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I did it: I adapted lenses from pocket cameras
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2015 8:47 pm    Post subject: I did it: I adapted lenses from pocket cameras Reply with quote

I adapted lenses from two old pocket cameras (Kodak Pocket Instamatic 200 and agfamatic 2000 sensor) with an own consturcted C-Mount adapter which i printed out with a 3D printer.

You can see and follow my results in the german partner forum (DCC) http://www.digicamclub.de/showthread.php?t=20555

Sorry for only linking, but i have not the time for double posting in 2 languages.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting. I have mounted many compact camera lenses - some without success. 110 camera lenses are the most difficult and I have given up trying. I suppose having a 3d printer would make it easier.

Unfortunately one must be a member of the other forum to see the photos.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does it really make sense to link to this forum? No, without registration there, we can't see the results.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 12:05 am    Post subject: Re: I did it: I adapted lenses from pocket cameras Reply with quote

GoldMark wrote:
I adapted lenses from two old pocket cameras (Kodak Pocket Instamatic 200 and agfamatic 2000 sensor) with an own consturcted C-Mount adapter which i printed out with a 3D printer.

You can see and follow my results in the german partner forum (DCC) http://www.digicamclub.de/showthread.php?t=20555

Sorry for only linking, but i have not the time for double posting in 2 languages.


when you do have the time, i would enjoy seeing photos of your project.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok i will try it.

First the Kodak Pocket Instamatic 200.

Here the disassembled lens:









Here my CAD Model of the adapter (c-Mount)



Here at a Pentax Q






PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lens: Kodak Pocket Instamatic 200
Cam: Pentax Q













What do you mean about the results?


PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mmmmmmm......I gotta ask, was it worth the effort? The pictures are soft to say the least. But.....it has to said that the lens is for a cheap fixed focus 110 film camera so it's probably expecting way too much from it . I somehow doubt, from my experience with a few 110 compacts back in the day, that the pictures from the Kodak were sharp. It's a great exercise to try old lenses, and I do it sometimes ( with very varied success ) as well. There are good lenses on compacts that are well worth hacking onto a digi cam, and I really like the way you've done it.
Your pictures are better than I would expected though, so please don't give up trying old compact lenses.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lloydy wrote:
mmmmmmm......I gotta ask, was it worth the effort?


I mean yes. I have had a lot of fun and learned a lot of this type of lenses. The effort for building the adapter was not to high. I had a model with some parameters to input, and after some calculations done by my computer i have as output the printable model. Printing duration is about 35 min.

Lloydy wrote:
The pictures are soft to say the least. But.....it has to said that the lens is for a cheap fixed focus 110 film camera so it's probably expecting way too much from it . I somehow doubt, from my experience with a few 110 compacts back in the day, that the pictures from the Kodak were sharp. It's a great exercise to try old lenses, and I do it sometimes ( with very varied success ) as well. There are good lenses on compacts that are well worth hacking onto a digi cam, and I really like the way you've done it.
Your pictures are better than I would expected though, so please don't give up trying old compact lenses.


Now this fix focus lenses can be focused with my adapter Very Happy An be sure, i am going on to adapt old lenses ...


PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2015 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

no other comments?


PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2015 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think it is fun, but I think I prefer a somewhat better lens.
I have a non-functional Rollei B 35 with a triotar 40mm 3.5 lens.
If I can find some stuff to adapt the little lens I will take the lens off and try it with my Nex.
I don't have a 3D printer around Sad so i have to search for standard components and plumbering stuff.


PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2015 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great example of dicking around with stuff!

Top bloke effort Very Happy

Go to the shed with more beers my son.

Steve.


PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2015 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A nice effort. The lenses are delivering better results than they could on the camera because they are being focused.

I've found they must go inside a c-mount on my NEX cameras and for me, who uses spit and elastic to hold my my creations together, thats just too difficult.

The Triotar that Minolfan mentions would be a nice project. Not too difficult in my estimation. I'm not using mine, I've had the camera for 42 years now and its still giving great photos. Now if I could just find a broken one....


PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2015 8:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's a whole lot of compacts with good lenses out there that are so cheap, worthless even, that they are ripe for hacking. I had a box of compacts, maybe a dozen, and a Praktica SLR with some other stuff just to fill the damn box advertised as 'open to offers + postage' and didn't even get an enquiry.
I suppose, for a hacker, the problem is that each manufacturer and every model had a different way of mounting the lenses. the holy grail for the hacker should be a simple helical mount that is big enough to take most compact camera lenses, even if it is as simple as jamming them in with BluTack.


PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2015 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Kodak Disk format instamatic is one to look for, it came out in the mid 70s and had a revolutionary moulded aspherical glass element in it's lens and the lens had a very high resolution.


PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2015 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
The Kodak Disk format instamatic is one to look for, it came out in the mid 70s and had a revolutionary moulded aspherical glass element in it's lens and the lens had a very high resolution.

What a brilliant idea of you Ian!
That camera was built for ultra-small 8x10mm negatives.
The Pentax Q has 1/1.7" type sensor (7.44 x 5.58 mm) AFAIK so there is still a crop factor!
Did you find one yourself?


PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2015 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

For myself I try something on the cheap side.
I found an Agfa F 11 lens 105mm (I think) of a Clack i still have somewhere in a drawer as a leftover after turning a Clack in a pinhole camera Smile


PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2015 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That would be easy peasy. The longer focus lenses are simple to convert.

I would have thought the back focus of a disc camera lens would be too short even for the Pentax Q. On the Kodak model I have its almost touching the film.


PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2015 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

philslizzy wrote:
I would have thought the back focus of a disc camera lens would be too short even for the Pentax Q. On the Kodak model I have its almost touching the film.

You may be right that it is impossible to mount the lens of a disc camera, I didn't think about that Embarassed Embarassed

That is no problem with the Clack lens ofcourse, I can even use a bellows for focusing. The focusing itself wil not be easy, F 11 is not the best aperture for a clear focusing screen. Smile


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2015 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Minolfan wrote:

I have a non-functional Rollei B 35 with a triotar 40mm 3.5 lens.


I have an adapted (to M39) Rollei B35 Sonnar with working aperature.


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2015 8:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Minolfan wrote:
For myself I try something on the cheap side.
I found an Agfa F 11 lens 105mm (I think) of a Clack i still have somewhere in a drawer as a leftover after turning a Clack in a pinhole camera Smile


Here some pictures done with an adapted CLACK Meniscus Lens

#1: With Sony NEX 5N


#2: With Sony NEX 5N


#3: With Pentax Q free hand


#4: With Sony A7


#5: With Sony NEX 7


#6: With Pentax K50


#7: 100% Crop of #6:


#8: With Pentax K50


Very amazing this cheap 1-lens lens. What do you mean?


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2015 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now back to 110 pocket cam lenses.

Cam: Olympus OM-D E-M5 MKI
Lens: Color-Agnar 9.5 26mm from an AGFA pocket cam

#1:


#2:


#3:


#4:


#5:


#6:

p
What is your opinion about the performance of this lens?


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2015 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Minolfan wrote:

You may be right that it is impossible to mount the lens of a disc camera, I didn't think about that Embarassed Embarassed

That is no problem with the Clack lens ofcourse, I can even use a bellows for focusing. The focusing itself wil not be easy, F 11 is not the best aperture for a clear focusing screen. Smile


I have bought a KODAK disc 6000. When i receive the cam, i will try to adapt the lens to my Pentax Q and Q7. Maybe later on for my Raspberry Pi Cam too.


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2015 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GoldMark wrote:
Here some pictures done with an adapted CLACK Meniscus Lens……
Very amazing this cheap 1-lens lens. What do you mean?

Shocked Stunning! It is even not funny anymore, it is a serious lens. Smile

Quote:
I have bought a KODAK disc 6000. When i receive the cam, i will try to adapt the lens to my Pentax Q and Q7.

I am very curious if it is doable - and if so, if the lens is as good as Ian thinks about it.
Nothing for my NEX, the little lens will not cover the APS-C sensor. Sad


PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2015 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1st set, number 8 is gorgeous, really good. That, for me, is the outstanding picture of the ones you've posted, and there's a lot of good pictures amongst them.
There's certainly some mileage in what you're doing, and it's well known that some compacts delivered results way above the very average results of most compacts, that were made to sell as cheap as they could. I hope you keep on hacking them.


PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2015 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lloydy wrote:
I hope you keep on hacking them.


I am doing Very Happy

Here my next victim Embarassed

The lesns is from this cam (kodak instamatic 133):


It is a f11 42mm plastik meniscus lens Rolling Eyes

I adapted it with a 3D printed out c-Mount adapter.

Here a picture of the adapted lens at my Sony A7:


Here some (cutted) pictures with this combination.

#1:


#2:100% crop of #1


#3: ISO 640


#4: 100% from #3 noise is from ISO


I am really amazed from the result of this plastic one lenser.