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UPDATED: Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 20mm f/2.8
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PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 3:45 am    Post subject: UPDATED: Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 20mm f/2.8 Reply with quote

Hello Folks!
I just picked up a Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Flektogon 20mm f/2.8 in MD mount.
I was hoping it'd be a M42 mount but just couldn't resist the price of $100 USD. Now I need suggestions as to what I should do with it Very Happy ! I'm a bit excited since this will be an equivalent 32mm on my Canon EOS 550D...
The original owner did not know much about it (other than the fact that they go for a pretty sum on eBay). Optics are in excellent condition. Minimal dust. No fungus or oil on the aperture blades. Only problem is that it is in MD mount Evil or Very Mad and the aperture ring does not click (it opens/closes the blades but moves freely with no resistance).
Should I go for a Fotodiox MD to EOS adapter? I really want to avoid using additional glass to achieve infinity focus. What other options do I have?
Here are some pictures of the lens.


Many thanks,
George


Last edited by AlcatrazT2 on Tue May 14, 2013 1:01 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

seems it's not an original MD mount...


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definitely not original, they were never made in Minolta MD. As it's a later MC one I'm pretty sure it was M42.

Bad news is you can't put it on an EOS and get infinity, so it will need to be converted again.


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 5:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

find someone to change the MD mount back to M42 or even canon mount, or just buy a glass MD-EOS adapter,


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Definitely not original, they were never made in Minolta MD. As it's a later MC one I'm pretty sure it was M42.

Bad news is you can't put it on an EOS and get infinity, so it will need to be converted again.


That's what I originally thought. I was puzzled when I saw it in MD mount. Perhaps this is the reason why there are issues with the aperture ring. Can any of you provide me with direction as to how I can get this back to m42 screw mount?


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 6:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first thing I would try to do is just unscrewing the silver part Wink


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 6:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fermy wrote:
The first thing I would try to do is just unscrewing the silver part Wink


+1


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WolverineX wrote:
fermy wrote:
The first thing I would try to do is just unscrewing the silver part Wink


+1


Laughing

I had this same problem once Smile It might be tight to unscrew, if so pliers come in useful. Congrats on getting a VERY cheap Flek!


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WolverineX wrote:
fermy wrote:
The first thing I would try to do is just unscrewing the silver part Wink


+1


+1


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's probably an M42 lens with a simple M42-MD adapter screwed on. The aperture, however, seems to be missing the little ball responsible for the clicks. You'll have to take off the back (after unscrewing the MD adapter, you'll see the screws), take the aperture ring off, and insert that little ball if you have a spare (you can get one from the tip of a ball pen Smile ).


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

aoleg wrote:
It's probably an M42 lens with a simple M42-MD adapter screwed on. The aperture, however, seems to be missing the little ball responsible for the clicks. You'll have to take off the back (after unscrewing the MD adapter, you'll see the screws), take the aperture ring off, and insert that little ball if you have a spare (you can get one from the tip of a ball pen Smile ).


Or you might leave it out. Some people who use legacy lenses to shoot video get their lenses "de-clicked" which means you can do a smooth change of exposure while shooting video. It doesn't affect functionality, it just means you can't precisely change your aperture by 1 stop just by feeling the clicks.


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fermy wrote:
The first thing I would try to do is just unscrewing the silver part Wink


+1, congratulations!


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

md to eos would be with glass so it is pointless, get minolta film for next to nothing and use it Smile


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ManualFocus-G wrote:
WolverineX wrote:
fermy wrote:
The first thing I would try to do is just unscrewing the silver part Wink


+1


Laughing

I had this same problem once Smile It might be tight to unscrew, if so pliers come in useful. Congrats on getting a VERY cheap Flek!


I tried unscrewing it counterclockwise and it was VERY tight. I hope it wasn't glued in place by the previous owner.

I will try getting my hands on some pliers tonight Laughing !


