Carl Zeiss T* ZK mounts (Distagon, Planar, Makro-Planar)

MJKoski · 07-10-2018, 12:05 AM

Heya! I need a bit of help here. I just purchased K-mount 50mm Makro Planar but it does not focus to infinity on my K-1 mk2. Infinity stop is reached a tiny bit too soon. Does anyone have any experience adjusting the register distance? According to this article: http://www.martinzimelka.com/homepage/Blog/Entries/2017/8/29_Repairing_Zeiss...us_Wobble.html there might be infinity focusing adjustment shims in place.

Chris Mak · 07-10-2018, 03:42 AM

Originally posted by MJKoski

Heya! I need a bit of help here. I just purchased K-mount 50mm Makro Planar but it does not focus to infinity on my K-1 mk2. Infinity stop is reached a tiny bit too soon. Does anyone have any experience adjusting the register distance? According to this article: Repairing Zeiss Distagon 35mm f2 ZF2 Focus Wobble there might be infinity focusing adjustment shims in place.

I had a few of the Zeiss K mount lenses, and I believe these should have infinity focus at the hard stop. My new Loxia trio however all have infinity focus befóre the hard stop, which is by design: changing conditions might affect the infinity hard stop accuracy, at least that is what I read. So to ensure availability of infinity focus in all circumstances, Zeiss adjusts the infinity focus just befóre the hard stop.
But with the EVF magnification this is no problem, whereas with the K5IIs, I did have to rely on the hard stop, because I could not judge focus accuracy through the OVF.

Anyhow, I believe common practice here in Europe, is to send the lens to Zeiss Oberkochen for adjustment.
Would you seriously disassemble a lens like the truly wonderful 50MP (still miss it) yourself?

Chris

MJKoski · 07-10-2018, 04:43 AM

I have Leitaxed two ZF lenses before so it it is not that hard I guess. But yes, as this lens is in perfectly MINT condition I have some hesitations to start digging in there...There is no serious issue other than shooting nearly wide open (astro for example) to get stars to perfect focus. If I stop down to f/5.6 or so infinity gets pulled in focus when I turn the focusing ring to infinity end of the scale. Minor issue but I want to get it fixed.

serothis · 07-10-2018, 05:47 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Chris Mak

Would you seriously disassemble a lens like the truly wonderful 50MP (still miss it) yourself?

Chris

hehe.

A number of us (myself included) have modified these beautiful lens from nikon mounts to pentax mounts.

That having been said. I'm not sure I would trust my self to try and calibrate a lens of this quality.

MJKoski · 07-10-2018, 07:49 AM

This why I am asking if someone has actually dismantled these lenses to pieces to find existence of shims in there

If there are, I am willing to take the risk. It is a matter of removing one or two super slim metal rings to fix the register distance a tiny bit to bring the lens groups closer to sensor. Which, in this case, would instantly allow a bit past infinity focusing as it should be.

Fenwoodian · 07-15-2018, 04:30 PM

Originally posted by MJKoski

Heya! I need a bit of help here. I just purchased K-mount 50mm Makro Planar but it does not focus to infinity on my K-1 mk2. Infinity stop is reached a tiny bit too soon. Does anyone have any experience adjusting the register distance? According to this article: Repairing Zeiss Distagon 35mm f2 ZF2 Focus Wobble there might be infinity focusing adjustment shims in place.

It's simple - do it all the time.

All one has to do is either add or remove those extremely thin copper shims to taste.

Having working on various lenses, I tend to keep extra shims around for that very purpose...

MJKoski · 07-16-2018, 12:53 AM

So, there indeed are shims by default in these .ZF lenses?

Fenwoodian · 07-16-2018, 08:21 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by MJKoski

So, there indeed are shims by default in these .ZF lenses?

Some Zeiss lenses have no shims. Some have one shim. Some have up to 3 or 4 shims.

Also, to complicate matters, shims come in 3 different thicknesses!

If one isn't doing astrophotograhy, I don't see a great need for a "precise" hard-stop at the infinity mark on your Zeiss lens. If you never do astrophotography you may not have a need for any of these shims in your lenses.

Fenwoodian · 07-16-2018, 11:26 PM - **2 Likes**

OK, back to posting some photos..

Here's a photo that I took today in my backyard garden. Nothing special, just a pot of petunias.

