Norita Noritar 80/2 MF lens, repaired and adapted

[luisalegria]

I picked this up very cheap, as it was "parts or repair"





This is the "kit lens" of the Norita 6x6cm MF SLR, similar to the Pentacon 6 or Pentax 67. It was sold in the US by its importer, Graflex.

http://camerapedia.org/wiki/Norita_66

The 80/2 Noritar was possibly the fastest MF lens made, thirty-forty years ago. Noritas are somewhat hard to find and they all came with this lens, so finding one loose is quite lucky. Unfortunately for Noritar lenses, they are difficult to adapt to other MF SLR cameras as the flange distance is shorter than most - they are like the Konicas of the MF SLR world.

This one had been dropped. This not only bent the filter thread (and somebody made a bigger mess by using pliers on it), but also the barrel, jamming the aperture ring, and putting the aperture-diaphragm linkage out of alignment. It also suffered from a weak diaphragm spring and a sticky diaphragm (probably oil). But the glass was good.

I had to do major surgery to repair everything - I had to use a hammer on some parts. I converted it to manual-diaphragm only after making a few parts out of aluminum tube, as the diaphragm just wouldn't get loose enough to work as an automatic, maybe something is bent inside it. I didn't want to play with diaphragm blades, so it is as it is.

This will never work again as an automatic lens for a Norita, and its useless for any other MF SLR, so my conscience is clear in drilling some holes to put on an M42 mount - I used an M42 reversing ring on a 58-49mm adapter, thats screwed into threaded holes drilled in the back plate of the lens - this technique may work on some other MF lenses -



An M42 extension ring is needed to get infinity close to the mark, but otherwise its now a normal M42 manual lens.

This is of course a portrait lens, with its large aperture and ideal focal length. It performs exactly as expected, reasonably sharp at f/2. Its not competition for my Zeiss Biotar though, it obviously doesn't match the Zeiss for sharpness wide open.















NOT the bird, I couldn't get to the piers last week. The rocking-horse -



crop -

[sichko]

Another nice set. I'm not one for portraits but the rocking horse looks good as does the Leucodendron.

[dakoo]

u r the man !! Good job in getting it working !
I like its bokeh.. !

[Attila]

Very nice colors, bokeh everything!

[Ballu]

what about the camera.... Is that in working condition or not... I may be ready to take in both condition
I have this lens... but not the camera... The lens is just like new... I thought of doing this surgery, but dont want to do irreversible one...

[Rusty]

Hi Luis

Member of the protea family in USA (leocodendron) that is a pleasant surprise! i thought they occur only here in SA !
Was that photographed in the wild or is it a planted garden variety?

Most grow wild here in the south western cape province
Here is Leucospermum from the field next door to my house......if imay

[sichko]

[Rusty]

Thanks John

Will figure out where to post some more!
Daniel

[sichko]

Just start a new thread in the Gallery.

[luisalegria]

Hi Ballu,

I just got the lens, there was no camera.

The surgery is irreversible but not significant if you have a lens in perfect condition. Does the aperture close when you move the pin in the back ?

If so, all you need to do is drill and tap three little holes on the back plate, and four holes on the adapter - one for each screw and one for the pin, to keep the aperture closed - make it work as "manual". Thats what I expected to do.

You can unscrew the adapter and put the lens back on a Norita if you get one.

Hi Rusty,

The flower is in a garden here.

We also have the Leucospermum in the Golden Gate Park Arboretum (I have pictures of these), and I think its also found as a garden flower.

[yadisl]

[luisalegria]

Good luck !

Not easy to adapt for any 6x6 SLR.

I was thinking of making a lensboard for my Speed Graphic (I have a 6x6 roll film back for that), or Busch Pressman.

The back focus from my M42 mount is too short for my Speed Graphic because it has a focal plane shutter. It is OK on the Busch, but that one has no shutter, and I would have to find a shutter, which would take more room ? An interesting problem.

[dakoo]

Great job Louis ...
Nice results

[LucisPictor]

Fantastic to find such a lens and even better if you manage to adapt it! Wow!

[dakoo]

I actually got that feeling when i saw the first post.
But then i don't see the kind of details others do in bokeh here !

[no-X]

Highlights near corners are ovoid with Rittron, but round with Jupiter (also a bit softer). But overall effect seems to be similar.