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03-06-2009, 09:06 AM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ratmagiclady Quote

Actually, though, Gooshin... When you say 'budget Sigma...' When from? Was it really meant for full frame, or does it just happen to cover? It's actually interesting to me.
well it has the "A" setting, and its pre DG/DC whatever, all metal (or atleast metal composite) construction, manual focus.

03-06-2009, 09:06 AM   #17
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I guess it is and I got screwed--bought it on eBay. Does anyone they make a 39 to 42 step-up?

The seller was really nice, and she even extended the pay deadline when I asked her before bidding.
03-06-2009, 09:27 AM   #18
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Well, I found the adapter:

42mm-39mm M42 to M39 Lens mount adapter for Leica Zenit - eBay (item 250366608913 end time Apr-02-09 11:28:21 PDT)

But two quick questions:

1) Is it possible that I actually have to get a stupid little thing like this sent all the way from CHINA!? I mean, if the U.S. can't manufacture a ring like this, we're in trouble.

2) Do you think this is going to affect framing? Like, am I going to lose anything because of that 3mm difference? Seems that this MIR 37mm came in both 42mm and 39mm mounts, so can one assume it's the same lens with different screw flanges and that I should be okay?
03-06-2009, 11:49 AM   #19
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The Chinese just make it cheaper than we ever could, and filling a shipping container on a ship is cheaper than paying 401K and health/dental/vision insurance and pension etc. The average Chinese worker makes like 20 cents per day so there you go...

Your M39 lens will not focus to infinity. You might be able to adjust it, but I'm not familiar with how this lens is set up.

03-06-2009, 02:09 PM   #20
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Ryan, are you 100% sure about that? And for a 37mm on a 35mm camera, would I normally have to focus to infinity anyway? (I have everything from 8mm on up anyway.)

I gotta get the ring anyway, because I can still use it on my 16mm cine camera, which gives it an effective point of view of 75 anyway, where I WON'T be ficusing to infinity.

Last edited by Ira; 03-06-2009 at 02:15 PM.
03-06-2009, 02:27 PM   #21
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Actually, I just looked up register distance...and as long as it is M39 and not something weird (which it should not be), then it has the same distance as Pentax/M42 and will focus to infinity.

I know of some M39 lenses like the Jupiter 9 that won't hit infinity.

The easiest way to test it is with the camera on a tripod, and hold the lens in front of the cam at the approximate register distance (the screw threads would be even with the M42 threads and even with the K bayonet as well) and look through the viewfinder. You should be able to tell that way
03-06-2009, 02:47 PM   #22
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moved to Lens forum.

03-06-2009, 02:49 PM   #23
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"... The mount is also called Leica Thread Mount (LTM), Leica Screw Mount (LSM), or M39. It is 39mm diameter and 26 threads per inch, with rangefinder coupling. ..."
39mm screw lenses - Camerapedia.org

"... True LTM enjoys an optical registration of 28.8 mm..."
"... The Soviets later adopted the LTM mount for their Zenit single-lens-reflex (SLR) cameras, though with the longer optical registration of 45.2 mm, required to allow the mirror room to flip out of the focal path when a picture was taken. ..."
M39 lens mount - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It is some few weird cameras that had M39 mount at m42 distance, but basically it is a range-finder mount used on "leica compatible" range finders.

Conclusion - you must find out if it is a range finder lens, likt most m39 lenses would be, or special version for zenit as some Soviet ones.
I belive this is not a complete list but it might shed some light and see wich lenses were availible on booth m39 zenit and rangefinders (FED, Zorki):
Antique Soviet Cameras | Lenses for : Zenit ( M 39 )
03-06-2009, 02:51 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by Damn Brit Quote
moved to Lens forum.
why you be moving my shit up in here mang

j/k

this thread went so far south from the original question , some interesting info popped up.
03-06-2009, 05:29 PM   #25
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Goosh: Your Sig looks pretty rotten - if it was Russian Glass, I'd blame a Bad Vodka Day. My other cheap-ish wide-ish fast-ish lenses (Zenitar 16/2.8, Albinar 21/3.5, Vivitar 24/2.0) are nowhere near that bad. (My Vemar 12/8.0 is worse, but it was built wrong.) I've rather lusted after a Mir 20/2.5 myself, so if you get it, let us know what's what.

Ira: My Mir-1B 37/2.8 (without the Grand Prix icon) is M42, came in a nifty clear-plastic screw-down-the-lens case. But LOTS AND LOTS of Russian Glass was made for L39 (USSR Leica-clones) and M39 mounts. M39-M42 adapters are cheap and easy to find. But if your Mir has a L39/LTM mount, you're screwed, Pentax-wise. Leica and Pentax registers (lens-to-sensor distance) are vastly different, and in the wrong direction. A Pentax lens *could* be fitted to a Leica-LTM mount, but not vice-versa. See here: http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~westin/misc/mounts-by-register.html

There's an easy way to find out if your Mir is LTM/L39 or M39. Remove whatever lens is on your camera. Focus the Mir to infinity and hand-hold it up to the camera mount. Look thru the viewfinder. Aim at some distant object. Move the Mir around a little. If the distant object comes into focus, even briefly, you've got a M39 and it's worth getting an adapter. If everything you see is beyond blurry, too bad. I only have 7 such lenses that I can't use.

