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Zeiss lens no helicoid, on NEX?
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Home Digital Rangefinder / Viewfinder Cameras  Sony-NEX
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I made my own Contax/Kiev to NEX adapter.

I took helicoid from broken Kiev and fitted it to plastic NEX body cap, it works perfect with the J-8 I have, hits infinity.

Sadly when I glued helicoid into body cap I used a bit too much epoxy and it glued the helicoid solid so it's now stuck at infinity.

I haven't bothered trying to fix it as I have a M39 J-8 with Red P and the Contax/Kiev J-8 I have is a 1976 model so will be inferior in IQ to the M39 one.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I made my own Contax/Kiev to NEX adapter.

I took helicoid from broken Kiev and fitted it to plastic NEX body cap, it works perfect with the J-8 I have, hits infinity...


wow, great Ian!
I want to try this. Which camera should I try to get? What are the names of the Russian Contax copies I should I look out for?
Or does have anyone who reads this an old, broken camera with the correct mount he can sell for cheap?


PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kuuan wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I made my own Contax/Kiev to NEX adapter.

I took helicoid from broken Kiev and fitted it to plastic NEX body cap, it works perfect with the J-8 I have, hits infinity...


wow, great Ian!
I want to try this. Which camera should I try to get? What are the names of the Russian Contax copies I should I look out for?
Or does have anyone who reads this an old, broken camera with the correct mount he can sell for cheap?


Kiev any , if broken dirt cheap.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
kuuan wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I made my own Contax/Kiev to NEX adapter.

I took helicoid from broken Kiev and fitted it to plastic NEX body cap, it works perfect with the J-8 I have, hits infinity...


wow, great Ian!
I want to try this. Which camera should I try to get? What are the names of the Russian Contax copies I should I look out for?
Or does have anyone who reads this an old, broken camera with the correct mount he can sell for cheap?


Kiev any , if broken dirt cheap.


+1

Get a cheap NEX plastic lens cap and bore out the centre, then the helicoid will just fit (very tight fit) and be careful glueing it in place, unlike I did!

You have to remove the entire front plate of the Kiev, which isn;t too hard, then I ground off the four corners with a bench grinder.

I will take some pics of my adapter if you like.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
kuuan wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I made my own Contax/Kiev to NEX adapter.

I took helicoid from broken Kiev and fitted it to plastic NEX body cap, it works perfect with the J-8 I have, hits infinity...


wow, great Ian!
I want to try this. Which camera should I try to get? What are the names of the Russian Contax copies I should I look out for?
Or does have anyone who reads this an old, broken camera with the correct mount he can sell for cheap?


Kiev any , if broken dirt cheap.


thank you Attila! Smile


PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Attila wrote:
kuuan wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I made my own Contax/Kiev to NEX adapter.

I took helicoid from broken Kiev and fitted it to plastic NEX body cap, it works perfect with the J-8 I have, hits infinity...


wow, great Ian!
I want to try this. Which camera should I try to get? What are the names of the Russian Contax copies I should I look out for?
Or does have anyone who reads this an old, broken camera with the correct mount he can sell for cheap?


Kiev any , if broken dirt cheap.


+1

Get a cheap NEX plastic lens cap and bore out the centre, then the helicoid will just fit (very tight fit) and be careful glueing it in place, unlike I did!

You have to remove the entire front plate of the Kiev, which isn;t too hard, then I ground off the four corners with a bench grinder.

I will take some pics of my adapter if you like.


thank you Ian for the tips, and eh, if you show photos of your adapter that would be great!
besides a broken KIEV I also must find a good NEX body cap. I take it that you erroneously had written lens cap, it's a camera body cap that I need, right? I had bought one in a set with a lens back cap from China via ebay but it simply does not work, it falls off the camera. Can you point me to a seller who sells good ones?

best regards,
Andreas


PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If anyone is looking for Contax RF to LTM helicoid adapter, I'm offering mine in the Marketplace.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
thank you Dick.
I first will try to make one myself, as Ian had suggested.
If I don"t have success and your adapter is still available than I shall come back to you.

so I did go back to the shop today Smile



PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great! serial number ? red T ?


PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
no, no red T!
prewar Carl Zeiss Jena, Serial No. 2517495
what does the serial number tell you, Attila?


PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kuuan wrote:
no, no red T!
prewar Carl Zeiss Jena, Serial No. 2517495
what does the serial number tell you, Attila?


I'm not Attila, but the serial was issued in late 1938 - and number issue and production of mass produced lenses seems to have occurred within days.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sevo wrote:
kuuan wrote:
no, no red T!
prewar Carl Zeiss Jena, Serial No. 2517495
what does the serial number tell you, Attila?


