[RAART]

I use mine all the time.
Heres a bunch of shots taken with that lens.
Canon FD 50mm F1.4 - Martin Rodensjo

Don't make me jealous... and hurry with those adapters!

Your pictures prove that this lens is the one!

[Jean Poitiers]

I use mine all the time.
Heres a bunch of shots taken with that lens.
Canon FD 50mm F1.4 - Martin Rodensjo

Great images in your link for the FD 50/1.4 ... TFS, J

[aliasant]

Great images in your link for the FD 50/1.4 ... TFS, J

Ty Jean.

Been working on the project (the Cantax Project ) and got a bit closer.
Almost got all the parts now but manufacturing them is hard.
Precision is down to 1/100 of a mm. The tools need constant readjusting from wear and tear.
Heres a shot of the bayonette manufacturing processes. First turning and then milling.
I shot them using my FD L 80-200.

Click on the image to get to the rest of them in a slideshow.

[RAART]

Ty Jean.

Been working on the project (the Cantax Project ) and got a bit closer.
Almost got all the parts now but manufacturing them is hard.
Precision is down to 1/100 of a mm. The tools need constant readjusting from wear and tear.
Heres a shot of the bayonette manufacturing processes. First turning and then milling.
I shot them using my FD L 80-200.

Click on the image to get to the rest of them in a slideshow.

I really like the images of the manufacturing process. Industrial but very artistic, especially 3, 5, 8, 12, 16, 22.... Others are also good but those grabbed my attention.

Art is everywhere to be found and never ending search just has begun...

Thanks for sharing!

[Jean Poitiers]

... Been working on the project (the Cantax Project ) and got a bit closer.
Click on the image to get to the rest of them in a slideshow.

Thanks a lot for the update and all, aliasant ... Cool image et salut, J

[JimmyDranox]

Very interesting approach of industrial photo. Real art work. Like it.

[wombat2go]

dcshooter, Excellent job!
I will send you a pm about a tired and troubled -K 1:2.8 24mm.

[Jean Poitiers]

Not an impossible lens mount per se, but since this seems to be the only thread on PF discussing general lens mods and tinkering, I thought this was probably the best place for it. Without further ado, I present the Asahi Pentax Super Takumar "Limited" Silver edition: ...

That's just "excellent" in my books ... great idea and execution !!! Now, that gives me a few ideas and some inspiration ... J

PS - and yes, please show the Canon 50/1.2 when done ... thanks.

[aurele]

Not an impossible lens mount per se, but since this seems to be the only thread on PF discussing general lens mods and tinkering, I thought this was probably the best place for it. Without further ado, I present the Asahi Pentax Super Takumar "Limited" Silver edition:

Mods entailed:
1) complete disassembly of lens and CLA/de-yellowing
2) removal of all lettering paint with acetone and anodizing with an hydroxide etch bath (the black exterior is dye anodized into the finish and is not a painted surface)
3) Re-anodizing with electrolytic acid bath
4) Dyeing of aperture ring in Pentax Green
5) Sealing of anodized finish
6) Re-filling of engraved lettering with solid lacquer paint.
7) reassembly and calibration of lens

A few notes:
- I began with a lens with a rather beaten up exterior, since I didn't want to risk a super nice sample on my first try. As you can see, the finish came out very well, but there are a few preexisting bumps and bruises in the barrel
- Since it was an older Asahi lens, I chose a traditional Pentax green ring rather than the new "Ricoh Red." The dye used is a Kelley green and matches up quite well with my Pentax lenses. I am currently working on refinishing and remounting (to K) a Canon 50mm f/1.2 that will have the red ring, which I will post here when finished for everyone to see.
- The matte aluminum anodizing also matches up quite well with the silver surfaces in older Pentax film bodies.
- The pics show the lens before it was completely clean and actually exaggerate the flaws; in real life, it looks even nicer
- The exterior color is entirely clear and/or dyed anodizing, not paint like recent silvered bodies. The lens will remain consistent in color as it wears, save for the green ring, which might eventually show silver "brassing" if the hardened anodizing layer wears through.
- Depending on interest, I'm thinking of offering this mod as a service, probably in the range of about $100 per lens, which takes into account the CLA and time and materials involved. Would anyone be interested? I'd probably limit it to primes at first, since zooms would entail quite a bit more work to reassemble and refinish.
- I'll also be doing several other Takumar and possibly K and M lenses in the same color scheme and will post results when finished. Because of the plastic used on A series lenses, they would not make good candidates for this mod.

