M42 lenses

ChrisN

ChrisN

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I had an outing today with the dSLR, to get it out of my system before Keith's "one camera - one lens" challenge. 🙂

Here's a shot with a Vivitar M42 200/3.5 - another $20 flea-market lens.

Anyone else like M42 lenses?

1__IGP4648.jpg
 
I have many old manual focus lenses...including the vivitar you are showing off here. It's a fine bargain and very capable.

Here's one with the same lens. Nothing artistic, but pretty good for a $12 lens.

61315742.jpg
 
OK, how do you get an M42 lens to mount correctly on your Pentax DSLR? I have this lens too.

I have a Pentax adaptor, which fit inside the K mount, no flange. When I mount the screw mount lens it doesn't line up and seems to keep screwing on, no stopping it. The adaptor doesn't lock either. It goes on, but doesn't "click" in or stop turning. If I want to I can keep turning the adaptor.

Help, please.
 
raid said:
In your opinion, how good is a Super Takumar 28mm/3.5?
Click to expand...

I had one and found it to be reasonably sharp, but nothing special in the image department.

My favorite M42 lens was the 50/1.4 SMC Takumar (I still have it, but probably will sell it together with the Vivitar 135/3.5 I have floating around). Super smooth bokeh, great rendering, very "painterly" looking wide open.
 
rover said:
OK, how do you get an M42 lens to mount correctly on your Pentax DSLR? I have this lens too.

I have a Pentax adaptor, which fit inside the K mount, no flange. When I mount the screw mount lens it doesn't line up and seems to keep screwing on, no stopping it. The adaptor doesn't lock either. It goes on, but doesn't "click" in or stop turning. If I want to I can keep turning the adaptor.

Help, please.
Click to expand...

Which exact adapter do you have? I had (well, still have, been too lazy to ebay it with the rest of the gear) the genuine Pentax one which locks into place and then it's just like mounting the lens on an M42 camera.
 
Yes! Great lenses, great all-metal construction. And they can be had for pennies on the dollar these days. Don't make me list mine, it's a little embarrassing. Lately I have been experimenting with them on a Nikon D3 with a no-infinity focus adapter. My champs, so far are the 50/1.4 and the 85/1.9.

Ben Marks
 
cmedin said:
Which exact adapter do you have? I had (well, still have, been too lazy to ebay it with the rest of the gear) the genuine Pentax one which locks into place and then it's just like mounting the lens on an M42 camera.
Click to expand...

I purchased it directly from Pentax (cheaper than buying on ebay), it is the real deal Pentax adaptor.
 
rover said:
I purchased it directly from Pentax (cheaper than buying on ebay), it is the real deal Pentax adaptor.
Click to expand...

Hmm, that is really weird. The one I had 'clicked' into place (and has a little leaf spring you have to nudge to remove the adapter) and the lenses screwed in nice and solid. Any chance you can snap a closeup picture of yours? I'm fresh out of K mount bodies so can't mount it and show how it looks unfortunately 🙁
 
I read several reports online that the old 28mm/3.5 is sharper and better than any 28mm lens made by Pentax. This is a BIG claim.
 
Rover - does your adapter look like this?

Hey - this is my 2,000th post! Do I win a prize?
 

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I've had 20 and 25mm Carl Zeiss Jena Flektagons and 180 and 300 Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnars in M42 mount that I was very happy with. Back in the 1970's the East German Zeiss Jena optics were dirt cheap, helped along by the fact that they kept changing U.S. distributers who'd each in turn dump their unsold inventory at bargain basement prices. The exterior finish wasn't exactly Leitz quality but the optics were first rate.
 
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