right track here? If so, can anyone recommend a good but not-too-expensive model that is compatible with the A7II? I'm aware that some adapters will fit the NEX and early A7 cameras, but aren't compatible with the A7II's beefier mount...

Thanks in advance Smile


The best and "perfect" solution is to go for a Zenit M39 4 ring set (cheaply available from Russia) and a M39/LTM to NEX adapter (cheaply available from China).
The Zenit ring set includes a 16.4mm distance ring which is exactly the difference between M39/LTM (28.8mm flange focal distance) and Zenit M39 (45.2mm). Obviously this was done to enable the usage of Zenit/M39 lenses on the old Russian M39/LTM cameras like the Zorkis and FEDs.
My old Zenit/M39 lenses work perfectly at infinity with this solution.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The perfect solution which enables exactly the needed 45.2 mm flange focal distance:

Camera + M39 to NEX adapter + 16.4 mm Zenit distance ring + lens:



PostPosted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah! The extension ring solution is *perfect*! This is exactly what I need. Thank you so much, guys Smile

EDIT: ... and a set of four M39 rings inc. 16.4mm just ordered - thanks again!


PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2018 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bringing this thread back from the dead...

Trying to mount an early Helios 44 with M39 threads on an A7III.

Would this be another alternative? Yeenon has a very good reputation, it’s not cheap but would have the advantage of being one piece.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/YEENON-Leica-M39-Lens-to-NEX-adapter-can-adjust-the-midline-position-Black/263636586635?hash=item3d61f7108b:g:Lu0AAOSwH-9ZmltX

EDIT: Looks like I’d still need the adapter rings... any thoughts would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Myles


PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2018 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mylescdavis wrote:
Bringing this thread back from the dead...

Trying to mount an early Helios 44 with M39 threads on an A7III.

Would this be another alternative? Yeenon has a very good reputation, it’s not cheap but would have the advantage of being one piece.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/YEENON-Leica-M39-Lens-to-NEX-adapter-can-adjust-the-midline-position-Black/263636586635?hash=item3d61f7108b:g:Lu0AAOSwH-9ZmltX

EDIT: Looks like I’d still need the adapter rings... any thoughts would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Myles


You're right. The 16.4 mm extension ring is still needed for the Zenit/M39 lenses. The helicoid adds only apprx. 5 mm.

Anyway, I have a similar helicoid adapter for my M39/LTM lenses onto my A7R2 and it's really recommendable as it nicely extends the close focus possibilities with all compatible lenses; particularly the RF ones with rather long MFDs.


PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2018 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks!


PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 7:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I'm back. I'm still waiting on the 44M and the Yeenon adapter (in the link above) I ordered to arrive.

In the meantime, I found this combination:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/M42-M39-L39-X12mm-Helicoid-tube-M39-L39-NEX-Mount-Flange-ring-free/253648539877

My understanding is that a helicoid allows the adjustment of the length of the tube, but this one seems to be fixed at 12mm, so I'm confused (again).

I apologize for my incomplete understanding of this - I've been reading as much as I can.

Thanks,

Myles


PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mylescdavis wrote:
Well, I'm back. I'm still waiting on the 44M and the Yeenon adapter (in the link above) I ordered to arrive.

In the meantime, I found this combination:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/M42-M39-L39-X12mm-Helicoid-tube-M39-L39-NEX-Mount-Flange-ring-free/253648539877

My understanding is that a helicoid allows the adjustment of the length of the tube, but this one seems to be fixed at 12mm, so I'm confused (again).

I apologize for my incomplete understanding of this - I've been reading as much as I can.

Thanks,

Myles


Obviously this ring was made for special macro purposes to adapt e.g. M39 enlarging lenses without focusing helicoid.
However, as it covers also the needed 16.4 mm distance for Zenit lenses when adapted to LTM/M39 it should work fine with these lenses as well.
Nevertheless I would rather recommend to use the original Zenit 16.4 mm tube in order to maintain exactly the needed distance for infinity focus and for macro purposes you may simply add another ring out of the 4-ring Zenit M39 set. It's more useful and much cheaper as well.


PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thomas, thanks very much. I'll wait until I have everything in hand and see how it works.


PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 2019 3:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is a relatively old thread but its relevant to something I am presently researching and people on this board are more likely than any others I can think of to know the answer to my question.

I recently bought a Schneider Tele Xenar 180mm f5.5 in Exakta mount. Variants of this lens were made for both medium format cameras and for 35mm film cameras. Mine is for the 35mm system. However I found when I received it that the lens will not focus to infinity. At first I concluded that most likely someone had disassembled the lens for cleaning (the helicals are unusually smooth for a lens of its age so this fact points in that direction) but if so then it seems likely that the helicals have then been reassembled incorrectly affecting its ability to focus at infinity. This still seems a strong possibility and I have negotiated a refund with the seller who seems like a very reasonable and nice guy. We both realize that if this is the problem, then fixing it without skills (I know next to nothing about working on Schneider lenses, personally) is likely to be difficult especially if the helicals have been reassembled incorrectly - we would all be aware of the long involved trial and error required to correct this when it happens.

But as an after thought and on examining the lens more closely I also found that the Exakta mount on the base of this lens is actually a removable after market adapter marked " Telesar Japan". It mounts onto a L39/M39 thread mount on the end of the lens barrel. It therefore looks very much as if an after-market Exakta mount has been added to the lens at some point perhaps in the mistaken belief that this was designed to be an Exakta lens. At least this is a possibility and it is that which I am trying to get some clues about. I have tried to mount the lens on a standard LTM L39 to M4/3 adapter and place it on an M4/3 digital camera but again the lens will still not focus to infinity. This gives rise to the possibility that the lens was designed not for a Leica mount camera (which is unlikely in any event given that this lens lacks the rangefinder actuator that should be found on such a lens if it were designed for a Leica) but instead it may have been designed for a Zenit camera which many here would understand uses the same 39mm diameter mount as the Leica Thread Mount but has a different lens register distance (i.e. 28.8mm register for the LTM and 45.2 register for the Zenit). The difference is 16.4mm as discussed in the original thread to which I am attaching this post - you can see a picture in the thread. Clearly such adapter / spacer rings are or were available but there is little point in me trying to hunt one down if in fact Schneider never even made lenses for the Zenit system (which would indicate that this is not the problem in my case).

So, before going to the time and trouble of hunting the internet for a 16.4mm adapter ring to allow a Zenit lens to be mounted on a standard LTM to M4/3 adapter with correct focus I want to ask this question: Does anyone here know if Schneider Kreuznach made lenses for the Zenit system. I cannot find anything confirming or denying this on the internet but if the answer seems to be "no they never did" then it will not seem to be useful for me to hunt for such adapters on the internet.

PS I also just found this thread (below) which indicates that other L39/M39 variants exist too. Is it possible that the Schneider lens may have been made for one of these systems instead of Zenit? (Again I would discount any rangefinder system since this Schneider lens lacks the rangefinder actuator which means it was more likely for an SLR or mirror box such as the Visoflex if not the Zenit. I should also add that when I screwed this lens onto the normal L39 to M4/3 adapter (that I also use for my Leica thread mount glass when mounting onto digital cameras) it screwed on quite comfortably, with no evident looseness or binding even though some of the L39/M39 variants listed below have slightly different thread pitch and or teeth per inch.

https://fotodiox.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/17000083341-m39-l39-ltm-lsm-whats-what-