I'm not Attila, but the serial was issued in late 1938 - and number issue and production of mass produced lenses seems to have occurred within days.


oh great you come back Sevo, and thank you for the info.

Can you, or anyone, point me to any internet site which talks about this version of this classic lens?
Or which compares it to other, e.g. the red T version?


PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Most comparisons repeat a 1946 British magazine article which isn't really relevant today. But there are several long threads on Sonnar types over at Rangefinderforum, where Brian Sweeney is the local Sonnar expert and hacker.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
thank you Sevo. Yes, I had found some threads about this lens and versions there. Nothing much conclusive though, but I hope I soon will be able to see with my own eyes.
I actually already took some test shots, the lens held against an M42 adapter for the NEX. Wide open it doesn't look sharp, but the bokeh looks great, I think I am going to like it


PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
kuuan wrote:
no, no red T!
prewar Carl Zeiss Jena, Serial No. 2517495
what does the serial number tell you, Attila?


Earliest as possible with Red T , most valuable one, not better than others just more rare.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi Kuuan!
I have the same lens and the cam mount as well, see here the pictures:
http://forum.mflenses.com/sonnar-1-5-50mm-contax-rf-mount-strange-adapter-t26512,highlight,%2Bsonnar+%2B50mm.html

and some more shots with the lens (and mount) attached on M42/Nikon adpater with my D700:







For sure a beautiful lens with lovely bokeh!


PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
wow Pascal, these samples are amazing, much sharper than, and bokeh great as anticipated.
Haha, your adapter looks funny, still the plate from the camera included.

I just won an auction for a broken Kiev including a J-8 for 7 pound, well, shipping is another 11, I am very curious if I will succeed in making my own adapter.
I know some will say this lens needs FF but I shall be very happy if I can use it on my NEX.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I made my own Contax/Kiev to NEX adapter.

I took helicoid from broken Kiev and fitted it to plastic NEX body cap, it works perfect with the J-8 I have, hits infinity...


mine is ready too, helicoid from a Kiev 4, mount a Pen-F > NEX adapter which works well NEX side, but did not fit well Pen-F side



PostPosted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
adapter looks cool



works alright and focuses to infinity
but for changing aperture one has to hold the lens with the other hand, if not one would turn the lens, change focus instead.
however the omission of cog wheels, the transmission to a focus-wheel and of a lock as on the original body also allows much closer focusing Smile



cheers,
Andreas


PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 3:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
that's great shot PAscal, it looks so close, how close it was?

Kuuan I like that lens & adapter, I might follow you two


PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
IAZA wrote:
that's great shot PAscal, it looks so close, how close it was?

thanks! I don't remember how close I was but anyway less than 10cm Wink ...

@ kuuan: looks great on the NEX, congrats! Could you may be post a picture of the lens mount with the adapter??
it gives me for sure an other reason to get one day this famous NEX cam Very Happy ....


PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
pich900 wrote:

@ kuuan: looks great on the NEX, congrats! Could you may be post a picture of the lens mount with the adapter??
it gives me for sure an other reason to get one day this famous NEX cam Very Happy ....


Pascal I don't want to take my adapter apart again to show better, but I hope the photos and my words make it clear enough:

Unscrewed the Pen-F mount from the Pen-F to NEX adapter, the Contax mount fits inside it with a bit of play

#1


The register distance of Contax RF is 34.85, of Pen-F is 28.95, so there is some distance to be added

#2


I did not want to clue it, make it fix before checking infinity focus and therefore simply put two layers of the foam seen in the photos around the Contax mount and forced, pressed it into the NEX adapter

#3


this is sturdy enough for the mount to stay put without turning or moving though it is not yet permanently fixed. The foam gives a bit and for normal use I must be careful that the mount rests plain against the adapter. Pressing hard against one side of the surplus metal of the mount will tilt the lens just a bit and focus peaking of the NEX will show me exactly where the focus plain rests. I really like that and at least for now will just leave it as it is.

cheers,
Andreas


PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ok Thanks Andreas, it's perfectly clear Wink ..


PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I missed this thread!!

Wow, what a nice adaptation, thanks for sharing!

Jes.


PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
resurrecting this old thread.

I made an adapter fro my Sonnar from a broken kiev 4. I took the mount off the camera, very easy and trimmed the 'square' plate with metal cutters and a file. About 10 minutes. The whole assembly fits inside one of those M39 adapters with an adjustable and removeable M39 rings. I shimmed it out about a millimetre with thin plastic from a fruit punnet then ran epoxy round the outside. Filing it neatly. Finished off with a paint job. cost about £15 for parts. It's much cheaper than the commercial ones - or indeed the Russian guy who's making the same things. Then selling his kievs without mounts.







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