Akarette mount schneider tele xenar 90mm 3.5 via DIY adapter

[jamaeolus]

Did a quick simple adapter for the Akarette mount (also fits certain other cameras eg Arette and Akarelle check CJ's classic camera for more info) This is a rangefinder lens and is probably not adaptable to any Canon or Nikon DSLR,. The lenses though are premium quality brass and chrome from the 1950's. I took a sacrificial camera and unscrewed the 4 screws on the front of the mount to release the aluminum base of the breech lock mount. It has some pieces that protrude to the back which were dispatch with a grinder and files. Then holding a flanged m42 m39 adapter to the base I marked holes to match some of the threaded holes on the aluminum mount portion, drilled and screwed in suitable tiny threaded screws (the ones I used were from a dead exakta twin). Then using a nex m42 close adapter plus a m42 12mm helical I was able to acheive infinity.

Lens on camera:


Adapter, lens side;


Adapter camera side:



A couple shots: These are wide open at 3.5












The trees are a bit blurry as it was blustery. In the final landscape shot I was focused on the cloud in the very center of the image.

[Sciolist]

They are lovely, aren't they. I have the Tele-Xenar 1:3,5/90, and the Radionar 1:4,5/75. The Tele-Xenar was acquired without the rear mounting ring, so it was too tempting to just get the decorators tape out. I had been contemplating what to do with the Radionar and hadn't even looked at it yet. I must admit, your adaptation is quite an elegant solution. I think I might try it. Thanks for putting it up Jamaeolus.

[Oldhand]

I really enjoy seeing how different lenses can be adapted.
Well done on a great solution.
Tom

[jamaeolus]

As DIY adaptations go this was pretty easy and effective. The most difficult part was finding a donor camera at a low enough price point. These cameras seem to be collectible and robust. A quick unscrew of 4 screws took apart the mount from the camera. Then filed off the portion of the camera side that jutted out a bit. Then holding the mount so the flange was centered I marked the holes and drilled with a tiny drill. The job seems robust enough to hold the rather heavy 90mm tele xenar. I also have several other of these lenses. An intact Staeble 90mm 5.6, which is tiny and light (aluminum) compared to the tele xenar. Another of those staeble 90's with the breechlock nut removed which got me started on this investigation. I used the cap of a plastic bottle that happened to be the correct diameter cut to size to fit between the lens and an m42 extension tube. I didn't trust that with the tele xenar though. I also have another tele xenar with focus ring issues. When I get around to it I will open it up to see if I can figure that out. I just bought an akarette with a xenar 45 2.8 as well. So then I will (hopefully) have a film camera to try with these lenses.

[calvin83]

Great job!

[Sciolist]

[jamaeolus]

I will let you know about my experiences. I had another camera that had a minor issue but I couldn't bring myself to ruining it. The donor for this had more serious problems but even so, after asking CJ at CJ's classic cameras some questions which he was kind enough to answer I gifted them both to him in GB for parts or repair.

[Sciolist]

[philslizzy]

I made an M39 adaptor for my lenses, mainly so I could use my Xenogon 35mm on the Leica. M39 can be adapted to whatever mirrorless system I'm using (I have 3)

Like you I bought a donor camera mine was only £15, very brassed on the front and fungused up inside but it had the box, instructions and case which to me was worth it for that alone.

I measured the difference between the ffd of the Akarette and M39. Using the screw thread of an old enlarging lens I filed the barrel of the old lens down til it was right, checking it on my mirrorless. I used epoxy putty inside the whole thing to join it together then filed down the flange, used more putty to round it all off and covered the adaptor with some leatherette from the back of the donor camera. I'm pretty pleased with the result. I wouldn't use the 135 on my Leica, but it's nice on the Sony A7

[jamaeolus]

Nicely done! I have not seen the xenagon before.

[Sciolist]

[philslizzy]

Your lens is tiny. You could be forgiven to think it was a cine camera lens. I've got a 75 thats probably even smaller than that. pic to follow.

The box is the same style. I have two one for the Akarette one for the Akarelle. Almost exactly the same, strong Bristol board covered in flock paper with a (paper) hinged lid and silver printing. Quite luxurious actually..



