Pentax Medium Format Resources: Pentax 645: Third party lenses via adapter
Adapting “third party lenses” is in medium format (MF) photography more usual than in 135 photography. The main reason is IMHO the fact that MF photography with interchangeable lenses never was mainstream photography and always a small market. Unlike for 135 systems for most MF systems on economical reasons there are only one manufacturer (mostly the camera manufacturer) who offers lenses for “his” MF system. With a limited number of customers an economical production of special lenses is often not possible. So these lenses are expensive or not will not be built.
From this economical fact comes the necessary reason to adapt “rare” and special third party lenses (or other resources) from a third party manufacturer to the own system.
So MF systems are more open than 135 camera systems. Some MF camera manufactures (e.g. Hasselblad, Pentacon …) offers blind mount for adaptions, some manufactures (e.g. Pentax, Mamiya, Contax or future Leica) have/had adapters for thirds party lenses in their MF portfolio.
Another reason is that MF photography is a “slower” photography than 135 photography. Most adapted MF lens have some restrictions or limitations (no automatic aperture, no electronically communication with the camera). In the “faster”135 photography this may be a major disadvantage, in more contemplative MF photography stop down metering would not be too uncomfortable.
Technical
Pentax 645 cameras have a flange distance (FD) of 70.87 mm. That means from lens mount to film/sensor is a distance of 70.87mm.
Mechanical you can adapt every lens which has
_ a FD higher than 70.87mm
_ a mount diameter which would fit.
_ a image circle which illuminates at least 60mmx45mm
Another restriction is the aperture regulation which has be able mechanical.
Normally adapted lenses have
_ no AF
_ are working with stop down metering (no automatic aperture)
_ and have no electronically communication between lens and camera.
Possible by FD but IMHO not realized are adapters from Rollei 66, Bronica.
An adapter for Mamiya RZ and RB lenses to Pentax 645 camera adapter is announced by Steib (Munich ) and Wiese (Hamburg).
Not possible are those from Rollei SLX (FD 74.00mm) because the lack of aperture regulation.
Medium format cameras like Contax 645 (FD 64.00mm), Hasselblad H, Leica S2 or Mamiya 645 (FD 63.30mm) have a flange distance which is smaller than those of the Pentax645, adapted lenses from these systems would not be able to focus on infinite.
Pentax 67 lenses to Pentax 645
Pentax 67 lenses have a FD of 84.95mm
It is not “third party” so Pentax offers directly an adapter. The aperture of the 67 is automatically stopped down during the exposure. "The aperture value is properly transmitted from the lenses to the camera by a mechanical simulator slider (which many people miss inside the small Pentax DSLRs), but there is no transmittion of a aperture value from the camera to the lenses --> no A-mode. Measurements in M-Mode and Av-Mode are working " (source Klaus123 in this thread)
Pentax 67 Lens to Pentax 645 Body Adapter Reviews - Pentax Lens Reviews & Pentax Lens Database
An overview of the adaptable lenses is given in the review part of this forum.
Hasselblad V-system lenses to Pentax 645
Hasselblad V lenses have a FD 74.90mm.
As I see there are four brands of adapters for Hasselblad V lenses to Pentax 645 cameras on market.
The "brands” are:
_ Kipon, a chinese made adapter
_ Rayq[al] (=Fotodiox?) japanese providence
_ Rugift an east european made adapter (Russian or Ukrainian origin)
_ Zörkendörfer ( “Zörk”), a german manufacturer.
Major lens supplier for this system: Carl Zeiss Oberkochen and Schneider-Kreuznach. There are also lenses from Fuji.
You can use lenses for the so called “Hasselblad V-system” (camera series 200, 500, 2000) with central (C, CF, CFi) or focal shutter (F, FE).
Selection of some Hasselblad V System lenses
Manufacturer: Carl Zeiss Oberkochen (execept Variogaon: Schneider-Kreuznach)
C =centralshutter, F focal shutter, both have the same mount and can be adaptetd to Pentax 645
CF
Distagon CF 30mm (fisheye)
Distagon CF 40mm
Distagon CF 40mm FLE
Distagon CF 50mm
Distagon CF 50mm FLE
Distagon CF 60mm
Planar CF 80mm
Planar CF 100mm
Sonnar CF 150mm
Sonnar CF 180mm
Sonnar CF 250mm
Teletessar CF 350mm
Tele Apotessar CF 500mm [V1]
Tele Apotessar CF 500mm [V2]
UV-Sonnar CF 105mm
Makro-Planar CF 120mm
Makro-Planar CF 135mm
Variogon CF 140-280mm (Schneider)
Sonnar-Superachromat f/5.6 250 mm CFE
Tele-Superachromat f/5.6 350 mm CFE (IF)
FE
Distagon f/2.8 50 mm FE (FLE)
Planar f/2.8 80 mm FE
Planar f/2 110 mm FE
Sonnar f/2.8 150 mm FE
Tele-Tessar f/4 250 mm FE
Tele-Superachromat f/2.8 300 mm TPP FE (IF)
Tele-Tessar f/4 350 mm FE (IF)
Apo Sonnar 4.0/1700mm FE
Pentacon Six [P6] bayonet lenses to Pentax 645
Pentacon Six [P6] lenses have a FD of 74.10mm.