PostPosted: Mon May 13, 2013 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

aoleg wrote:
It's probably an M42 lens with a simple M42-MD adapter screwed on. The aperture, however, seems to be missing the little ball responsible for the clicks. You'll have to take off the back (after unscrewing the MD adapter, you'll see the screws), take the aperture ring off, and insert that little ball if you have a spare (you can get one from the tip of a ball pen Smile ).


It may have been de-clicked for cinema use. However, there is some clicking going on at f/11, f/16, and f/22. That being said, I don't think the apertures fully close at f/22 or fully open at f/2.8. Is there some kind of adjustment that needs to take place?


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 1:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello folks,

I got some good news/bad news.

I successfully removed the MD mount. It looks like it was a screw mount. However, the threading appears to be too small for my m42 adapter. In other words, the lens goes right into my m42 adapter (but does not screw in whatsoever). I feel as if the actual m42 screw thread mount was removed (and/or made smaller) to compensate for the MD plate (MD plate screws in but the m42 adapter, does not).

On a side note, after removing the MD plate, it appears to have been de-clicked. No more of that strange clicking noise. Also, there is no evidence of an aperture pin. Auto gets it wide open while Manual lets me choose aperture without any clicks.

Any thoughts as to what I should do now?

Attached is a picture:



PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i think the silver screw ring should be removed


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's been modified, sadly. The aperture pin is gone so they've had it apart and played with the aperture linkage, that will be why it doesn't click, I bet they lost the little ball bearing that makes the click.

Here's what I suggest, as a possible solution. On ebay you can buy M39-M42 adapter rings for a couple of bucks. Get one of those and try to fit it on the back. You will probably have to do a bit of filing of the inside of the adapter to ring and it will take a bit of trial and error, but with some patience you should be able to restore it so it again has an M42 thread on the back.


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

looks like the screwm mount was ground off, so you have to restore it, maybe you can screw or glue an M42/EF adapter onto the lens.
If you like to get the lens in original condition, I can give you a contact to a well regardet East German craftsman who is specialised in repairing Zeiss Jena & Meyer lenses.


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

timo832000 wrote:
looks like the screwm mount was ground off, so you have to restore it, maybe you can screw or glue an M42/EF adapter onto the lens.
If you like to get the lens in original condition, I can give you a contact to a well regardet East German craftsman who is specialised in repairing Zeiss Jena & Meyer lenses.


I think that this lens deserves a try in this direction: considering how little you paid it, chances are that after repair you'll end up with an excellent lens in perfect condition, and you'll still have made a good deal.


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
It's been modified, sadly. The aperture pin is gone so they've had it apart and played with the aperture linkage, that will be why it doesn't click, I bet they lost the little ball bearing that makes the click.

Here's what I suggest, as a possible solution. On ebay you can buy M39-M42 adapter rings for a couple of bucks. Get one of those and try to fit it on the back. You will probably have to do a bit of filing of the inside of the adapter to ring and it will take a bit of trial and error, but with some patience you should be able to restore it so it again has an M42 thread on the back.


This suggestion worked! Thank you very much for the advice!
The fix was easier than I thought. I went to my friends house and we found a M39-M42 adapter ring. It screwed on perfectly and adapted just fine to my m42 adapter. No filling etc. necessary.
I don't think I am going to bother doing a CLA on this lens. Clean optics suggest they went ahead and cleaned everything when they did the modification. On a side note, are the aperture blades supposed to be a bit visible @ f/2.8? (I understand this may be the case since it is a wide angle lens).
Attached are some pictures for viewing pleasure (this is with the M39-M42 adapter ring on):



I will take the lens for a spin and post pictures soon.
-George


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great, pleased it was a simple fix! I have loads of lenses that you can still see the blades when fully open, so I don't think it's an issue, but someone with a Flek 20 can confirm.


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please don't change title next time , just simple reply updated, if you change title it cause broken links in search engines. A simple reply give enough attention and people will read post again.


PostPosted: Tue May 14, 2013 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attila wrote:
Please don't change title next time , just simple reply updated, if you change title it cause broken links in search engines. A simple reply give enough attention and people will read post again.


Sounds good. You might want to disable that feature so it doesn't happen again.