The lens you have is one I'd like for my collection. I'm not a completest so any 85/90mm will give me a 'set' of the three focal lengths. As you can see the 35 is tiny compared with the Primagon which I have for my Altix. Below is a pic of my rangefinder 35s left to right: Xenagon 35mm f3.5 Aka fit, Leitz Summaron 35mm f3.5 LTM fit, Staeble Choro 38mm f3.5 B39 fit, Meyer Primagon 35mm f4.5 Altix fit. All of which can be used on the Leica. Such choice. I think the humble Staeble Choro 38mm is the better lens for sharpness.

[philslizzy]

Smallest 85mm lens around? The Agilux Anastigmat 85mm f5.5 just 37.5mm from top to bottom
The film cartridge is a Shirley Wellard Universal (didnt want to open a box of film)

[philslizzy]

[Sciolist]

[gram]

I know that this is an old post, but I have just bought 3 AKArette to L39 adapters for my Schneider 35/3.5, 50/3.5, and 90/3.5 lenses and I thought it would be of interest that these are currently available and they provide infinity focussing. I have no connection with the seller, he is blythehill on ebay and he is based in Dorset UK.

[jamaeolus]

Thanks for that. A lot less work! I bought one to support my growing collection of these lenses. I have the previously mentioned Schneder Tele-Xenar an Isco 50 3.5 that came in on a fully functioning Arette W (which is the only version of that point and shoot camera with an interchangeable lenses) , several of the Staeble Telexon 90mm 5.6, The Staeble Choro, Staeble Lineogon, The Schneider Xenagon and probably something I am forgetting.

[gram]

I have an Arette BW which takes interchangeable lenses (and the ones that I have in my collection).

Have you seen the Norwegian website manuelfokus.no, where the guy reviews lenses including Schneider, Staeble, Canon, Leitz etc in various mounts including L39, M42 etc. He also takes some pretty good photos on his Sony.

[jamaeolus]

I guess the W code on the Arette indicates interchangeable.

[gram]

AKA made a number of interchangeable lens cameras from the Akarette 1 through Akarex III and some Akarelles. The website www.cjs-classic-cameras.co.uk provides a detailed description of all the AKA cameras and lenses. The owner of this website Cees-Van de Hoog is happy to answer any query on these cameras. I questioned him about registration distances on AKA camera mounts, when I thought I would have to get an adapter made, until I found the blythehill ebay seller that I mentioned before.

[philslizzy]

[philslizzy]

[D1N0]

According to this document AKArette has a Flange Focal distance of "approximately" 42mm

https://cameramarket.eu/data/pdf/cameramarket_Lens%20mounts%20and%20flange%20focal%20distances.pdf

So you would need an approximately 24mm adapter (on Sony E) To be on the safe side a bit shorter. If it overshoots infinity it makes it just a bit harder to focus but you can still reach it.

[gram]

I've just checked my three AKA lenses for focus. I focussed the lenses on a tree about 40m distant. First test was using a Leica SL with an additional L39 to L adapter and lenses set at f4. All 3 lenses (35/3.5, 50/3.5, and 90/3.5) focussed on the tree at just under infinity (between 20m and infinity on 2 and between 60ft and infinity on the third). At a very distant tree they all focussed at the hard infinity stop. So I thought fine. Then I tried my Leica M10 with the additional L39 to M adapter. I couldn't get a magnified focus so I focussed using live view at infinity and at the same settings used for the SL and also at 20m. I couldn't get a focussed shot at all, leading me to think that on a Leica M camera these lenses would need to go past infinity to achieve infinity focus.

[gram]

The Arette mount has a male thread of 36mm with a thread pitch of 0.75 and the camera has a registration length of 40mm.

In my conversation with Cees-Jan de Hood, he also said he thought the height of the threaded part of the mount is also important (it shouldn't be too high), it's just over 3 mm.

He also suggested that it may be difficult to get the register distance exactly right. So, probably OK for live view DSLRs but not for RFs, which is what I found with my experiments.