3D printable 49mm filter slip on adapter for 36mm lenses ex: Mamiya Six, Zeiss Super Ikonta

[Yobo57]

I made a 3D printable slip on adapter to fit 49mm filters on old folding cameras. The opening is 37mm, fits perfectly on my Mamiya six which has a 36mm wide lens.
Here is the link.
I would suggested printing with the smallest layer height you can, to ensure accurate 49mm threads.

Edit:
Alternate link

 

[Mick Fagan]

The link doesn't work for me, but then again I'm not super tech savvy.

Do you have a thread file? If you have a thread file, usually you can clean up damaged threads. That said, I know the threads on filters are quite small, but thread files used to be available for very fine metric threads 50 years ago when I bought an array of them for some very fine Swiss machinery.

 

[Yobo57]

The link doesn't work for me, but then again I'm not super tech savvy.

Do you have a thread file? If you have a thread file, usually you can clean up damaged threads. That said, I know the threads on filters are quite small, but thread files used to be available for very fine metric threads 50 years ago when I bought an array of them for some very fine Swiss machinery.

The link should work, it’s a public google drive file. I could always send you the 3D object by email if you would like to print your own, just send me a pm.

 

[MattKing]

Doesn't work for me either - it yields nothing more than a blank screen.

 

[selyfriday]

Link worked. Design looks very nice. I'm going to give it a go.

 

[koraks]

Link works fine for me. As to threads, my experiences trying to accurately print threads like these on a filament printer aren't very good. However, due to the softness of the material involved, I usually just use some protruding notches where the threads are supposed to be and then make the fitted part 'thread itself' in there.

 

[Yobo57]

Doesn't work for me either - it yields nothing more than a blank screen.

I added a link to the google drive folder instead of direct to the file, let me know if that works

 

[grahamp]

It might be easier to embed a 49mm filter ring or a 46-49mm step up ring to get a robust thread, rather than try to print it.

I have the file running on the printer at 0.1mm layer height at the moment out of curiosity. I have a camera this might fit, so it is worth it. Finding push on filters for the Zeiss is a bit hit or miss.

 

[MattKing]

I added a link to the google drive folder instead of direct to the file, let me know if that works

I certainly get more from that:

I'm guessing that those who are already working with stl files will normally have the viewer installed.

 

[grahamp]

As I expected, my standard nozzle cannot manage threads that thin. A filter did snap in and screw out, as there are some incomplete lands. I have done coarser threads (M6) with some success.

This is pushing the limits of my FDM printer, though someone with a finer nozzle and more patience may get more consistent results. I am curious what the settings were for the original - material, temperature, speed, nozzle diameter, and layer height.

 

[Yobo57]

As I expected, my standard nozzle cannot manage threads that thin. A filter did snap in and screw out, as there are some incomplete lands. I have done coarser threads (M6) with some success.

This is pushing the limits of my FDM printer, though someone with a finer nozzle and more patience may get more consistent results. I am curious what the settings were for the original - material, temperature, speed, nozzle diameter, and layer height.

I printed mine in pla at 190 degrees, max speed 150mm/s with a layer height of 0.05mm. I used the anycubic kobra 2 printer, I believe the nozzle diameter is 0.4mm. The print is not perfect, but it gets the job done.

 

[grahamp]

My printer does not like layers less than 0.16 with a 0.4mm nozzle, but I see it might be worth some tests to see if I can get a better result.

 

[MrRom92]

I just had to join so I could say THANK YOU for this! Google led me here. @Yobo57 if I can successfully print this, this will be a godsend.

I have tried for years to easily adapt filters to the A36 slip-on style, for my Elmar 50mm… I came up with another solution for that (turns out the elmar has threads as well) but printing this and gluing in a step up ring would help replicate the functionality of the unnecessarily expensive SOOGZ adaptor. A much more elegant solution.

More recently I have been trying to get filters onto the Olympus lens on my Mamiya 6, which turns out uses the same A36 filters - and ONLY those slip on filters, as it is not threaded like the Leica Elmar, making this adaptor a more significant necessity.


I am a novice when it comes to 3D printing but I am going to see if my library can help out making a successful print. To my knowledge they have a Prusa printer available.

Is black PLA typically suitable for a photographic use like this that may be used outdoors in very bright sunlight?

 

[Yobo57]

I just had to join so I could say THANK YOU for this! Google led me here. @Yobo57 if I can successfully print this, this will be a godsend.

I have tried for years to easily adapt filters to the A36 slip-on style, for my Elmar 50mm… I came up with another solution for that (turns out the elmar has threads as well) but printing this and gluing in a step up ring would help replicate the functionality of the unnecessarily expensive SOOGZ adaptor. A much more elegant solution.

More recently I have been trying to get filters onto the Olympus lens on my Mamiya 6, which turns out uses the same A36 filters - and ONLY those slip on filters, as it is not threaded like the Leica Elmar, making this adaptor a more significant necessity.


