Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
I had not heard of a T2 mount before so I did a google and found the description on Wikipedia. Today at the local camera shop I found a 1000mm F/10 lens in a T2 mount for $250 Euros. Didn't sound too bad.... just needed to find what a T2 mount was.
Anyone use them? Are the adapters any good? Do they work....?
Anyone use them? Are the adapters any good? Do they work....?
DNG
Film Friendly
I have a Vivatar 85 f/1.8 with no iris with a T mount for PK... works OK, but the images are like a Hulga...If you get what I mean. I don't use it... But, T mount lens are like any other MF lens. Some have a "Pre-set" iris. (2 Rings) A T2 mount is an adapter that screws into the back plate of the lens. there were many made.... PK, M42, Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Konica, Yashica, etc.. Might cost $20.00
Last edited:
Dwig
Well-known
Technically, they are not "adapters". They are, instead, "mounts".
The T-2 system is an interchangeable mount system. The lenses are designed to function when a mount is attached. They won't mount on any camera without one. As a result, the "mounts" work very well.
There have been several variants of this particular interchangeable mount system and there have been other systems. The T-mount system is based around lenses that have a 42x0.75mm thread at the rear with a 55mm register distance. The original T-mounts were single piece solid machined pieces. As the system expanded with multiple sources for lenses and mounts the mounts evolved into the T-2 mounts. These are the current style and are made in two pieces. Loosening the grub screws around the outside of a T-2 mount allows you to rotate the two pieces so that the lens' scales are properly aligned at the top. The original T-mounts had no provision for such alignment. The T vs T-2 distinction applies only to the mounts; the lenses aren't different and are properly referred to as T-mount lenses.
The T and T-2 mounts have not provision for coupling the iris to the body. There is no auto-diaphragm stop down and no meter coupling. Most T-mount lenses are pre-set lenses, others are true manual diaphragm or fixed aperture (e.g. mirror lenses). The mounting system is currently popular with astronomical telescopes and has been used for various accessories like microscope adapters, slide copy attachments, bellows, and the like.
There was a short lived mount system called the "YS" mount that was based on the T-2 mount and added auto diaphram and, in some mounts, meter coupling. It used the same 42x0.75 thread with the same 55mm register. It wasn't very popular and had a short run. Vivitar also had a run with a ruggedized T-mount line (no T-2 style alignment provision) for some of their early Series 1 Solid Cats. These lenses and the matching mounts had a standardized thread alignment so adjustment wasn't necessary. If you use one of these mounts with a conventional T-mount lens the scales on the lens could face at an odd angle.
Other interchangeable mount systems have had their period of popularity. Tamron had their Adaptall and later Adaptall-2 systems. There was also the T-4 and later TX system used by Soligor and Vivitar for a number of years. These all provided meter coupling and auto diaphragm with support for most popular camera mounts in their day.
There probably have been others I can't think of right now. None, though, have had the long life (over a half century at this point) of the T/T-2 mount system.
Last edited:
Spavinaw
Well-known
All my T2 mounts have 42x.75mm threads. See Wikipedia.
Livesteamer
Well-known
Several years ago I got a T mount in Leica thread. The very first lens I ever bought was a Soligor 28mm f2.8 in T mount, used, about 1970. With the mount I was able to put the old lens on my M6 and shoot a little with it. It was fun to use an old friend but T mount lenses were designed for SLR's and are big and bulky. The Soligor 28mm blocked part of the finder and focus is by estimation. Clumsy but fun and there are many old T mount lenses that can be had for very little. This might work for wide angles but difficult for longer lenses on a rangefinder. T mounts are good, cheap lenses for old SLR's. Joe
Spavinaw
Well-known
I have a mystery mount. At least it is to me and all the people I've asked about it. It fits a Nikon SLR and looks like a T2 mount except the threaded part is not a 42mm T thread, it is 47mm. Can anyone identify this mount?
DNG
Film Friendly
Can you post a photo of the mount side?
a no name huh....
oftheherd
Veteran
I have several Vivitar TX mount lenses. I have never been crazy about the 80-200, but the 24mm and the 300mm were excellent lenses and handled well. Somehow I just never cottoned to the 80-200. I used it a fair amount, but never much liked it. Somewhere I have an odd one, 90-260 I think. I actually enjoyed using it too. For one thing, it had a ring for zoom rather than push-pull.
Spavinaw
Well-known
DNG
Sorry I don't have a picture I can post. As I said it looks just like a Nikon T2 mount except the thread are 47mm diameter. I have another T2 mount and the threaded inserts could be swapped between the two of them. They're that much alike.
Sorry I don't have a picture I can post. As I said it looks just like a Nikon T2 mount except the thread are 47mm diameter. I have another T2 mount and the threaded inserts could be swapped between the two of them. They're that much alike.
kkdanamatt
Well-known
T, T2, Y-s
T, T2, Y-s
Tamron invented the T lens mount system in 1959 and followed it later with the T-2 lens system. Both the T and the T-2 lenses are compatible with either mount. I believe that all the T-2 lenses (except mirrors) had two sets of aperture rings, one to set the aperture and the other to open and close the aperture for focusing and shooting. These mounts are 42mm but the pitch is not the same as the Pentax M42 Universal thread.
The Y-S lens mount system was invented by Mr. Yamake (Sigma) and was called Y-S (Yamake- System or Yamake-Sigma). The Y-S lens mounts were spring-loaded to fit various SLR cameras and had cumbersome automatic couplers, particularly for shutter-priority auto-SLR's, such as Konica. These mounts are also 42mm thread and some mounts will fit the older, completely manual T-mount lenses. Fred Spira (Spiratone) was proponent of the Y-S System.
The T-4 and the later TX system was a Soligor/Miranda/Vivitar attempt to provide automatic lens diaphragm and exposure control to SLR's, but it was a bayonet fit, not a screw-mount.
From 1959 through the days of the 35mm SLR craze up to the current digital SLR's, these systems have enabled millions of photographers to use decent optics (yes, there were some dogs) without having to spend top dollar for pro-quality lenses.
T, T2, Y-s
Tamron invented the T lens mount system in 1959 and followed it later with the T-2 lens system. Both the T and the T-2 lenses are compatible with either mount. I believe that all the T-2 lenses (except mirrors) had two sets of aperture rings, one to set the aperture and the other to open and close the aperture for focusing and shooting. These mounts are 42mm but the pitch is not the same as the Pentax M42 Universal thread.
The Y-S lens mount system was invented by Mr. Yamake (Sigma) and was called Y-S (Yamake- System or Yamake-Sigma). The Y-S lens mounts were spring-loaded to fit various SLR cameras and had cumbersome automatic couplers, particularly for shutter-priority auto-SLR's, such as Konica. These mounts are also 42mm thread and some mounts will fit the older, completely manual T-mount lenses. Fred Spira (Spiratone) was proponent of the Y-S System.
The T-4 and the later TX system was a Soligor/Miranda/Vivitar attempt to provide automatic lens diaphragm and exposure control to SLR's, but it was a bayonet fit, not a screw-mount.
From 1959 through the days of the 35mm SLR craze up to the current digital SLR's, these systems have enabled millions of photographers to use decent optics (yes, there were some dogs) without having to spend top dollar for pro-quality lenses.
Last edited:
B.J.Scharp
Still developing
I shot this image with a T2-mount 500mm/f8 lens. There might even have been a Pentax-screw-mount 2x teleconverter involved (that's 2 adapters to mount just one lens to my EOS).
Not the sharpest lens of the bunch, but I like the way it draws.
Not the sharpest lens of the bunch, but I like the way it draws.