Adapting an M42 Flektogon on my M?

[ottluuk]

Hello,

A friend offered to give me some of his unused old photo stuff, among them an old superwide for the M42 Praktica, most likely the 20mm f/4 CZJ Flektogon (he wasn't entirely sure but will check for me).

I don't have a full frame DSLR and the only film camera I care to lug around these days is my M4, so it would make some sense to adapt it to the M. I realize that it would be uncoupled, but hey, scale focusing is not hard with a 20mm, right?

A quick search revealed that adapters do exist but they're either really expensive (Novoflex - 150€, a rare Leitz original - a staggering 250€ 😱) or look pretty crude.

So - does anyone have a better (less expensive, still acceptable quality) source for oddball adapters like this? M42 to LTM would be fine.

Or maybe the lens is crap and there's no point paying for even the crudest adapter? Does anyone have experience with Zeiss Jena superwides?

thanks

 

[Tsukiouji]

Sorry for the offtop, but why not to buy an M42 body? They are plentiful and quite good.

 

[haempe]

I realize that it would be uncoupled, but hey, scale focusing is not hard with a 20mm, right?

Agree. Coupling makes no sense with this lens.
Also the front lens is big, it will shade the RF window.

Or maybe the lens is crap and there's no point paying for even the crudest adapter? Does anyone have experience with Zeiss Jena superwides?

Have the lens, a real "legend"... 😀
First retro focus design lens produced in serial...
Optical mediocre in terms of today, and it is huge and heavy compared with modern lenses...

 

[ottluuk]

Sorry for the offtop, but why not to buy an M42 body? They are plentiful and quite good.

They are also an extra brick in the shoulder bag that I would like to avoid. The lens is big enough on its own.

 

[ottluuk]

Well, I got the lens... and it's huge and heavy! Didn't look that bad from photos online...

I guess the adapter idea wasn't so great all along, or maybe a case could be made for one of the cheap ones. Oh well.