I am a novice when it comes to 3D printing but I am going to see if my library can help out making a successful print. To my knowledge they have a Prusa printer available.

Is black PLA typically suitable for a photographic use like this that may be used outdoors in very bright sunlight?

No problem, I’m happy I could help! Black PLA should be perfectly fine, if they have matte black even better.

I haven’t used the filter on my Mamiya yet as I haven’t gotten around to repairing the bellows, but I used a similar 3d printed adapter on a yashica tlr and it worked perfectly. I also recently made an adapter to use a copal shutter on a bronica etrsi back using black pla and the results were light tight.

Let me know how the print works out for you!

 

[MrRom92]

No problem, I’m happy I could help! Black PLA should be perfectly fine, if they have matte black even better.

I haven’t used the filter on my Mamiya yet as I haven’t gotten around to repairing the bellows, but I used a similar 3d printed adapter on a yashica tlr and it worked perfectly. I also recently made an adapter to use a copal shutter on a bronica etrsi back using black pla and the results were light tight.

Let me know how the print works out for you!

Thanks for letting me know - it may be a little bit before I can make an appointment with them and try this experiment but I’ll certainly report back!

My goal is to have this ready in time for a trip I have coming up in August, so… ideally sometime before then


Unrelated to this, but I also have an concept for a multi-exposure photo I’d like to take on the Mamiya, and to help line things up I was trying to brainstorm how to get a grid in the Mamiya’s viewfinder… I printed a grid on transparency paper but it turns out the optics in the viewfinder don’t allow the grid lines to visually be in focus if it’s so close to the glass.

One of my ideas was to possibly 3D print something that slots into the cold shoe that acts as a frame for the grid transparency, and holds it out at a slight distance in front of the viewfinder window. Kind of like the old Auto-Up attachment, if you’ve ever seen that.

Not that I know the first thing about 3D modeling but that was the best idea I could come up with anyway!

Also completely unrelated to that, I was also thinking of some sort of base for the camera (screwed into the tripod socket) with two arms that run up each side of camera, that could give the Mamiya the strap lugs it is sorely missing .


Again - not that I know the first thing about getting these things past the concept stage, but it’s nice to think that 3D printing can really give these classic cameras a new life. Maybe one day I’ll learn this stuff, in the meantime… at least I’m (somewhat) capable of loading up a file and hitting print !

 

[Yobo57]

Thanks for letting me know - it may be a little bit before I can make an appointment with them and try this experiment but I’ll certainly report back!

My goal is to have this ready in time for a trip I have coming up in August, so… ideally sometime before then


Unrelated to this, but I also have an concept for a multi-exposure photo I’d like to take on the Mamiya, and to help line things up I was trying to brainstorm how to get a grid in the Mamiya’s viewfinder… I printed a grid on transparency paper but it turns out the optics in the viewfinder don’t allow the grid lines to visually be in focus if it’s so close to the glass.

One of my ideas was to possibly 3D print something that slots into the cold shoe that acts as a frame for the grid transparency, and holds it out at a slight distance in front of the viewfinder window. Kind of like the old Auto-Up attachment, if you’ve ever seen that.

Not that I know the first thing about 3D modeling but that was the best idea I could come up with anyway!

Also completely unrelated to that, I was also thinking of some sort of base for the camera (screwed into the tripod socket) with two arms that run up each side of camera, that could give the Mamiya the strap lugs it is sorely missing .


Again - not that I know the first thing about getting these things past the concept stage, but it’s nice to think that 3D printing can really give these classic cameras a new life. Maybe one day I’ll learn this stuff, in the meantime… at least I’m (somewhat) capable of loading up a file and hitting print !

When I made this adapter I didn’t really know anything about 3D modelling, I was just cutting up existing models and combining them in Blender. Recently however I picked up Fusion 360 and it’s been easy to learn and very intuitive for these camera projects. I believe there’s a free license available.

I’ve seen the auto up attachment, you could probably make a prototype easily out of carboard or even instead try different color transparent plastic strips on the window instead of grid lines
to divide the frame.
edit: here is a 3d model I quickly made that should work, just have to stick on your transparency paper to the front

I wouldn’t trust 3d printed strap lugs, you’re probably better off tracking down one of the original leather cases or a similar one that fits.

 

[koraks]

Recently however I picked up Fusion 360 and it’s been easy to learn and very intuitive for these camera projects. I believe there’s a free license available.

So far Fusion is free to use for non-commercial products and with a limit of 10 projects that can be simultaneously worked on. You can have more projects, but have to disable some for editing to remain below the limit of 10. However, since you can change this at any time, the limit in practice is not...limiting. Heh. Fusion is great. I use it for all my 3D prints.

 

[loccdor]

I've liked carbon fiber PETG and nylon recently for matte black photographic items. The carbon fiber helps retain the dimensionality and makes it less flexible. This focus hood was made out of 2mm CF-PETG. It does need a harder nozzle, higher temps, and an enclosure from what I hear.