Komura 135mm & Zeiss Ikon

[cyrsm05]

Hello Everyone,

First time posting on here. I've done my search through the forums but many of the posts relating to what I am looking for were years ago and have not quite found exactly what I am needing to ask.

I recently bought a Komura 135mm f2.8 for my Zeiss Ikon zm to see how it is to shoot with a tele lens. I can't seem to figure out the thread size of this Komura. The adapter it currently has right now does not fit the ZI.

For those who have/had the same or similar setup, please help me with some guidance.

A few questions:

1) What type of adapter or 'thread to bayonet' converter do I need?
2) Is zone focusing the only way to focus with this lens?
3) I heard this lens can me coupled but not sure if done on a ZI or Leica only? Is this true

Finally, I do have the Komura 2x external viewfinder.

I appreciate all the help in advance.

-Cyrus

 

[Phil_F_NM]

What you have there is an SLR lens. Probably Minolta mount but could be Nikon F mount. Can't be adapted to a rangefinder properly and still maintain infinity focus. If you can get the adapter, you can stick it on the rangefinder camera but you'll be scale focusing and only extremely close-up.

Phil Forrest

 

[cyrsm05]

What you have there is an SLR lens. Probably Minolta mount but could be Nikon F mount. Can't be adapted to a rangefinder properly and still maintain infinity focus. If you can get the adapter, you can stick it on the rangefinder camera but you'll be scale focusing and only extremely close-up.

Phil Forrest

Thanks for input Phil!

How can I tell if a Komura 135mm is for an RF camera?

 

[nhchen]

All of the rangefinder ones have the leica screw mount and should be rangefinder coupled as well. for all the Komura lenses I have, the rangefinder ones only have one aperture ring, unlike the slr lenses which have an aperture ring and also a depth of field preview ring as well. Here's some of my ones http://flic.kr/p/MXVLLw

Nathan

 

[cyrsm05]

Hey Nathan, thanks for providing those photos! Makes sense so I'll just continue searching to make sure I have everything correct for my ZI.

Cheers!

Cyrus

 

[David Murphy]

I could be wrong, but it appears you have a Komura Uni adapter lens, with an a Minolta SLR SR-mount Uni-adapter that threads onto it. As I understand it, the Komura Uni system was a universal lens mounting system, similar in nature to the T mount lens system, but obviously not nearly as successful.

This lens can be adapted to Leica thread mount (LTM), either from Minolta SR to Leica M directly, or from SR to LTM and then to Leica M with an LTM->M adapter. All such adapters are readily available on eBay. Also, the adapter lens will maintain infinity focus correctly since the Minolta SR mount back focus is much longer than the M39 back focus (most SLR back foci are longer than LTM). After adaptation, the lens will not, of course, be rangefinder coupled, greatly limiting the practicality of such an adaptation, particularly for a long lens for which focusing precision is very important.

Your Komura lens is not particularly common and would most likely be of greater interest to collectors. It probably has more value as an SLR lens for that reason, and in fact the Uni adapter may be worth more than the lens. It is also, most likely, a good performing lens on an old Minolta SLR body.

Komura 135's in LTM are fairly common so you can easily find one and adapt it to M with common and inexpensive LTM->M adapters if that is your wish. There are many other excellent vintage 135mm LTM lenses around at modest prices - this was a popular lens focal length in the 1950's and many were made.

 

[David Murphy]

I could be wrong, but it appears you have a Komura Uni adapter lens, with an a Minolta SLR SR-mount Uni-adapter that threads onto it. As I understand it, the Komura Uni system was a universal lens mounting system, similar in nature to the T mount lens system, but obviously not nearly as successful.

This lens can be adapted to Leica thread mount (LTM), either from Minolta SR to Leica M directly, or from SR to LTM and then to Leica M with an LTM->M adapter. All such adapters are readily available on eBay. Also, the adapter lens will maintain infinity focus correctly since the Minolta SR mount back focus is much longer than the M39 back focus (most SLR back foci are longer than LTM). After adaptation, the lens will not, of course, be rangefinder coupled, greatly limiting the practicality of such an adaptation, particularly for a long lens for which focusing precision is very important.

Your Komura lens is not particularly common and would most likely be of greater interest to collectors. It probably has more value as an SLR lens for that reason, and in fact the Uni adapter may be worth more than the lens. It is also, most likely, a good performing lens on an old Minolta SLR body (Minolta SR will also work on MD mount Minolta bodies like the SRT-101)

Komura 135's in LTM are fairly common so you can easily find one and adapt it to M with common and inexpensive LTM->M adapters if that is your wish. There are many other excellent vintage 135mm LTM lenses around at modest prices - this was a popular lens focal length in the 1950's and many were made.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I had both a Komura 135mm and an uncommon 200mm for M39 rangefinder and they were both excellent. Actually, every Komura (and related spinoff names) lens I've ever used throughout the focal length range from 28mm to 200mm has been great. The older designs had a lot of LCA but in black and white, the images were fantastic.

Phil Forrest

 

[ferider]

OP: You have an SLR copy, not sure with what adapter (Leica R, maybe ?).

Like Phil, I used to have the LTM (M39) coupled version - excellent lens. And not expensive.

I still have two Leica mount Komura lenses in my stable, the 80/1.8 and 200mm - both excellent as well.

Roland.