Used my K1 with adapted Zeiss ZF Makro Planar 100mm f/2. Shot it wide open of course. I really like the bokeh that this lens makes.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

MJKoski · 07-17-2018, 12:59 PM

Right. Thanks for details! Maybe Samy 35/1.4 fits my astrotracer needs.

Fenwoodian · 07-22-2018, 08:53 PM - **3 Likes**

.
OK, here's another photo I took today with my adapted Zeiss Milvus ZF 85mm f/1.4 lens on my Pentax K-1 camera.

I shot it at f/2 of course. Reason - I bought this lens horribly broken. When I repaired it, I could not get the aperture to work fully, so I permanently set it to f/2..

*cqua77* · 07-26-2018, 05:52 AM

I don`t do this usually, but there is a set of Zeiss ZK on ebay (not mine

Zeiss 28mm F2 + Zeiss 50mm F2 makro + Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro.

Not sure if it it is a bargain, but if somebody search to begin with zeiss lenses in zk mount....

BobSpot · 07-26-2018, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by serothis

number of us (myself included) have modified these beautiful lens from nikon mounts to pentax mounts.That having been said. I'm not sure I would trust my self to try and calibrate a lens of this quality.

Would you be good enough to tell / explain how to change a nikon mount to pentax I have been thinking of trying to do this. So many Zeiss lenses are not made in K mounts

les3547 · 07-26-2018, 05:15 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by BobSpot

Would you be good enough to tell / explain how to change a nikon mount to pentax I have been thinking of trying to do this. So many Zeiss lenses are not made in K mounts

You can read about it at the Leitax site here. Alternately, you can take advantage of Fenwoodian's extensive experience refitting/repairing lenses and hire him to do it.

BobSpot · 07-27-2018, 02:04 PM

Thank you for the link to Leitax it opens up a whole new world of options.
How much better / sharper are the images from the new Milvus range compared with the historic Planar Pancolar Distagon lenses ?

07-16-2018, 08:21 AM - 1 Like	#1103
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	Originally posted by MJKoski So, there indeed are shims by default in these .ZF lenses? Some Zeiss lenses have no shims. Some have one shim. Some have up to 3 or 4 shims. Also, to complicate matters, shims come in 3 different thicknesses! If one isn't doing astrophotograhy, I don't see a great need for a "precise" hard-stop at the infinity mark on your Zeiss lens. If you never do astrophotography you may not have a need for any of these shims in your lenses. Last edited by Fenwoodian; 07-16-2018 at 04:24 PM.

07-16-2018, 11:26 PM - 2 Likes	#1104
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	OK, back to posting some photos.. Here's a photo that I took today in my backyard garden. Nothing special, just a pot of petunias. Used my K1 with adapted Zeiss ZF Makro Planar 100mm f/2. Shot it wide open of course. I really like the bokeh that this lens makes. [IMG][/IMG] Last edited by Fenwoodian; 07-29-2018 at 06:36 AM.

07-22-2018, 08:53 PM - 3 Likes	#1106
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	. OK, here's another photo I took today with my adapted Zeiss Milvus ZF 85mm f/1.4 lens on my Pentax K-1 camera. I shot it at f/2 of course. Reason - I bought this lens horribly broken. When I repaired it, I could not get the aperture to work fully, so I permanently set it to f/2.. Last edited by Fenwoodian; 07-22-2018 at 09:38 PM.

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07-10-2018, 12:05 AM	#1096
MJKoski Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1,784	Heya! I need a bit of help here. I just purchased K-mount 50mm Makro Planar but it does not focus to infinity on my K-1 mk2. Infinity stop is reached a tiny bit too soon. Does anyone have any experience adjusting the register distance? According to this article: http://www.martinzimelka.com/homepage/Blog/Entries/2017/8/29_Repairing_Zeiss...us_Wobble.html there might be infinity focusing adjustment shims in place.

