What would you do if you could mount old Leica and Zeiss lenses?

*morfic* · 08-11-2008, 07:57 PM

Ok, so people are not thrilled about a New Zeiss ZK 18mm lens, it sure does come at a premium.
But what would you do if you could just buy Leica R and Zeiss MM lenses (which are much more affordable and yet still sport the same great (old) glass) swap the mount and use them?

Wouldn't that be exciting to go buy Distagons, Planars, Elmarits and crons?

Or would this also have to face harsh rejection a la "Who needs that? They are too Slow, we need faster glass...." ?

Just wondering,

Daniel

*PFH* · 08-11-2008, 08:20 PM

This might be of interest.
Leica lens on a Pentax camera

*morfic* · 08-11-2008, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by PFH

This might be of interest.
Leica lens on a Pentax camera

That was exactly what i was refering to. I was more interested in what people thought about those mounts w/o actually giving the product a name.

ryan s · 08-11-2008, 09:49 PM

C/Y mod for Pentax

I had a Planar 50/1.4 I was going to mess with, but it was in bad condition so I sent it back. It was the last straw in a long line of disappointments trying to find a good Planar or Zuiko. Maybe someday

*morfic* · 08-11-2008, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by ryan s

C/Y mod for Pentax

I had a Planar 50/1.4 I was going to mess with, but it was in bad condition so I sent it back. It was the last straw in a long line of disappointments trying to find a good Planar or Zuiko. Maybe someday

I saw this a long time ago, wouldn't you rather go modify the lens mount and leave your more costly camera alone? Of course if your camera is older and you succeed, you make the modification once and mount whatever you like, then again you settle for a few lenses you are interested in, swap the mount on those and be done with.

Personally i am now tempted to go look for a Vario Sonnar 35-70/3.4 again and or a Distagon 28/2.8
I tried them, loved them, but gave up on them due to what i think in the end all related to the 30D being out of calibration (i used the 30D's focus confirmation and in the end the 30D got an electronic autofocus adjustment, the Haoda split screen never sat right)

I was quite happy to not have much choices and not go back to trying so much glass, but now i am excited.
I could so see myself enjoy a Zenitar 16/2.8 + 28/2.8 + 35-70/3.4 more than the 16-50/2.8, i lose AF but gain 5 primes in the process (i count the vario sonnar as a 35, 50 and 70mm prime, and i am very serious about this

)

Especially since i could mount all 3 on the Super Program that is headed my way instead of leaving the 16-50 at home when i take out the film body.

ryan s · 08-12-2008, 02:05 AM

Originally Posted by morfic

I saw this a long time ago, wouldn't you rather go modify the lens mount and leave your more costly camera alone? Of course if your camera is older and you succeed, you make the modification once and mount whatever you like, then again you settle for a few lenses you are interested in, swap the mount on those and be done with.

In the Leitax site, they also have Contax -> PK mounts available. It's unfortunate the mount is almost $100 for one...We do have a few M42 options like the Flek 20s and 35s (and there might be a 28 somewhere).

Another issue is that I could get, say, a Contax 126 cam and have a native C mount instead of converting the MX, whereas the one Contax digital body was a flop (and still $3k+ somehow). Since there is no (good/affordable) C mount digi body, it becomes attractive. So I am kind of hesitant to mess with my 10, since it's my only digi cam.

I have been thinking of picking up a 100D body to do horrible, horrible things to

*morfic* · 08-12-2008, 02:25 AM

One of the things i told him is that the price is too steep for the US market, it'll just give us ideas to start some DIY projects, i mean, i did buy this M42 to K adapter from china for a reason (those with a flange where we would lose infinity on M42 lenses)
I was thinking Rokkor 58/1.2, but with the Nokton 58/1.4 already in the bag, there i no need to play with that now.
Maybe i should just grab a vario sonnar 35-70 and work on a mount conversion little by little.

Tokina · 08-12-2008, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by morfic

One of the things i told him is that the price is too steep for the US market, it'll just give us ideas to start some DIY projects

I agree, with these prices I will forget it

ryan s · 08-12-2008, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by morfic

One of the things i told him is that the price is too steep for the US market, it'll just give us ideas to start some DIY projects, i mean, i did buy this M42 to K adapter from china for a reason (those with a flange where we would lose infinity on M42 lenses)
I was thinking Rokkor 58/1.2, but with the Nokton 58/1.4 already in the bag, there i no need to play with that now.
Maybe i should just grap a vario sonner 35-70 and work on a mount conversion little by little.

Exactly...with shipping and all, it becomes prohibitive unless you have something like the Dist 18. If you can afford that, you can afford an adapter for it.

There is also a DIY on mflenses about converting Exacta mount to PK...yet another option.

Those f/1.2 Rokkors are worth a bundle since Paul (cogitech) started converting them to EF mount and they became desirable again. He sells a converted lens from $650-800 when a stock one was just ~$200 last year

Well worth it for the quality images they produce.

*morfic* · 08-12-2008, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by ryan s

He sells a converted lens from $650-800 when a stock one was just ~$200 last year Well worth it for the quality images they produce.

I thought he stopped selling them, well he had a close out i guess, but was not going to do any other ones, he got the pick of the litter and dumped the rest?

Usually if threads take off on the alt gear forum, the prices take off as well :/

little laker · 08-12-2008, 04:41 PM

I know that someone in the Sigma DSLR world has created a Leica mount, and they're selling pretty good.

Although it'll be interesting to see what happens now that someone else made a Canon mount for the same camera, which utilizes the autofocus connections.

There is no doubt that Leica makes good lenses, however there are so many quality Pentax lenses on the used market I really don't know if it's worth while doing the mods.

ryan s · 08-12-2008, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by morfic

I thought he stopped selling them, well he had a close out i guess, but was not going to do any other ones, he got the pick of the litter and dumped the rest?
Usually if threads take off on the alt gear forum, the prices take off as well :/

He kept 2 or 3...he sold off like 4 at one time. Haven't seen him around MFF lately...

Originally Posted by little laker

Although it'll be interesting to see what happens now that someone else made a Canon mount for the same camera, which utilizes the autofocus connections.

I saw that on FM the other day...crazy!

Word is that the Sigma is based on the Canon's like...coding or something...beyond me for sure...

little laker · 08-12-2008, 11:36 PM

That's correct Ryan,

A SLR sigma lens system has the same electronics as the Canon, however pretty much the same mount as our Pentax K-Mount.
With a little mod you can use any manual Pentax lens on the Sigma body, although it fits a little loosely.