[Fenwoodian]

And nobody else does?

I know no one else who's as fanatical about it as I am.

Who else do you know who's taken a $1,800 lens and permanently fixed it's aperture to f/2?

When I say I only shoot at wide apertures, I'm not kidding.

[Ronald Oakes]

I know no one else who's as fanatical about it as I am.

Who else do you know who's taken a $2000 lens and permanently fixed it's aperture to f/2?

When I say I only shoot at wide apertures, I'm not kidding.

You very well may be right and I might keep my eyeballs peeled for one on Goodwill auctions. Im not a big bokeh fan for the most part but DO understand how you feel.
Whatever moves us is the fun part !

[Fenwoodian]

You very well may be right and I might keep my eyeballs peeled for one on Goodwill auctions. Im not a big bokeh fan for the most part but DO understand how you feel.
Whatever moves us is the fun part !

Good luck with finding deals at Goodwill auctions. I've never tried it, but it sounds like a good place to find quality lenses inexpensively.

Me, I hang out on Ebay alot looking for broken lenses being sold for parts. I'm fortunate that I have my own lens repair shop and some experience with fixing/adapting/Frankensteining lenses. I bought my Zeiss 85 Milvus for just $300 on Ebay about a year ago. It was being sold "for parts" after being hugely damaged (run over by a car maybe?). Parts were missing, but the glass was still good. When I repaired/Frankensteined it, I fixed the aperture to f/2 (my favorite wide aperture for this lens on my K-1). This lens now does not focus like a normal lens, I must always leave the hood on it, and I focus it by turning the hood itself. Weird, yes, but the images it makes are just like those a brand new one takes...

[Ronald Oakes]

Fenwoodian….PM sent

[Fenwoodian]

And nobody else does?

Only told half the story...

After taking the image, I do some creative things in post processing. Not revealing it yet as I'm writing a book and making a video on it. So stay tuned...

[dsmithhfx]

I know no one else who's as fanatical about it as I am.

Who else do you know who's taken a $1,800 lens and permanently fixed it's aperture to f/2?

When I say I only shoot at wide apertures, I'm not kidding.

Good luck with your quest, wherever it leads you.

[kernos]

Little basis for comparison, but the Pentax-F 135mm delivers. On K5 iis

[Fenwoodian]

Little basis for comparison, but the Pentax-F 135mm delivers. On K5 iis

.
Agree, love the second image.

[Qman]

I don't know exact models of the Pentax 135mm 2.8's because I keep no inventory of the many hundreds of lenses I've owned/tested (over fifty 50mm lenses alone). But I have a good memory and recall many of the lenses that I've shot

My point is that it is difficult to compare lenses unless they are shot at the same time in the same conditions. The Samyang, Leica, and Nikkor that you list may well be "better" than the Pentax F, but without a direct comparison it is difficult to make definite conclusions about which is better. Also, as you say, different people like different lenses depending on how they shoot and what they're looking for. I have found that it takes me a while to figure out the characteristics of a particular lens. I need to leave the lens on the camera and shoot with it in a number of different situations, settings, and conditions before I decide if I like it and how to best put it to use. In the end, I'm happy with my Pentax F. It's great that you're willing to try new lenses and I'm sure the forum members enjoy hearing about it in your posts.

[david94903]

@Fenwoodian, I love the idea of converting old glass to new uses, and have followed your Zeiss to Pentax conversions as you've written about them. It's something I've been interested in trying but just haven't gotten around to "that project" as it were. I've visited the Leitax site and looked at the instructions posted for modifying Zeiss and Nikon lenses to the Pentax mount. You've obviously successfully converted a number of lenses over the years, so probably have a better sense than most. Question - How complicated is converting a Nikon lens, say the 135mm F2 AI lens, verses what the Leitax instructions show? Is it really as simple at the Leitax site shows? I see the Nikon lens conversion has less parts to deal with than the Zeiss instructions show. Any thoughts you had on this would be much appreciated.

[pathdoc]

I'm fortunate that I have my own lens repair shop and some experience with fixing/adapting/Frankensteining lenses.

Fortunate indeed!!

We need to smoosh you and Eric Hendrickson together, perhaps throw a couple of our other CLA-capable forumites in for good measure, and create the Ultimate Pentaxian. David Hancock can do the interview and MightyMike can supply the hybrid Pentax superbeing with cameras and lenses to service.

[Fenwoodian]

Fortunate indeed!!

We need to smoosh you and Eric Hendrickson together, perhaps throw a couple of our other CLA-capable forumites in for good measure, and create the Ultimate Pentaxian. David Hancock can do the interview and MightyMike can supply the hybrid Pentax superbeing with cameras and lenses to service.

I really only like to do wild and crazy Frankenstein adaptions to my own lenses. That way, I don't disappoint anyone else if it does not turn out.