07-10-2018, 03:42 AM	#1097
Chris Mak Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 639	Originally posted by MJKoski Heya! I need a bit of help here. I just purchased K-mount 50mm Makro Planar but it does not focus to infinity on my K-1 mk2. Infinity stop is reached a tiny bit too soon. Does anyone have any experience adjusting the register distance? According to this article: Repairing Zeiss Distagon 35mm f2 ZF2 Focus Wobble there might be infinity focusing adjustment shims in place. I had a few of the Zeiss K mount lenses, and I believe these should have infinity focus at the hard stop. My new Loxia trio however all have infinity focus befóre the hard stop, which is by design: changing conditions might affect the infinity hard stop accuracy, at least that is what I read. So to ensure availability of infinity focus in all circumstances, Zeiss adjusts the infinity focus just befóre the hard stop. But with the EVF magnification this is no problem, whereas with the K5IIs, I did have to rely on the hard stop, because I could not judge focus accuracy through the OVF. Anyhow, I believe common practice here in Europe, is to send the lens to Zeiss Oberkochen for adjustment. Would you seriously disassemble a lens like the truly wonderful 50MP (still miss it) yourself? Chris

07-10-2018, 04:43 AM	#1098
MJKoski Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1,784	I have Leitaxed two ZF lenses before so it it is not that hard I guess. But yes, as this lens is in perfectly MINT condition I have some hesitations to start digging in there...There is no serious issue other than shooting nearly wide open (astro for example) to get stars to perfect focus. If I stop down to f/5.6 or so infinity gets pulled in focus when I turn the focusing ring to infinity end of the scale. Minor issue but I want to get it fixed.

07-10-2018, 05:47 AM - 1 Like	#1099
serothis Veteran Member Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 538	Originally posted by Chris Mak Would you seriously disassemble a lens like the truly wonderful 50MP (still miss it) yourself? Chris hehe. A number of us (myself included) have modified these beautiful lens from nikon mounts to pentax mounts. That having been said. I'm not sure I would trust my self to try and calibrate a lens of this quality.

07-10-2018, 07:49 AM	#1100
MJKoski Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1,784	This why I am asking if someone has actually dismantled these lenses to pieces to find existence of shims in there If there are, I am willing to take the risk. It is a matter of removing one or two super slim metal rings to fix the register distance a tiny bit to bring the lens groups closer to sensor. Which, in this case, would instantly allow a bit past infinity focusing as it should be.

07-15-2018, 04:30 PM	#1101
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	Originally posted by MJKoski Heya! I need a bit of help here. I just purchased K-mount 50mm Makro Planar but it does not focus to infinity on my K-1 mk2. Infinity stop is reached a tiny bit too soon. Does anyone have any experience adjusting the register distance? According to this article: Repairing Zeiss Distagon 35mm f2 ZF2 Focus Wobble there might be infinity focusing adjustment shims in place. It's simple - do it all the time. All one has to do is either add or remove those extremely thin copper shims to taste. Having working on various lenses, I tend to keep extra shims around for that very purpose...

07-16-2018, 12:53 AM	#1102
MJKoski Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1,784	So, there indeed are shims by default in these .ZF lenses?

07-17-2018, 12:59 PM	#1105
MJKoski Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1,784	Right. Thanks for details! Maybe Samy 35/1.4 fits my astrotracer needs.

07-26-2018, 05:52 AM	#1107
cqua77 Marketplace Reseller Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Montréal Posts: 93	I don`t do this usually, but there is a set of Zeiss ZK on ebay (not mine Zeiss 28mm F2 + Zeiss 50mm F2 makro + Zeiss 100mm F2 Makro. Not sure if it it is a bargain, but if somebody search to begin with zeiss lenses in zk mount....

07-26-2018, 03:24 PM	#1108
BobSpot Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Victoria Posts: 46	Originally posted by serothis number of us (myself included) have modified these beautiful lens from nikon mounts to pentax mounts.That having been said. I'm not sure I would trust my self to try and calibrate a lens of this quality. Would you be good enough to tell / explain how to change a nikon mount to pentax I have been thinking of trying to do this. So many Zeiss lenses are not made in K mounts

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07-26-2018, 05:15 PM - 1 Like	#1109
les3547 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Sebastopol, California Photos: Albums Posts: 2,020	Originally posted by BobSpot Would you be good enough to tell / explain how to change a nikon mount to pentax I have been thinking of trying to do this. So many Zeiss lenses are not made in K mounts You can read about it at the Leitax site here. Alternately, you can take advantage of Fenwoodian's extensive experience refitting/repairing lenses and hire him to do it.

07-27-2018, 02:04 PM	#1110
BobSpot Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Victoria Posts: 46	Thank you for the link to Leitax it opens up a whole new world of options. How much better / sharper are the images from the new Milvus range compared with the historic Planar Pancolar Distagon lenses ?