Carl Zeiss 180mm zebra question

arvinkg · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2

Hi, my name is Dusan and I am glad that Im also member of this forum, since I just love manual focus lenses.

I have MTO 1000mm f10
Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8
Carl Zeiss Bioptar 120mm f2.8 and
Carl Zeiss Zebra 180mm f2.8

Last two I got couple days ago.

120mm is Pentacon 6 mount and 180mm is M42

Questions:

180mm: the blades for aperture doesnt work, so when I attach the lens on my Nikon d300 body using m42 to nikon adapter and when switch in A or M mode, I can shoot only at 2.8. I will take it to the service to fix the blades, but the question is how to adjust the lens so I can manualy opet or close the aperture on the lens body.

120mm: same question - how to adjust it to manualy control aperture using ring on the lens while camera is in A or M mode

PS (the carl zeiss 50mm f2.8 i have, was already adjusted. The tiny needle which close or open the blades while it is pushed or released is screwed down so on that lens, I put camera in A mode and while opet or close aperture using the lens ring, there is an exposure change and that is perfect, now i would like to have those 120 and 1800mm lenses adjusted to.

And how to achive infinity focus on all lenses

Thanks a lot for help

Dusan

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Welcome Dusan!

rick_oleson · Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 2:33 am Post subject:

Hello Dusan:

My only experience with the 180/2.8 is in the Pentacon Six mount. In this mount, when the lens is not on the P6 camera the diaphragm behaves as a manual diaphragm, closing down to the selected aperture as you turn the ring. It works this way when it is on my adapter for my Canon DSLR, and I assume it would do so on an adapter for a Nikon as well. In the M42 mount, if you have an A/M switch on the lens, set it to M and it should act the same way.

However, this only works if the lens is in proper working condition. If your blades are stuck open, there will be no way to make them close down until you have the lens cleaned to fix that problem.

If you have an M42 mount lens with no A/M switch and no depth-of-field preview switch, you may be out of luck.

rick

seuret · Joined: 29 Nov 2009 Posts: 34 Location: Bulgaria

lahnet · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 1164 Location: Denmark

If you need to DIY this may help.

rick_oleson · Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 11:37 am Post subject:

that looks familiar!!

:)=

arvinkg · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2

i will take a picture of the lenses tomorow and post it here.

My 180mm does not have M-A focus switch, I am not sure that there is autofocus model of this lens?

Does anyone with M42 version have infinity focus on Nikon (d300?)

thanks

rick_oleson · Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:24 pm Post subject:

It would not be an M/A focus switch, it's an M/A diaphragm switch. At the A setting, the diaphragm stays open until the linkage in the camera body closes it down at the instant of exposure; at the M setting, it closes down as you turn the aperture ring. On an M42 lens, when on A the lens stays wide open when off the camera, so you would like to have the A/M switch so you can control it manually. There are ways around this, but the A/M switch is best if you have it on the lens.