Auld Lens Time

[Godfrey]

The two adapters I needed ... Robot M26 to Leica M39 and Leica M39 to M-Bayonet ... have arrived. Now I can use my pre-1940, uncoated Zeiss 40/2 and 38/2.8 lenses from the Robots on the GXR or M9.

I did some quick tests with the 38/2.8 and it shows all the lovely softness of uncoated lens flare ... There's a magic to the rendering of these lenses that is quite different from modern coated lenses—the images look totally unlike what comes out of the Color Skopar 35mm f/2.5 P2.

This will be fun. 🙂

G

 

[furbs]

Looking forward to seeing these shots! I'm curious about the look of older lenses, quite a few can mount on an M with adapter...

 

[GaryLH]

Talk about adapting 🙂.. Never would have thought to adapt a robot lens. Would be interesting to c those pics.

Gary

 

[Particular]

Do these lenses vignet on 35mm (as Robot format is 24x24)?

 

[Godfrey]

Do these lenses vignet on 35mm (as Robot format is 24x24)?

I haven't fitted them to the M9 just yet, but I'll let you know.

First shots will be with the GXR as that is 16x24 format and I can focus them critically (scale focus only on the M9, just like on the Robots). 38-40mm is a very comfortable focal length for me on this format, what I use a good bit of the time (Nokton 40/1.4, Color Skopar 35mm f/2.5).

G

---
Ok, did a quick test comparing the Voigtländer Color Skopar 35/2.5 P2 vs the Zeiss 38/2.8 (uncoated) ... the Zeiss covers the full-frame M9 format as well as the Voigtländer does. A quick test, can't tell much about imaging qualities from it, but I can see the additional flare and lower contrast of the Zeiss. Seems very sharp, however, near par with the modern Color Skopar.

 

[Kent]

Robot lenses are fascinating, esp. on APS!
I had a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 3.8/75, an amazingly sharp lens on the NEX-7.
(I sold it to pay for some other items. And since I still have th CV Heliar 2.5/75, I don't really miss it. 😉)

 

[charjohncarter]

Neat project, Godfrey, like your Alfa, please post soon.