EDIT:
Ryan: The usual reason for M39 or M42 lenses (like the Jupe you mention) not hitting infinity is from using a flanged K-M42 adapter, which pushes the glass out just enough to be shortsighted. Some long teles, like my Spiratone 400/6.3, actually far-focus past infinity, so the flanged adapter corrects that. Flangeless adapters (sometimes labeled INFINITY FOCUS) like those from Pentax and Bower, don't have that problem. Of course, if you're using the Jupiter-9 for portraits, you don't really need infinity, right?

Last edited by RioRico; 03-06-2009 at 05:39 PM.
03-07-2009, 07:22 AM   #26
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Thanks, guys! And Rio, I'll try that test later.

So continue to "madness," if it's an M39/Leica, what comparable, relatively reasonable camera bodies should I be looking for?

You didn't think I was going to pass up an opportunity to buy more equipment, did you?
03-07-2009, 11:47 AM   #27
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There are reports that the rear-mounted filter of the Mir 47K (I think this the lens Gooshin is referring to in the OP) interferes with the mirror on some bodies:
Matt's Classic Cameras: Mir-47K f2.5 20mm Pentax K

FWIW, I'd wait for the new Cosina/Voigtlander 20mm/3.5.

RE Rio's comments:

Gooshin's images are full-frame film shot wide open -- this is a worst-case scenario and in my experience (Zenitar 16/2.8 fisheye, Tokina 17/3.5 manual focus) it's common for cheap-ish wide-ish fast-ish lenses to behave badly under such circumstances, but to improve significantly stopped down one stop or so. This is a design trade-off, and not necessarily a defect.

If the stopped-down images are as bad as the wide-open images, then I would be willing to declare Gooshin's Sigma to be Truly Bad.
03-07-2009, 10:13 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gooshin Quote
is it M39?
The MIR that you are talking about was manufactured for the Zenit cameras of the time (primarily). At this time, the Zenits were common in both M-39 screw (Zenit-s, Zenit-3, etc.) and in M-42 screw mounts (the new at the time Zenit-E). It appears that you have the 39 threading. The M-42 lenses are actually more prevalent, and are pleasantly decent, especially for the price. There ARE rings that convert from 39 to 42. I have one. I got it in Russia where they are quite common. I don't know where you could look for one in the US, though. Its not very useful unless dealing with Russian equipment, since virtually nobody else made SLR lenses in 39mm screw. Im sure if you care enough and you gave a machine shop the proper specs, they could make you one from scratch. If it doesn't cost too much, you'll get a nice lens and it will be worth it.
03-08-2009, 06:53 AM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gooshin Quote
i have no doubt that it covers full frame, i'm curious of the quality.

after using my budget sigma 18mm f2.8 lens on a film camera, i quickly realized why something like the Carl Ziess 18mm f3.5 fetches 1500 dollars for "mere manual lens"

the corners wide open are ridiculously soft, (two pics below)

so i was curious if the russian MC 20 F2.5 exhibits a similar effect, ergo would only be usefull @ F11 or something??




In my taste, they are very goods pics, and don't forget that you used the lens wide open. Soft corners, as you know, are presents in almost all lenses at wide open (in Leica M lens - the better - too). Your showed pics are very good to me.
03-08-2009, 04:41 PM   #30
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Well, I think I'm in luck, but I'm not sure:

I placed the lens at infinity to body, and everything looked fine. And Ytterbium, from your link, this one here looks like the exact same lens:

Antique Soviet Cameras | Lenses for : Zenit ( M 39 )

Except the specs on this one indicates a minimum focus of .24 meters, where my barrel says .7. Also, the markings are slightly different around the "Brussels."

And Yumpsh (and others), I found quite a few sources on eBay for 39mm to 42mm adaptors, but some of the sellers are specifically mentioning 39mm Leica, where others just say 39mm.

For example this one, with no mention of Leica:

BRASS M39 to M42 Adapter Ring for old Zenit Camera Lens - eBay (item 120386447849 end time Mar-09-09 21:59:14 PDT)


And this one, which does say Leica:

M39 to M42 lens SCREW ADAPTER RING to M 39 LEICA ZENIT - eBay (item 160319839793 end time Mar-12-09 13:02:09 PDT)

And another one from China, which says Leica:

Leica M39 screw lens to Pentax M42 screw mount adapter - eBay (item 110322395370 end time Apr-04-09 16:22:55 PDT)

Aside from the material and quality, these are all the same, right?
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