This is truly an amazing job ! I love it !
congratulation, you are awesome

i might require your service for some A50/1,7

[aliasant]

And because I know you are dying to see:

Sweet!

How do you do the anodizing ? Is it difficult to do?
Would love to try and fix some of my lenses. Especially my old Canon FDs.

[aliasant]

After removing the previous anodizing layer with a strong base etch, the aluminum item is attached to the anode (positive) end of a DC power source (in my case, a car battery charger), and submersed in an acid electrolytic solution with a lead or aluminum cathode and current applied, causing a hard oxide layer to form on the surface. The initial anodized layer is porous and can be dyed prior to sealing it by submerging it for about an hour in boiling water.

The process itself is rather simple, but the chemicals are rather nasty and it's tricky keeping the surface to be anodized absolutely clean and keeping the balance of power/time/acidity correct in the anodizing solution. You have to be very careful to make sure there are no ferrous metal fittings (including tiny screws) attached, since they will disappear and take part of the aluminum with them. Anecdotally, I've also found that Pentax and Canon appear to have used different aluminum alloys in their lens barrels, since I am noticing differences in how the variables need to be controlled for each brand.

Aah.

This sounds like something possible to do at home.

A shopping-list would be something like:

Carbattery
Wires
Wireclamps
Plastic bucket for the bath?
"acid electrolytic solution" ?? Orange juice?
"aluminum cathode" Is that just a piece of aluminum hooked up to the Negative?

[MegaPower]

that silver takumar looks very nice.
Just a suggestion, you may also try a complete silver lens with a little green "bump" like the FA ltd or red one like the Leica.

[RAART]

that silver takumar looks very nice.
Just a suggestion, you may also try a complete silver lens with a little green "bump" like the FA ltd or red one like the Leica.

+1 I like his suggestion and @dcshooter I might be interested to send you a 50mm 1.4 8-elements but I really like the suggestion above, does not matter red or green hump... If you think that you can do it please send me a PM with price (I hope that I will get a good deal as first customer )

[RAART]

Well, I've just started a Pentax-K 135mm 3.5 that has the off-white "bump" I'll see how feasible it is to dye the plastic....

"bumps" or hump or dot can be purchased online as far as I know, no need to dye them... Basically I wanted the Takumar 50mm 1.4 but 8-elements like you had done above just without the green aperture ring (pure silver) done. Let me know if we can do some business.

Leica FAQ — red dots

[aliasant]

@Aliasant

I was just thinking, I DO have a few Canon 50mm f/1.4s lying arund and could use some PEntax adapters for them. When you are done with your adapter project, drop me a line. PErhaps we could work out an exchange?

Also, do you know if the mounts on the 50mm are interchangeable with other FD lenses? I have an FD 85mm 1.8 that would look great on my K5!

If I ever get the parts ready I will but it has been difficult mostly since I have to rely on a machinist who lives far from me.
I can convert various FD lenses but every lens is slightly different in the mount so every lens needs 1 or more parts customized.
My goal is to get the mount and main mechanics to work on most FD lenses and then customize the necessary parts for each FD lens.
The biggest problem is the screws. Its easyer if I skip them and make new threads for slightly bigger, modern standardscrews but that also means I need to make the modification myself and the customer then would need to send me the lens. I have been trying to find a good costeffective way to get around that part but its difficult.

I wont give up thoug

Maybe we can do a trade of some sort anyways.