[Prox-iee]

I went to an auction the other day and bought a 1987 broadcasting camera for $6. The lens on it is a TV Zoom Lens 11.5-70mm 1/1.8

....so I wanted it on my DSLR

40 minutes, about 50 screws, a few hits with a hammer, throwing on the floor later, I had the lens. Turns out, its an m42 thread. scooorrrreeeeee



here is the camera



here is the lens on a Super Program, using a genuine pentax m42 to kmount adapter to attach the lens



unfortunately I need a bellows to make this work. The lens needs to be farther away from the sensor. I might make a large format camera with the lens if I find the time

[cmmurray]

Awesome lens, if you can have an adapter made to get the proper standoff you would have the fastest zoom lens around. Is there an aperture ring?

[virgilr]

Just wanted to mention that I see a Zenit body in there- if so, that is most likely an m42 lens on the body- I picked one up last summer for 10 bucks with a 58mm f/2 Helios 44M-4, which, after a few mods -
(I had to re-lube the focus mechanism which turned out to be too much work, but, live and learn, and I used a dremel to sand off the anodization on the mount plate to short out the contacts so that metering registered properly)-

well, this is one of my favorite extremely sharp lenses that I've acquired! Fun to use the m42 lenses on the digital bodies- actually like them better than non-auto aperture K mounts since you don't have to use the green button/stop down metering!

Hope that's the lens on that body, if so, it'll be a treat, let me tell you!

[Prox-iee]

Awesome lens, if you can have an adapter made to get the proper standoff you would have the fastest zoom lens around. Is there an aperture ring?

unfortunately not. They were apart of the camera, not the lens. However I saved them from being broken. But I think video cameras don't have preset apertures, they do it automatically

As of now its stuck at 1.8

[Prox-iee]

Just wanted to mention that I see a Zenit body in there- if so, that is most likely an m42 lens on the body- I picked one up last summer for 10 bucks with a 58mm f/2 Helios 44M-4, which, after a few mods -
(I had to re-lube the focus mechanism which turned out to be too much work, but, live and learn, and I used a dremel to sand off the anodization on the mount plate to short out the contacts so that metering registered properly)-

well, this is one of my favorite extremely sharp lenses that I've acquired! Fun to use the m42 lenses on the digital bodies- actually like them better than non-auto aperture K mounts since you don't have to use the green button/stop down metering!

Hope that's the lens on that body, if so, it'll be a treat, let me tell you!

Yup! That's a mint zenit with a mint helios 44M-4. Everything in the picture besides the big cameras cost me $10 at an auction. I love m42 on my dslr. I also have the m42 zeiss tessar 2.8 and a m42 sears 70-230mm

[virgilr]

Wonderful! Does your copy of the M-44 have an A/M switch? That's the only thing I wish I had on this lens- it's my only m42 lens, if that were the case it would be almost heaven..

I did muck up my M-44, though- when I was re-assembling the lens after lubing the focus mechanism, I lost the teeny-tiny ball bearing that stops the aperture ring at the various f/stops.. anyways, I put a piece of kraft felt inside to give a bit of friction- I now have a constantly variable aperture lens! Just makes it tricky when switching between open/stopped down for focusing.

the tessar you have- what focal length? I know those are fantastic lenses also.

Oh- and to be on topic with this thread- your project to adapt the broadcast lens to an SLR is just awesome! Wondering how hard it will be to find bellows- I remember 3-4 years ago they were all over the place. Do you live in an area where craigslist is a possibility? If you do find one and can get the exact measurement of the offset you need, it would be interesting to approach a machine shop to make an all-metal adapter for the lens, that way you could have some sort of portability!

[Just1MoreDave]

I did muck up my M-44, though- when I was re-assembling the lens after lubing the focus mechanism, I lost the teeny-tiny ball bearing that stops the aperture ring at the various f/stops.. anyways, I put a piece of kraft felt inside to give a bit of friction- I now have a constantly variable aperture lens! Just makes it tricky when switching between open/stopped down for focusing.

Micro-Tools has bearings. You'd have to guess the size or order an assortment.

I have a TV lens, a 50mm f0.95! It has an aperture (constantly variable) but no focusing mechanism. In fact someone may have unscrewed it from its focus threads. The rear of the lens is just a bit smaller than the K-mount diameter, so I can't figure out an easy way to mount it.

[Prox-iee]

Wonderful! Does your copy of the M-44 have an A/M switch? That's the only thing I wish I had on this lens- it's my only m42 lens, if that were the case it would be almost heaven..

I did muck up my M-44, though- when I was re-assembling the lens after lubing the focus mechanism, I lost the teeny-tiny ball bearing that stops the aperture ring at the various f/stops.. anyways, I put a piece of kraft felt inside to give a bit of friction- I now have a constantly variable aperture lens! Just makes it tricky when switching between open/stopped down for focusing.

the tessar you have- what focal length? I know those are fantastic lenses also.

Oh- and to be on topic with this thread- your project to adapt the broadcast lens to an SLR is just awesome! Wondering how hard it will be to find bellows- I remember 3-4 years ago they were all over the place. Do you live in an area where craigslist is a possibility? If you do find one and can get the exact measurement of the offset you need, it would be interesting to approach a machine shop to make an all-metal adapter for the lens, that way you could have some sort of portability!

I do indeed have an A/M switch! The tessar doesnt though *grumble grumble*

The tessar is a 50mm I believe. 2.8. Its more of a macro lens then a portrait lens

I actually got a minolta bellows today for free. I think Its broken though. The rail is missing haha

[virgilr]

Thanks for the heads-up on Micro-Tools, Dave.

I had seen before they had them, thing is, my weird sense of economy keeps me from ordering the assorted bearings- the cost is over $10.00 shipped here to Canada, and that then keeps the lens from being a "bargain" in my mind, even though it was my own stupid fault!

Guess that comes from having a dad that took me to the dump when I was a kid to find things we need to keep our place going... ;-)

I know, I'm old-fashioned and weird.

Anyways, I have a pile of old cameras in my basement that I was given, I'll dig around and see if there is something there that would have a tiny ball bearing in it- even if it will take me hours, I'll have "saved" money..

[boriscleto]

Handyman's Corner, where the motto is "If it ain't broke, you're not trying".

[RioRico]

Handyman's Corner, where the motto is "If it ain't broke, you're not trying".

HAH!

A new arrival today: a half-kilo of glass and steel labeled:

3.0 INCH F:1.6 PROJECTION LENS * Projection Optics Co. Rochester, N.Y. U.S.A.
Lens Projection PH-671/PEP-1 STOCK No. 8A2553-25 CODE No. 802382225

Yes, a 76mm f/1.6 lens for TWELVE BUCKS shipped. But I think I'll have to drag out the Dremel metal-cutting blade and shave away some steel before I can mount it on my K20D. Or, since its registration seems a bit short, maybe it'll have to wait for an m4/3 cam. No iris, no helicoid, but it should be fun... if I don't break it. I'll try harder.

[gp1806]

I did muck up my M-44, though- when I was re-assembling the lens after lubing the focus mechanism, I lost the teeny-tiny ball bearing that stops the aperture ring at the various f/stops.. anyways, I put a piece of kraft felt inside to give a bit of friction- I now have a constantly variable aperture lens! Just makes it tricky when switching between open/stopped down for focusing.

Pm me. I might be able to set you up with some small steel balls. I am a service tech for banking equipment (money counters, etc.). I replace micro ball bearings regularly. There are tiny steel balls inside of those bearings.