What are your most challenging adaptions?

[petrochemist]

Most of my lenses adapt via simple off the shelf adapters, but there are quite a few where this hasn't been possible.

My first such lens was a shuttered Kodak 12cm anastigmat that I fitted to a body cap & used via bellows:

My most recent (a 150mm f/1.2) has given new issues, mounting it on the camera was simple enough, but the lens has no aperture or shutter & the only cameras I have it will fit on are 5x4 monorails which don't have a focal plane shutter. Using the old hat trick for a manual shutter requires much quicker coordination than I can manage:

 

[Tom Caldwell]

I am a simple man - I buy them. But I suppose that the worst one if you could call it that was in adapting lenses made for what I call "Komuraflex" which was their version of the Leica Visoflex system but has a different extension length (but you can buy these extender tubes). In fact I had some difficulty in working out even what the real extension lens combinations for Visoflex were (very little factual about it on the web). But I figured it out and that for "Komuraflex" as well then posted my results in a little table on dpr Adapted Lens Forum. Now disappeared into the thread forest. Must try and find it again

 

[Tom Caldwell]

This is a link to my Komuraflex/Visoflex table on dpr

#Arkive TC: Basic Visoflex Adapting Guide: Adapted Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.

www.dpreview.com

 

[Brian]

• OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. - E-PL1
• 17.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/60 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Auto exposure
• ISO 200

• Leica Camera AG - M Monochrom
• Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH.
• 50.0 mm
• 1/25 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Manual exposure
• 0.3
• ISO 2500

Canon 50mm F1.4 FL mount, converted to RF Coupled M-Mount. Made an RF cam out of an old tripod leg. You have to get the length to 0.01mm.

Did the same for the Minolta 50/1.4 Rokkor-X and Pentax 50/1.4 Super Takumar.

• RICOH - CX1
• Unknown
• 7.0 mm
• ƒ/3.9
• 1/45 sec
• ISO 218

• RICOH - CX1
• Unknown
• 6.1 mm
• ƒ/3.7
• 1/23 sec
• ISO 400

• RICOH - CX1
• Unknown
• 7.0 mm
• ƒ/3.9
• 1/620 sec
• ISO 80

• RICOH - CX1
• Unknown
• 8.8 mm
• ƒ/4.2
• 1/380 sec
• ISO 80

Zeiss Sonnars converted from Contax RF Mount using Jupiter Focus mount- I've done 70 or so. This can take between 5 and 20 hours, depending on a number of factors. Some need the focal length changed, some are just stubborn after 75 years and do not want to open up. All usually require full disassembly and cleaning.

Not shown- need to find some shots, Konica 50/1.7 AR Mount converted to RF coupled M-Mount. This lens runs ~$30, matches the Summicron of its day for performance. Better than the Konica 50/1.4.

I have the 1970s Pop Photo test of 32 50mm lenses, picked the best ones and converted to RF coupled Leica Mount.

 

[dirk]

This is a link to my Komuraflex/Visoflex table on dpr

#Arkive TC: Basic Visoflex Adapting Guide: Adapted Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.

www.dpreview.com

View attachment 2334

I think Ching-Kuan posted this in the same thread a link to more infomation and images on a chines website. Just in case, DPreview forum gets deleted I copy it here. Quote:

Tom,

if if your search language is set to Chinese, which is definitely not, my old article will surface on the first page. It is available here: Adapting Leica Lens to SLR/DSLR . This is a complete or nearly complete (because I do not have all Leica adapters) guide for mounting Visoflex lenses on a DSLR, including some older M39 Visoflex compatible lenses. The number in the first two diagrams may not be very accurate, but they will not cause any problem for mounting a Visoflex lens on a DSLR body.

 

[Brian]

Mviso-Ai Adapter For Leica Visoflex Viso M lens to Nikon F Mount Dslr Camera | eBay

- By using this adapter, you can use Leica Visoflex mount lenses on all Nikon F mount cameras such as D700 D300 D3. - Aperture-priority works on most cameras, however a preset exposure compensation may be required on some cameras. - Focus infinity. Notice: - Not suitable Leica M mount lenses...

www.ebay.com

I use this inexpensive adapter for my Visoflex M Komura 500/7 to use on the Nikon Df. I picked up the lens for a low price. It is an odd one, separates into two: focus mount and optics barrel.

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Mviso-Ai Adapter For Leica Visoflex Viso M lens to Nikon F Mount Dslr Camera | eBay

- By using this adapter, you can use Leica Visoflex mount lenses on all Nikon F mount cameras such as D700 D300 D3. - Aperture-priority works on most cameras, however a preset exposure compensation may be required on some cameras. - Focus infinity. Notice: - Not suitable Leica M mount lenses...

www.ebay.com

I use this inexpensive adapter for my Visoflex M Komura 500/7 to use on the Nikon Df. I picked up the lens for a low price. It is an odd one, separates into two: focus mount and optics barrel.

Brian,

Did you find that the Visoflex and what I dubbed "Komuraflex" adapters were the same tube length? I did have some trouble mating the longer Komura lenses to M4/3 bodies. As can be seen in the table I produced after having some issues following the Visoflex combinations from sparse information on the web.

 

[Brian]

Brian,

Did you find that the Visoflex and what I dubbed "Komuraflex" adapters were the same tube length? I did have some trouble mating the longer Komura lenses to M4/3 bodies. As can be seen in the table I produced after having some issues following the Visoflex combinations from sparse information on the web.

I'll take some measurements- I need to replace my Digital Calipers- my 30 year old Sylvac stopped working.
I last used the 500/7 at an Air Show with the Df. I see what I did- used a Nikon K1 short (5.8mm) extension tube with the combo. It's been a few years, I found it dropped into the case with the lens. Also of course used an LTM to M adapter.

 

[Tom Caldwell]

Brian,

This is a link (again) to my thread originally on dpreview. I made up this little chart after I became thoroughly confused by trying to adapt a Komura lens designed for their Visoflex look-alike adapter lens. I came to the conclusion that the "Komuraflex" was not the same length as the Visoflex. That the little adapter tubes made to replace the Visoflex device were no the correct length.

There was a Komura made device that did the same job for their lenses as the Visoflex did for Leica lenses but it is as rare as the proverbial hen's teeth. I did see one sold on eBay though. Komura did not use the Leica M bayonet mount but only used the LTM M39 mount.

#Arkive TC: Basic Visoflex Adapting Guide: Adapted Lens Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.

www.dpreview.com

 

[Brian]

"I feel your pain", I've spent a lot of time reverse engineering Jupiter and Zeiss lenses. Information nowhere to be found.

I'll take a look, will setup with the Komura. I was able to use it at an Airshow.
I tend to take the approach of getting close with what I can buy, then Hack it until it works. If Infinity does not agree with the distance scale, add an extension tube and fine tune until it does. Shims if necessary, or grind down a tube if needed.