Pentacon* Six [P6] was a Medium Format system which was built originally at Kamera Werke Dresden Germany (KW, later VEB Pentacon) first in the mid fifties (Praktisix). The breech mount was also used by Exakta 66 (West Germany) and the Ukrainian camera Kiev60 (Arsenal in Kiev, Ukraine). From the mid nineties the ukrainian Hasselblad clone Kiev80** was also produced with the P6 mount. Since the nineties the P6 mount has developed to the standard east European MF mount.
Arsenal stopped camera and lens production officially in 2009, but in time before in Kiev a lot of small spin offs manufactures and mechanical workshops (Arax, Hartblei....) offered accessories for the P6 system.
Out of my experience there are no “branded” adapters for P6 lenses to Pentax 645 on market. Most of the adapters on market are no name from small eastern european or chinese mechanic workshops.
I have seen adapters made from aluminium and of brass. IMHO the brass one is more preferable.
Major lens supplier for the P6 medium format system was VEB Carl Zeiss Jena (Germany), Schneider –Kreuznach (Germany), Meyer, Görlitz (later VEB Pentacon) (Germany), Arsenal (Ukraine) and spin offs (Arax, Hartblei…)
VEB Carl Zeiss Jena lenses for P6 :
Flektogon 4.0/50mm
Biometar 2.8/80mm
Biometar 2.8/120mm
Sonnar 2.8/180mm
Sonnar 4.0/300mm
Spiegelobjektiv 5,6/1000
(older lenses Flektogon 2,8/65; Tessar 2,9/80)
There are also P6-lenses from Meyer, Görlitz (later part of VEB Pentacon, lenses renamed in Prakticar)
Primotar E 3,5/80;
Trioplan 2,8/105;
Priotar 3,5/135;
Priotar 3,5/180;
Telemegor (later Pentacon) 4/300;
Telemegor 5,5/400;
Pentacon (and Prakticar) 5,6/500
There are also lenses from Schneider-Kreuznach, Arsenal and Kilfitt
Ukrainian workshops are offering a T/S 45mm lens.
P6-lensesfrom Schneider Kreuznach (Germany)
Curtagon MF 40 4
Curtagon MF 60 3.5
Xenotar MF 80 2.8
Tele-Xenar MF 150 4
Tele-Xenar MF 250 5.6
Variogon MF 75-150 4.5
Variogon MF 140-280 5.6
Special lenses:
PCS Super-Angulon MF 55 4.5 (Shift)
Symmar-S 135 5.6
Symmar-S 180 5.6
M-Componon 28 4
M-Componon 50 4
P6-lenses from Kiev (Ukraine)
Zodiak-8B 30mm 3.5 (fisheye)
Mir-26B 45mm 3.5
Mir-69B (4) 45mm 3.5
Mir-3B (5) 65mm 3.5
Mir-38B 65mm 3.5
Volna-3 80mm 2.8
Vega-12 (10) 90mm 2.8
Vega-28B 120mm 2.8
Kaleinar-3B 150mm 2.8
Jupiter-36B 250mm 3.5
Telear-5B (11) 250mm 5.6
Tair-33 300mm 4.5
Arsat APO MC (12)f/5.6 / 500mm
(please note not all Kiev lenses are multicoated)
* historical remark: the names Pentax and Pentacon have the same historic roots. In the late 40ies Zeiss Ikon Dresden (East Germany) invented the 135 SLR Contax with Pentaprism and M42 thread mount. Because of differences in naming between Carl Zeiss (Oberkochen) (West Germany) and VEB Carl Zeiss Jena (East Germany), in Dresden (East Germany) was decided to brand the SLR in the late 50ies as Pentacon which derives from
Pentaprism
contax.
Some licences were sold to Asahi Japan which named their SLR as
Pentaprism Con
tax.
Later both SLR brands named the manufacturer.
** There is the possibility to adapt Kiev80 lenses (with “original” Hasselblad F1000 threat mount) to P6.
Exotics to Pentax 645
_Leica Visoflex lenses
Some Leica lenses for the Visoflex system have their origin in Great Format lenses, so the image circle and FD allow adapting these lenses. Leica Visoflex M39 screw mount lens, i.e., 65mm f3.5, telyt 135mm F4, Telyt 200mm F4, 280mm F4.5 and others.
There are no commercial made "direct" adapters known, but there "indirect" ways:
a) Leica Visoflex M39 Lens to Hasselblad Mount Adapter (e.g. rugift) + Hasselblad to P645 adapter
b) Leica Visoflex M39 Lens to Pentax 67 Adapter + Pentax 67 to Pentax 645 adapter
_ Novoflex Schnellschuss System
The “Novoflex Schnellschuss System” was rapid focus system for telelenses from the pre AF era. It was a combination of a rapid focus head with changeable mounts and a tele lens optical system. (there were 400mm and 500 tele lenses from Novoflex and Leica.
Some Hasselblad literature indicates that it can used also on 60x60mm MF cameras. The mount name for Pentax 645 is “TAXPRO”
Mamiya RZ and RB lenses to Pentax 645 camera adapter
Steib (München) and Wiese (Hamburg) are offering a Mamiya RZ and RB lens to Pentax 645 (and Cx 645, Mamiya 645) adapter. It made partial from Mamiya parts, price is about 1100€
source:
HCam-Adapter: Mamiya-RB-/RZ-Objektive an Mamiya / Phase One 645 (aktualisiert) | photoscala
Last edited by veraikon; 06-18-2012 at 02:56 AM.
Reason: info added