Camera/lens age

[dll927]

I've read several times that with some FSU cameras, the lens should not be newer than the camera. (That the first two digits are the year of manufacture is a nice touch.) But I've never seen a reason why that should be so. In most cases, a lens fits the camera regardless. Anyone know the reason for avoiding lenses newer than the camera?

 

[ZorkiKat]

I've read several times that with some FSU cameras, the lens should not be newer than the camera. (That the first two digits are the year of manufacture is a nice touch.) But I've never seen a reason why that should be so. In most cases, a lens fits the camera regardless. Anyone know the reason for avoiding lenses newer than the camera?

Many of the old Soviet Leica-types had their lenses custom matched to their mounts. These customised mating was sometimes necessary to

[1] assure that the body and lens agreed in terms of lens to focal working distance. A lot of the older FED and Zorki (you did read it right) had non-standard lens registers so many cameras were individually matched at the factory to ensure correct focus. Using another lens whose actual focal register ("lens working distance") may not match the adjustments of the camera body may result in inaccurate focusing. Many of the older cameras bore 'passports'- a documentation which listed what lens the camera left with, the camera and lens' serial numbers and sometimes, even the focal register.

[2] With later cameras where the focal register (28,8mm) had been standardised, customised mating assured that the lens would park properly on the camera. Here the lens mount and camera flange threads are matched. This would assure that the lens would mount properly- eg, the lens markings would be seen at the top, not at the side or bottom. Soviet Leicas did not have standard thread entry and stopping points- same could be said of lenses.

Jay

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> Soviet Leicas did not have standard thread entry and stopping points- same could be said of lenses.

I certainly find that each J-3 that I've had required adjustment (shimming) to agree with the RF. I've just done the Ninth one. BUT the lenses all stop at the same point on my Canon RF's. I've used them with two Canon 7's, a VI-T, and a II-f.