Nikon S-mount adapter

kopi234 · Joined: 25 Jul 2012 Posts: 103 Location: Indonesia

I am planning to buy nikon rangefinder lens for my fuji X-E1 and looking for an adapter that can be used for lenses with internal and external mount.
I was googling and found this adapter for fuji X-mount
http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/Kipon-Advanced-adapter-Contax-RF-Rangefinder-lens-Fuji-X-Pro1-X-E1-camera-/120982759942?pt=US_Lens_Adapters_Mounts_Tubes&hash=item1c2b226a06

whether it will fits for my camera? does anyone ever use?
I've read before that the Nikon S and Contax RF mount identical but slightly different.
if it doesnt, what is appropriate adapter for fuji X-mount?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Yes, that is the correct adapter. However, you only need this expensive version with built-in helicoid if you intend to use a 50mm lens. The others mount onto the external mount and have their own helicoids.

Nikon and Contax RF mounts are identical in all but one detail - there is a very tiny difference in the register distance. With wider lenses, this won't be a problem, I have used the excellent Nikkor 2.8cm on both my Contax IIIa, my Kiev II and my NEX-3 via adapter and had zero problems. The only lenses that might show a slight focus issue due to the tiny register difference are the long ones - 85 and 135mm.

As well as the Nikkor RF lenses, you should also consider the Zeiss and Russian copies. The Sonnar 1.5/50 is more common and cheaper than the Nikkor 1.4/50, and as I own one, I can tell you it is a truly superb lens. The Russian Jupiter-3 copy is also very good, if you get a 1950s ones, it will be close to the Zeiss original in quality. The Sonnar 2/50 is great too, but I suggest taking the Jupiter-8 as it's so common, so cheap and again, a 1950s one is very close to the Zeiss. The Biogon 2.8/35 is a great lens, a little soft at 2.8, but gets very sharp at f4, the Jupiter-12 copy is an alternative. Then there are the 2/85 and 4/135 Sonnars, both great, the Jupiter-9 and Jupiter-11 copies are also very good. The other Zeiss, which gets overlooked is the Triotar 4/85,it is much smaller and lighter than the Sonnar 2/85, and is a great lens in it's own right. With the Zeiss lenses, you should look for postwar ones. There are some more lenses that appeared postwar but are quite uncommon such as the Biometar 2.8/35 and the Planar 2.8/35,they were the cheaper options to the Biogon 2/35. The western Opton part of Zeiss produced a redesigned Biogon 2.8/25 after the war which is a stunningly good lens, better than the pre-war Biogon and the post-war Jena Biogons from the East. There is also the superb Biogon 4.5/21 and the Russian Orion-15 6/28 which is a great, if slow lens. The Russians produced a really great lens for the Kiev IV, called the Helios-103, it is a copy of the Summicron 2/50 and one of the very best 50mm lenses I have ever tried. They only cost about 50USD new from Russia.

You should grab yourself a Kiev camera too, so you can try the lenses on film. Kievs are very cheap considering how good they are. An older one is basically a Contax with a different name. Or if you have more to spend, take a postwar Contax, they are so beautifully made, a real precision piece of optical equipment and in my opinion, a much nicer feeling camera than a Leica. I deeply love my Contax IIIa.

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3666 Location: Calgary

+1 for the Helios 103, great little lens.

I bought a Keiv mount that was hacked into an M39 to NEX adapter(should work for M39 to X) from eBay for about $50 that came with an Industar 61, it was cheaper than I could hack one together.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Nice shot of the pine tree.

Yup, you can make an adapter out of a broken kiev and an M39 adapter, the register just happens to be about the same.

You can see my adapter made that way on the left here, with my Opton Biogon fitted to it.

kopi234 · Joined: 25 Jul 2012 Posts: 103 Location: Indonesia

thank you for your kind response ian.
I intend to build a system with the nikkors, including using 50mm lens. Therefore I need an adapter that can work for both internal and external mount.
whether the adapter on your biogon is made by your own? sounds cool for a lot cheaper alternative.
whether your biogon worked properly with that DIY adapter?
Could you please tell me how to make it?

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

My repair man cost around 160 USD, made from KIEV body to Sony NEX-3 and m4/3 I think he able to make for Fuji too.
Click here to see on Ebay

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

My adapter came from Attila, excellent item, worth every penny. It works great with all my Contax lenses, including the Opton Biogon.

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3666 Location: Calgary