During my trial and error leaning process over the last few years, I've totally ruined and tossed into the garbage maybe 20 or 30 lenses.

I'm not a CLA, do the same routine over and over, type of person. I primarily enjoy the challenge of making a working lens out of a miss-mash of broken lens parts. Also, I will only work on manual focus prime lenses.

My current project involves a Zeiss ZF 25mm f/2 lens with the rear element group that's broken. Zeiss USA won't sell me the replacement rear element group, so I'm looking to cannabalize some similar elements from other lens and use them to replace the broken elements. While I don't expect the Frankensteined lens to render a pristine image, I'm hopeful that the hybrid lens will produce an image that is unique and "artistic". I'll likely try a number of combinations of elements until I (hopefully) find a configuration that is pleasing to me.

[Fenwoodian]

@Fenwoodian, I love the idea of converting old glass to new uses, and have followed your Zeiss to Pentax conversions as you've written about them. It's something I've been interested in trying but just haven't gotten around to "that project" as it were. I've visited the Leitax site and looked at the instructions posted for modifying Zeiss and Nikon lenses to the Pentax mount. You've obviously successfully converted a number of lenses over the years, so probably have a better sense than most. Question - How complicated is converting a Nikon lens, say the 135mm F2 AI lens, verses what the Leitax instructions show? Is it really as simple at the Leitax site shows? I see the Nikon lens conversion has less parts to deal with than the Zeiss instructions show. Any thoughts you had on this would be much appreciated.

Great question!

If you have the right tools (digital calipurs, magnetized screwdrivers/tweezers, magnifying headset, lens lubricant, etc.) , some mechanical experience, and are patient, you should be able to do the conversion yourself by "carefully" following the instructions on the Leitax website.

I've never converted the Nikkor 135/2 lens that you are asking about. So, I'm not sure if it's even adaptable. However, if you meant how difficult was it to adapt the Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 Ai lens I talked about above, I'd say that this Nikkor lens is a relatively easy one to adapt, and is readily adaptable with a Leitax mount. Also, because it's a relatively cheap lens, it would be a great lens to practice on.

While virtually all Zeiss ZF and Leica R lenses are Leitax adaptable, there are only a few Nikkors that it will work on. And, you won't know if the Nikkor you want to adapt is Leitaxable until you've removed the mount. Heck, some early Nikkors (e.g. 58mm f/1.4 non-Ai) don't even have the 3 mount screws on them that are required to attach the Leitax mount!

[david94903]

Great question!

If you have the right tools (digital calipurs, magnetized screwdrivers/tweezers, magnifying headset, lens lubricant, etc.) , some mechanical experience, and are patient, you should be able to do the conversion yourself by "carefully" following the instructions on the Leitax website.

I've never converted the Nikkor 135/2 lens that you are asking about. So, I'm not sure if it's even adaptable. However, if you meant how difficult was it to adapt the Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 Ai lens I talked about above, I'd say that this Nikkor lens is a relatively easy one to adapt, and is readily adaptable with a Leitax mount. Also, because it's a relatively cheap lens, it would be a great lens to practice on.

While virtually all Zeiss ZF and Leica R lenses are Leitax adaptable, there are only a few Nikkors that it will work on. And, you won't know if the Nikkor you want to adapt is Leitaxable until you've removed the mount. Heck, some early Nikkors (e.g. 58mm f/1.4 non-Ai) don't even have the 3 mount screws on them that are required to attach the Leitax mount!

I appreciate the input. Yeah, I actually meant the 135mm f2.8 Ai but miss typed. Except for the digital calipers (I have manual ones but haven't used them in so long, I wouldn't trust myself to get the reading right) and lens lubricant, I have pretty much everything else. And I'm pretty mechanically inclined, can pretty much take anything apart, ha! And usually get it back together too. And I definitely have patience. Haven't delved into the realm of actually working on camera and lenses but the Leitax conversion seems like a good place to start. Nice to know the Nikkor lens is a pretty much per the instructions. Seems to have a much more simple mechanism than the Zeiss lenses. Think I'll be giving it a shot sooner rather than later.

[david94903]

So I took the plunge on this. Finally bought a Nikkor 135mm f/2.8 Ai lens, and the Leitex mount. As you said, it wasn't an overly complicated swap. I followed the Leitax instructions to a tee, and all went well. Had a chance to put the lens through it's paces today. Yep. It is sharp. At F2.8, it's a tad bit soft but could just be me needing to get used to using a manual lens again, as it has a pretty narrow DOF at F2.8. But at F4 there is no needing to get used to anything, impressively sharp. And F5.6 is spectacularly sharp. I have to say I had high expectations for this lens and this lens has exceed those expectations. Going to be a fun lens to play with. And I can see how converting older glass can become an addictive process


I'll post a full crop as a follow up when I have a chance.