Help mounting a J-12 onto a Nikon S2

[PatrickCheung]

Hey guys!

I got a Nikon S2 about a month ago, and I was looking for a cheap 35mm to use on it. I bought a J12 from the classifieds to try on it knowing full well that it may or may not properly mount on the S2... I figured it'd be an easy fix as I've fixed LTM mount russian lenses before! But I now realize the Contax/Nikon S mount itself is completely alien to me.

I got it in the mail about an hour ago and of course... it won't mount, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right!

Here's what I did:
1. Turned the body mount until it locked at infinity, the infinity marker on the body is at 12 o'clock.
2. Matched up the red dot on the J12 collar to the red dot on the S2 body, pushed the lens in (there was a slight springy resistance, I'm assuming that's the lens lock)
3. Tried turning the J12 counter clockwise so the red dot on the lens would get into 12 o'clock position, but the collar woudn't move on most times. I got it to turn ALMOST to 12 o'clock once, but there was a LOT of resistance. The lens was couple with the focus wheel on that try, but it was a little stiff and wouldn't focus down to the 0.9m mark. Unmounting the lens was really difficult... I thought I got it stuck!

I searched up the forum and found a few solutions that worked for other people... but I'm very confused as to how to properly mount these lenses! One source says to turn the body mount so that the infinity marker is adjacent to the red dot... but I'm not sure! I also don't really know what that button/lever on the lens is for... is that the "infinity button?"

The J12 is in immaculate condition... the collar turns smoothly when the lens is unmounted, aperture is smooth, body looks almost mint, and glass is super clear! I know that Brian Sweeney said he had to file his J12 down before it mounted on his S2, but I'm rather hesitant to file such a nice lens!

If anyone could give me a hand... I'd be more than appreciative!
Thanks!
Patrick

 

[Dez]

There is a great risk of damaging the front panel of your Nikon with the J12 lens. The chrome skirt that comes down over the lens mount is a bit too long. Undo the three screws retaining it and remove the skirt. Using sandpaper or a file relieve the camera-facing edge of it by about 1/2-1mm. Put it back on, and your problems should be over. Just remember to have the camera and lens set to infinity before mounting the lens.

I know you don't want to damage the lens, but this is a very easy job, and remember it would cost about three times the cost of the lens to replace the camera front panel, assuming you were ever lucky enough to find one.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[PatrickCheung]

Thanks Dez I'll give it a shot!

My S2 is a super user one... scratched and dinged with a cracked VF... just the way I like it 🙂 I've always thought a camera was a tool!

 

[maddoc]

J12 works fine on S2 after grinding that aluminum ring down by about 2 mm. 🙂

 

[PatrickCheung]

Okay! So I spent the night grinding down that ring and still no-go... it looks to me as if the bayonet bit that's supposed to slip into the channel on the inside of the collar of the J12 is getting stuck on the channel... as in the channel is a tad too narrow.

I supose I'll need to find a way to get in there....

 

[PatrickCheung]

Okay so I took off the ring that holds the infinity lever and mounted that on the bayonet, it mounted smoothly! And I took the lens module and mounted it into the body... and it mounted smoothly!

I reassembled the lens and tried to re-mount it, this time lining up the body mount's infinity marker with the red dot. I mounted the lens set to infinity, lining up the lens' red dot with the body's red dot so that the lens' infinity and body's infinity should line up!

The lens DID mount, but with some resistance... the focus works but is stiffer than usual, the back clears the shutter. The infinity lock does not lock though, is that normal?

Thanks for all the help you've given me so far!!

 

[Dez]

You must set the camera's focus mount to infinity- not against anything but the normal index that would be used for the 50mm lens. Set the len's focus to infinity. Line the red dot on the lens with the red dot on the camera body and attach the lens. FSU lenses may require a bit of wiggling to make them fit on the bayonet correctly. Turn the lens counterclockwise until it locks into place.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[PatrickCheung]

Alright! I ended up getting it in the proper way.... like the one Dez described! Thanks for all the help guys 🙂 It's been quite the experience!

 

[raid]

This must have been a torture to do. I will not do this butchering to my S3-2000.