Junk or worth a try?

richard64 · 09-17-2007, 06:47 AM

I have some old M42 lenses and I wondered if it was worth me buying a M42 to PK adapter to use them with my K100D (currently with a DA 18-55 f/3.5-5.6.

Hoya HMC Wide-Auto 28mm 1:2.8

Pentacon 50mm 1:1.8

Hanimex 135mm 1:2.8 Macro

Carl Zeiss Jena 135mm 1:3.5

All except the Hoya have 'A' setting, although only thr Pentacon and Zeiss have electrical contacts.

Richard

**Peter Zack** · 09-17-2007, 07:02 AM

Absolutely. For the $20-30 you'd spend (there are many on Ebay around that price) you have a great collection. The other thing worth noting is if you are into Macro photography you could pick up a set of bellows (M42) and the lenses will mount directly on the bellows. Then you can use your adapter to mount the bellows to the camera. The 50mm and 135mm would be great for that. The 28mm will be very close and hard to work with.

My guess is the Zeiss lens with be a real treat optically an once you try it you'll never part with it. Zeiss is considered to be some of the best glass ever made. You'll probably sell the Hanimex (which will offset the cost of the M42 adapter).

As for the adapter. Here are 2 examples on Ebay. I'm not endorsing the sellers, only using these as examples. The first one is the right style to buy:

Pentax M42 42mm to K-Mount K Bayonet Adapter Ring - (eBay item 160156447354 end time Sep-17-07 16:09:34 PDT)

The following one is the wrong type. That's because the collar on the adapter adds a space between the lens and the mount of around 1mm. That adapter actually locks on better but will not allow you to focus the lens at infinity. It will work for closer subjects but is pretty much useless for the 50 or 28mm lenses you have. That being said, it's good for the bellows idea if you decide to go that route but the first style will do everything you need for the lenses and bellows or any other m42 lens.

Wrong style:

M42 lens screw mount to K/PK Pentax adapter bronze NEW - (eBay item 130153007506 end time Sep-19-07 08:31:22 PDT)

kjao · 09-17-2007, 07:03 AM

Hi Richard

I don't have any M42 lenses but I have read a LOT of good things about the CZJ 135/3.5 lenses. I think the 50mm might be good too, given that I have yet to heard any manufacturers making a bad 50mm lens.

Check out this website:
M42 is a site dedicated to M42 adaptator lenses. You will find here tests, from argentic to numeric cameras and oldest to newest M42 lenses. Members described their work and the used lens. Oldies, but goldies!

cheers
Kenny

rdc · 09-17-2007, 08:13 AM

I've heard good things about that particular Ziess as well

Pentacon's MF lenses have a good reputation, I doubt thier 35mm would be any different, plus all of the lenses will be designed to cover a full 35mm frame, and with a crop sensor you only keep the middle (sharper) part.

None of their auto settings will work, only k-mount autos work

filmamigo · 09-17-2007, 09:05 AM

I have and love the Hanimex 135 2.8 in M42 mount.

It's a fantastic portrait lens, and use it all the time on my film and digital bodies.

richard64 · 09-17-2007, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by Peter Zack

My guess is the Zeiss lens with be a real treat optically an once you try it you'll never part with it. Zeiss is considered to be some of the best glass ever made. You'll probably sell the Hanimex (which will offset the cost of the M42 adapter).

Thanks for your reply. It's been 20 years since I used those lenses, I had a Praktica PLC2, but when the film advance started slipping I decided to try an auto-focus SLR and got a Canon EOS 1000FN with a Sigma 35-80 f/4-5.6.

To be honest, the Sigma/Canon was a huge disappointment, I could not get the sharp, contrasty, saturated photos I had with the Pentacon and Zeiss. (Although I did have quite a few bad photos with them too - mainly from my inexperience!)

Of course in those days there was no EXIF and I cannot remember what photos were taken with the Hoya or Hanimex, but from memory, I know that the Zeiss was my favourite lens.

I also have two M42 extension tubes (12mm and 24mm) and a Prakiticar 2x teleconverter, but my memory is that I never got much joy from either through lack of light. If I get an adapter I can try again.

Originally Posted by Peter Zack

As for the adapter. Here are 2 examples on Ebay. I'm not endorsing the sellers, only using these as examples.

Thanks, those links are very helpful, I hesitated about buying an adapter this weekend, and it turned out I missed getting one of the 'good' ones for about $10. (on ebay UK)

I'll know better next time.

Richard

**Peter Zack** · 09-17-2007, 11:05 AM

With the extension tubes (and or/a bellows) you can also use a T mount to K mount adapter. They generally sell for around $10-20. Be careful when hunting for one online though as there are several T mounts and many are designed for telescopes and are screw threads on each end (T 2 mount).
The advantage is they mount and dismount from the camera much easier and I find lock in place better.

Here's one online:

Google Image Result for http://www.adorama.com/images/Product/LNTMPX.jpg

So you can add the T mount to the extension tubes and get a little more extension and just screw the lens in place. The 50mm you have should work very well with this setup. Just leave the lens wide open for focus and manually stop down, meter and shoot. I've done the same gear and it works very well.

Shelob1 · 09-17-2007, 01:05 PM

I had a PLC 2 , Pentacon 1.8 and Zeiss 135 back in the mid 70's and always regarded the lenses as very capable. For the money they were great value, but you must be aware that the 135 was made by CZ of Jena, in the old East Germany and not by Carl Zeiss of West Germany (who made the brilliant lenses for among other the Contax RTS). The electrical contacts mentioned will only work for open aperture meetering on the cameras it was designed for, and not provide any such funtion for a DSLR.

If I still had mine I would use them.