Problems with a Tele-Raynox 400mm F6.3

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

Hi to all,

I've bought a Tele-Raynox 400mm F6.3 and I believe that it might have a missing piece of glass since it doesn't focus beyond 8m (26.25 ft). But I'm able to focus as close as 3m (9 ft and 10 inches).

PS - The photo is terrible because my M42 AF chip decided to RIP.

It's almost a full finger before touching the first glass.

Can anyone help me with this ?
Is it really missing a glass or am I too .... to be able to focus it correctly?

Thank you in advance,

Best regards,

Raul Costa

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Can you post a picture of a side view ?

What camera are you using this on, and what adapter ?

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

I'm using a M42 adapter to my Canon EOS D60, but I've also tested on my Olympus E-300 (with the m42 adapter) with the same results.
I'm sorry but I've left the lens at work . It's exactly like this one but without the last part (I've draw a white circle on it).

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

There isn't a lens there. That is the rear extension tube. The rear lens is in front of this tube, where the tripod mount is.

Screamin Scott · Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:42 pm Post subject:

This lens will need a T mount to adapt to different cameras. I suspect that you have screwed the T mount fitting (which is 42mm X .75 pitch) to an M42 (42mm X 1.0 pitch) adapter without using a T mount. They will screw together even with the pitch difference, although not very well & you will strip the treads if you force it too hard.

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

Fantactic

I didn't know that the T2 is equal to the M42 (it does fit however).

I'll buy one and them report here.

Thank you very much to all of you.

Update: I've been looking at adapters that allow focus to infinite and all of them don't have a glass on it. Does this mean that If I put a extension tube (with the same size) I'll get focus to infinite ?

From my simple experiences it looks like I need the lens closer to the camera and not away from it.

Does this make any sense ?

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Actually T2 and M42 are the same diameter but have different threads-per-inch -- they are not compatable; forcing either on the other can damage threads in both adapter and on lens.

A T2-EOS adapter is needed (or T2-M42 and M42-EOS adapters, or, whatever combination of T2-x and x-EOS for camera x).

Note in your photo of the lens only the ~1cm-thick T2-M42 adapter should be unscrewed from the lens and replaced with T2-EOS. In your first photos, part of the lens (the first tube) has unscrewed along with the T2 adapter. Remove the adapter from the tube and replace the tube on the lens before mounting the T2-EOS adapter (or combination of adapters as above).

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

Someone asked me for the pic of the middle on the lens.

Pic of the front lens.

Pic of the back end (it now has a T2-M42 adapter)

The middle on the lens (it unscrews until it opens)

With the T2-M42 adapter + M42-EOS the focus range is even closer.

Maybe there is a glass missing inside ?

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

PS - I know that the glass is dirty but I plan to clean it with time Smile

user · Joined: 27 Jun 2010 Posts: 3

From your description it sounds as if the lens was too long. See if there's an unnecessary additional piece (mine had a tele converter attached) or if it had been assembled wrongly. Any additional adapter adds length and might prevent infinity focus.

Mine works just as expected on M42 cameras. Haven't tested it via other adapters on different mounts yet.

If you remove all the adapters from the rear end and hold it against the body of your camera, are you able to focus to infinity?

user · Joined: 27 Jun 2010 Posts: 3

Pic of the back end (it now has a T2-M42 adapter)

The rear element on mine looks much farther inside and slightly different. Maybe there's an additional piece of glass or the lens has been moved.

Without the M42 adapter the first element should be about 4.2cm inside the tube.

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

Hi,
The first element (and already without the M42 adapter) is 5.9 cm inside de tube.

And regarding the focus without all adapters the answer is still no, no infinity focus

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

Good news and not so good news.

First I discovered that I was able to remove (unscrew) the tube from the rear of the lens until the tripod.

The good news is that I'm now able to focus to infinite BUT without that part of the tube. Moving the camera closer to the tripod mount let me focus to infinite.

The not so good news is that I can not find the correct piece to put on the back of my lens.

Does any one know of a place where I can buy it ?

I was thinking on cutting the tube, but I don't have the tools nor anyone on this forgotten place called Portugal. Sad

If you know any place that I can buy it (via internet) please let me know.

Thank you all for the great help.

aoleg · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1389 Location: Berlin, DE

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

Hi,
It's not the T2 adapter. I have a T2->m42 adapter. Is the tube from the tripod mount until the camera (maybe 1.97 inches (5cm) length ?).

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

Yes,that is the approx. rear tube measurement with it mounted. I don't have the same brand as you do. I have a Spiratone and a Seimar.
The rear tube is interchangeable on alot of diff. brand lenses because they were made by the same maker.
With your lens aasembled is your infinity mark linning up now?

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

When I put the focus mark to infinite I can focus around 8 meters.

Edited: Maybe I didn't make myself clear or I didn't understand your question.

When I'm using the tube attached to the lens and the camera I can only focus up to 8m.
When I remove the tube and grab the lens in front of the camera (around 5cm from the camera) I'm able to focus to infinite.

Hope that now is correctly described.
Sorry, but English is not my mother language.

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

Take the top part of the lens in your hand and turn it all way to the left ( turning it in).

Does the infinity mark on your lens match up to the 6.3 or red dot on your lens.

Quick pick to show what I am talking about.

raulcosta · Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 16

Yes it does.
From what I have read this is the extra tube (longer) that some lens have to become "macro" lens.
I need to buy a, correct size, tube or cut this one, but I don't have the tools for nor the hands for this job Sad

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Okay, several things happening here.

1. In earlier photo focus helical is removed. Helical threads have more than one starting point. Finding correct starting thread combination i necessary before correct focus can be obtained.

2. Some of these lenses are sold with tele-converter tube; the tele-converter tube has a lens inside.

3. Some of these lenses have a macro tube, but I don't see it in any of the photos posted.

4. The lens may have been taken apart and re-assembled incorrectly before you got it.

My opinion is #4 is most likely, that someone probably reversed one of the lens elements which now makes the lens focus too close. #1 may also need to be corrected.