Where To Find Cv Lenses In Contax Mt ?

x-ray

x-ray

Veteran
Local time
9:00 AM
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
5,753
I'm fairly new to the Kiev / Contax / Nikon equipment and want to find a good source for CV lenses in the contax mount. Any suggestions? Also I purchased an 85mm f2 russian lens that needs the focus lubed. Any suggestions for service?

I have just purchased a very nice Nikon SP and will sooner or later add some vintage nikkor glass but might want to use the russian glass on it. Are there any flange to focal plane issues with russian glass on Nikon RF? This might not be the place to ask but some of you might use both systems.

Thanks,

Don

x-rayarts.com

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=5045
 
You can't use anything longer than a 35mm lens on the Nikon RF if it was meant for Contax (Kiev) mount. The 35mm prewar Biogon or Soviet Jupiter-12 35/2.8 has a large, protruding rear element that I am reasonably certain will not fit in the Nikon SP.

So you're pretty much stuck with Nikon glass, or a handful of postwar Zeiss lenses.
 
Hello Mike! while I've the chance to ask it, what kind of Zeiss lenses mount on the Kievs? Only pre-war contax lenses, or postwar as well ?

Thank you :D
max
 
Since any of the 50s and above are out, and the prewar 35/2.8 won't fit, by my tally that leaves:

1. postwar 35/2.8 Biogon
2. postwar 35/3.5 Planar
3. postwar 21/4.5 Biogon
4. postwar 25/4 Topogon (very rare)

and one long shot:

5. Prewar 40/2 Biotar - if 40 is close enough to focus accurate (very rare lens)

All of these lenses cost more than the equivalent C/V lenses, unless you are extremely lucky.

PS my 85/2 Jupiter-9 was full of aluminum filings when I opened it up for the same type of rough focus service!
 
Last edited:
Thank you very much, Mike!

I'll save this somewhere safe ... in case one day I've the idea of spending half my wage in a topogon!

Max
 
darkkavenger said:
Thank you very much, Mike!

I'll save this somewhere safe ... in case one day I've the idea of spending half my wage in a topogon!

Max
Click to expand...

IF you can FIND one! Save your money and buy a C/V lens with multicoating!

Forgot one:

6. 35/2.8 Biometar - rare, postwar, Carl Zeiss Jena lens only in cheap aluminum mount which fits postwar cameras. Said to be by one German Contax expert I know to be the sharpest of the 35's, of which I believe he owns all. Again, I recall I saw one on ebay this year, attached to a Contax IIIA body with a poor description, but the sharks still bid it up.
 
Last edited:
Thanks again for the info. I just received my 25 f4 CV today but my wife took it to put under the Christmas tree. I'm looking forward to giving it a spin.
 
x-ray said:
I'm fairly new to the Kiev / Contax / Nikon equipment and want to find a good source for CV lenses in the contax mount. Any suggestions? Also I purchased an 85mm f2 russian lens that needs the focus lubed. Any suggestions for service?

I have just purchased a very nice Nikon SP and will sooner or later add some vintage nikkor glass but might want to use the russian glass on it. Are there any flange to focal plane issues with russian glass on Nikon RF? This might not be the place to ask but some of you might use both systems.

Thanks,

Don

x-rayarts.com

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=5045
Click to expand...

I did not see this post before.

There are issues with mounting Contax Glass on Nikon cameras, and additional issues mounting Kiev lenses on Nikon cameras. In addition to the focus issue, I have found it necessary to file some of the portions of the lens down to get it onto the Nikon. It's strange: The Sonnar fits on the Nikons; the Helios-103 and 2 J-8's fits on the Contax; the Helios and J-8's required the lock pin to be filed down to fit the Nikon. The J-12 fit on the Contax, required the collar to be filed down to fit the Nikon. The J-9 fit the Contax, filed the flanges to fit the Nikon.

The 5cm Sonnar F1.5 will focus about 1" behind the Nikkor lens at 36". Can be covered at F2. I swapped out the shims on a Nikon S2 to use with the COntax lenses. Put two 0.25mm washers under the screws to back the mount out. Recalibrated the RF.
 
Wooo Brian - isn't the pitch of the helical different on the Nikon? Now your Nikon won't focus all the way to infinity. Is the problem still not going to be worse (esp with 85/2 and 135/4) with your shimmed S2 not hitting infinity? I have to think about this because on external mount lenses, the helical pitch is on the lens, and the internal mount couples the rangefinder.

I'm not fortunate ($$$) enough to own a Nikon RF so I don't have the luxury to experiment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom