UW-Nikkor 35/2.5 vs W-Nikkor 3.5cm f/2.5 Optics: Can you transplant?

[Mister E]

Would the optics be interchangeable? Is there a way I can put the multicoated optics from the Nikonos lens into a Nikon RF lens? I'm assuming that their optical designs are the same. They look very similar next to each other.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Would be really interesting to see if this is possible. But I think you're treading into territory where no-one else has been, Mister E, so the only way to find out for sure is try it.

My gut feeling is that while the optical formula is essentially the same, slight differences (tweaks to the optical formula, barrel differences) will mean that swapping the glass is not just a matter of pulling it out of one lens and plonking it in the other lens. I suspect that some machining would be involved, and expensive because of that. Just my gut feelling though.

 

[Mister E]

I have the UW-Nikkor, but not the W-Nikkor. If I find one for cheap I'll see what I can figure out.

 

[splitimageview]

This doesn't address the original question, but if you have a Nikonos lens laying around, Japan Exposures can convert it to M mount.

 

[BillBingham2]

Yo Mister E,

A great question/idea. I am going to move this out of the Nikon RF stream and into Brian Sweeney's Mad Gearhead Scientist stream. This is RIGHT UP HIS ALLEY.

I am going to leave a link in the Nikon RF stream so that people looking there (as I would) will find it elsewhere (read I hope).

If this is possible it would breath a lot of life into some old frames.

Hey Brian, any thoughts?

B2 (;->

 

[Mister E]

This doesn't address the original question, but if you have a Nikonos lens laying around, Japan Exposures can convert it to M mount.

I had no idea that MS Optical could convert Nikonos lenses, but that makes sense.

 

[former member]

I've long suspected that the 35/2.5 is the same as the RF lens. And one of those, if I see one cheap I will pick it up and find out.

Other possibilities: put it in a J-12 shell.