Contax/Nikon RF to RD-1 adaptor

[jw52tx]

Does anyone have any experience with the adaptors advertised on E-Bay( Hong Kong source) for Contax/ Nikon mount RF lenses to Leica screw mount? I would paricularly be interested in using them on an Epson RD-1. Is there anyone who makes something like this in the states?

 

[Ed Schwartzreic]

The Contax and Nikon RF mounts are similar, but have a different thread pitch, which means they are only compatible for lenses 35mm and wider. I have seen the Cocntax adapters sold on eBay and they do work; however, finding Nikon adapters is much harder. I have an Orion Nikon adapter from the 1960's which I use on my R-D1 all the time, and am very pleased with it. However, to replace this these days will cost over 1 grand. The Nikon-pitched Orion adapters were copied a few years ago, but never seem to pop up on eBay and would cost $3-400 if they did. Tom Abrahamsson (of Rapidwinder fame) is thinking of making another Orion adapter copy for Nikon lenses, but I think needs convincing that there is a market for them. Email him (TTAbrahams@aol.com) to support the idea.

In any case, you can buy the Contax adapter and very probably you will have no problems, given the caveats above.

Ed

 

[VinceC]

I believe -- and I might be wrong -- that the Contax/LTM adapters frequently on EBay are built using old Kiev camera mounts. I've never heard anyone question their accuracy. As mentioned above, Nikkor lenses in the Nikon-S mount won't focus accurately for 50mm lenses and telephotos.

 

[JoeFriday]

Vince is right.. I have one of the Contax adapters from an HK ebay seller.. it's made of Kiev parts.. works very well for my Sonnar, but I would have no idea about how well a Nikon combination would work

 

[Paul T.]

I'm waiting for one to arrive.

People with long memories might remember that I was the person trying to organise a run of Contax to LTM adapters using Kiev helicals. Unfortunately the person who was making the prototype had a problem with his lathe and ultimately had to bow out.

Mine is coming from a Hong Kong seller, but it did say in the listing that they had machined the adapters themselves, and the adapter illustrated, if it was made from a Kiev, was an expensive early one with the two sets of distance readings. I plan to put mine to use with my Opton Sonnar 50/1.5 on the R-D1 and will report back when it arrives.

The adapters are definitely coming down in price now; mine was $173 which, although more than the cost of a Kiev 2, is less than the difference between an LTM Sonnar and a Contax-mount one. Plus I can try my excelllent early Jupiter 9 on it.

If you wanted a Nikon adapter, I don't see why the producer wouldn't make a small run, if you could assemble a couple more like-minded people.