A Kilfitt Question

[Univer]

Mods/Admins - I'm honestly not sure whether this question belongs in the "Adapters" subforum, or maybe somewhere else. Please move this topic as you see fit - thank you!

Hi All,

I wonder if I can ask for some help with respect to a recent acquisition: a Kilfitt Tele-Kilar 300/5.5.

The lens was sold to me as an M42 version, but it turns out to be a LTM version - and seemingly a LTM lens intended for use with one of the Kilfitt reflex housings, at that.

During my lunch hour I was able to do a very hurried test of the lens with the LTM->M42 adapter that came along with my Komura 200/3.5 (nice lens, that!). Judging by eye, I would say that the Komura adapter is about the length of Pentax M42 extension tubes 2+3 together.

I had no trouble, using this combination, obtaining infinity focus; in fact, I hit infinity somewhere around 20', according to the focus ring markings. Unsurprisingly, the problem was at the other end: minimum focus distance, with the focus ring at the minimum 10' marking, was closer to 20'.

I can certainly add extension tubes to the Komura adapter, and it may be that I can get close to matching the focus ring markings with actual focus distances. (The 10' minimum focus distance was a definite attraction for me, so I wouldn't want to lose that.) I'm concerned, however, that the resulting combination of lens plus tubes/adapters will be awkward at best, unstable at worst. (Note that the Kilar does not have a tripod mount.)

The lens is in very nice condition, and I have no doubt that it is capable of producing excellent-quality images. I paid what I would call a fair price for it - not a "premium" price and not a thrift-store bargain price. I have absolute confidence that I can return the lens for a full refund, inclusive of shipping - after all, it's not what it was represented to be. I would be most interested to know what you all think - would you bother trying to jury-rig some adapter contraption that would make the lens usable, or would you simply send it back whence it came?

Many thanks for your help!

Cheers,

Jon

[Attila]

If you able to return it, do it and take a lens what is fit more to your practice. I have a few "tricky" lens I didn't use them more than once. In 300mm focal length so many excellent lenses are available without any tricks. Left this lens for collectors.

[luisalegria]

I did exactly what you are proposing with your Kilfitt with my Komura M39 lenses, as I don't have the Komura M42 adapter.

These long Komuras were intended for the Komura reflex housing, just as the Kilfitts were made to use the Kilfitt housing or the Leica Visoflex; or to use the M39 as a universal thread and add lens mount adapters, sort of an in-house T-mount system. The beauty of this M39 thread setup is that its easy to make your own adapters.

I purchased a Russian/Ukrainian M39-M42 ring and added M42 extension rings until the Komuras hit close to and just a bit past infinity. You will have to play around with these a bit, but M42 extension rings are dirt-cheap. Perfect, thats my "adapter". I have no problems using this rig handheld with my Komura 400mm, a superb lens.

If you are worried about the various threads unscrewing, you could try drilling and tapping holes into the extension rings and the M39 ring, while they are screwed together, and put in some setscrews. That will hold the "adapter" together solidly. Or glue ?

[Univer]

Hi,

Thank you both for the excellent advice!

The M39->M42 part is, thankfully, taken care of: the Komura adapter is female-M39 at one end (so the Kilar, like the Komura, will simply screw into it), with a male M42 thread at the mount end. So I would need to add M42 ring(s) between the camera and the Komura adapter.

I neglected to mention that this whole rig would be fitted, via M42->K adapter, to a K20D.

If I decide to keep the Kilar, I could certainly share the Komura adapter between the two lenses; in that event, I wouldn't want to create a "permanent" solution. On the other hand, if I went with a generic M39->M42 adapter and a generic set of M42 rings, I might well consider some kind of permanent arrangement.

Maybe I just need to see if I can get close to the proper minimum focus (while retaining infinity focus), and then decide if the lens's IQ makes the setup worthwhile.

Cheers,

Jon

[scsambrook]

Jon - as has already been said, you'll be able to get the focusing range you want using cheap M42 extension tubes, so the issues are image quality and handling convenience.

The long Kilfitts had an excellent reputation in their day so the performance might be very good - certainly worth making some carefull exposures at different distances before you come to a decision. I'm not an expert on them, but I had a 40mm f3.5 Macro and the later 40mm f2.8 at the same time a few years ago, both in M42. The early f3.5 was good, but the f2.8 was excellent. I think different Kilfitts were made in various places - have you seen http://www.kilfitt.org/index.html ?

And Kilfitt lenses are usually quite light (for their size!) so you can probably make a satisfactory tripod mount by using a clamp for a bird-watching telescope.

Sounds like it should be fun to try!

[Abbazz]

[Univer]

Hi,

Thanks again!

I'm afraid I did mistype: the lens is indeed a 300/5.6.

Stephen, you're right about the lens's weight; distracted by the adapter/extension tube issues, I hadn't really paid attention to how lightweight it was. I think it may be among the lightest 300mm lenses I've handled. And it is certainly beautifully made.

Abbazz, thank you so much for the information - and for the marvelous photos. While I think it unlikely that I will be able to produce anything half as good, they present a powerful argument for keeping the lens. I managed to turn up one KIZPA adapter for sale, but at a price that would effectively double my investment in the lens, so I think I will pursue the extension-tubes-and-adapter solution, while keeping an eye out for the proper adapter.

A few more hurried experiments suggest that an extension of ~46/47mm will yield acceptably close minimum focus while retaining infinity focus - a length that should be achievable with some combination of M42 rings.

Again - thanks, all, for your kind assistance.

Cheers,

Jon

[Univer]

Hi All,

After all the kind responses to my questions regarding this lens, I felt it was my duty to post a couple of quick sample images.

These were taken using my Komura M39->M42 adapter + Pentax Extension Tube #1. That combination preserves infinity focus (by a considerable margin), but compromises minimum focus distance by a few feet - a suboptimal arrangement, from my perspective.

The test procedure was rather rushed - not the best approach when dealing with an unfamiliar long lens - and most of the shots were unusable. I attribute that fact to a combination of user error (difficulty achieving exact focus in early evening light) and a certain lack of stability inherent in the lens/adapter/tripod setup. When I tried to check focus in live view, the shakiness of the image was quite obvious. If I decide to keep the lens, I will have to deal with that issue; if nothing else, I may limit its use to situations where higher shutter speeds are possible.

The first two shots are at f/8 (or thereabouts; this is a purely manual, stepless aperture). The third is wide-open, and I'm showing it purely for the bokeh; it suffers from all of the problems detailed above (and I seem to see a fair amount of purple fringing as well).

These are resized jpegs straight out of the camera, with PP restricted to modest contrast adjustment.

Anyway, here they are, for what they're worth. What say you: keep it or throw it back?

Cheers,

Jon

[calvin83]

After reading this old thread I decided to get a copy of this lens as I think it has its own characteristics.

All Hand-held. Lens is not easy to handle as it is quiet heavy. I think it need a better hood to reduce flare as the original hood is not long enough. A study tripod should help too.

The first one is taken at F5.6 and others are taken at F8(or F11), both first and second one are 100% crop. No sharpen but exposure adjustment/re-size/crop on the rest. Default setting on other field in Lightroom.

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[a77]

What adapter did you use?
I have a 300/4 and am looking for a adapter to M42 or Minolta A. Can anyone help?