A Russian 85mm f2 "adjusted" to Nikon??

[GRHazelton]

I own a nice user Nikon S2, and a Kiev 4,(it seems to work well), and a Bessa R2S. I've seen on EBay Russian Contax mount 85mm f2 lenses supposedly "adjusted" to the Nikon standards. Being aware of the difference in Contax and Nikon iterations of the mount, is this even possible? The prices listed are tempting; Many Russian lenses are well thought of, but I really don't want to throw money away that I could use for film, etc. Here's the link to the EBay. https://www.ebay.com/i/302496760596?chn=ps&dispItem=1

I may have answered my own question. Looking at the pictures furnished I don't see the lock "latching" the lens to the body. I think that the vendors may have adapted the lenses to the Nikon SLR mount. Not having a Nikon SLR for reference I would appreciate opinions from you good people.

 

[Trask]

That looks all wrong. I’m attaching (if it’s not too large) a photo of the rear mount of a chrome Nikkor 85mm f/2 lens for S-mount. As you can see, the internal part with the three “ears” on the end is designed to engage with the focusing mount on the Nikon S2 body. You’ll see that the three ears on my lens are different from what they’re selling. That rear mount looks like an adapter to me, maybe for Nikon F mount — it wouldn’t couple and it wouldn’t turn to focus. And as you note, it entirely lacks the outer mount for the Nikor S.

I’d pass, if I were you. BTW, how’s that R2S body working out for you — nice to use? Thinking of getting one...

 

[GRHazelton]

That looks all wrong. I’m attaching (if it’s not too large) a photo of the rear mount of a chrome Nikkor 85mm f/2 lens for S-mount. As you can see, the internal part with the three “ears” on the end is designed to engage with the focusing mount on the Nikon S2 body. You’ll see that the three ears on my lens are different from what they’re selling. That rear mount looks like an adapter to me, maybe for Nikon F mount — it wouldn’t couple and it wouldn’t turn to focus.

I’d pass, if I were you. BTW, how’s that R2S body working out for you — nice to use? Thinking of getting one...

View attachment 189547

Many thanks! Your post shows the "latch" present on my Voigtlander 21 and 35, and my Nikkor 105 and 135. and absent from the EBay pictures. I feel that their presentation is deceptive; my search string was for the Nikon RANGEFINDER camera.
I've only just got the R2S. It is sweet... the mount takes my Voigtlanders and my 50mm Nikkor as smooth as silk. The body feels light but substantial; the only way to improve on the viewfinder would be 1 to 1 and perhaps auto frame selection. Of course a longer rangefinder base would be nice, but considering the handling problems using my Kiev which has a REALLY long RF base I can adjust. The meter reminds me of using my Pentax MX, adequate but nothing really remarkable. Shutter speed readout would be nice, but compared to other new Nikon S mount cameras - none - it is wonderful. It should be a killer street camera with the 35mm. Try it...you'll like it!

 

[BrianVS]

The lens that you linked to has been adapted for a Nikon F-Mount camera.

It is possible to bring a Jupiter-9 in Contax/Kiev mount close enough to the Nikon S-Mount standard, I have done this. The Contax/Kiev is built to the Zeiss standard, has ~270degree throw on the helical from 3ft to infinity. The Nikon is built to the Leica standard, has ~260degree throw from 3ft to infinity. The pitch is the same, the movement for the Nikon is slightly less.

The Black Jupiter-9 has a secondary shim to control the standoff of the rear triplet to the front group. Reducing the shim slightly reduces the focal length of the lens, and moves the triplet out from the image plane. A combination of reducing the rear shim and reducing the main shim will bring the focus in closer agreement to the S-Mount camera. The same trick works for using a FED/Zorki mount J-9 on a Leica.

Some trial and error, and luck required to get it right. The Jupiter-9 and the Contax 8.5cm F2 Sonnar have rendering closer to the 10.5cm F2.5 Nikkor. The Nikkor-PC 8.5cm F2 is sharper than the J-9, but the out-of-focus area is not as smooth.

 

[GRHazelton]

Hi BrianVS

Thanks for the post. You and Trask confirmed my suspicions, but the REAL QUESTION remains unanswered: Why Oh Why did Nikon do this to us? Why not use the unaltered Contax mount and make life simple for us? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[BrianVS]

Nikkor lenses were computed for the Canon/Leica standard in 1937. They were a lens company. After the war, they decided to start making cameras- but lacked to resources to recompute all of the lenses for the Leica and Contax. With the telephoto lenses- only the mount and pitch of the interior cam had to change, the optics are identical between Leica, S-Mount, and Contax mount lenses.

About 1/3~1/2 of 5cm lenses were sold in Leica mount. So- economy of scale. Also remember that the Nikon camera (Nikon 1) used a 24x32 frame format, popular in Japan.

The Russians did the same thing with their Thread Mount Zorki and Fed cameras: they, and the Kiev, were made to the Zeiss standard.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I own a nice user Nikon S2, and a Kiev 4,(it seems to work well), and a Bessa R2S. I've seen on EBay Russian Contax mount 85mm f2 lenses supposedly "adjusted" to the Nikon standards. Being aware of the difference in Contax and Nikon iterations of the mount, is this even possible? The prices listed are tempting; Many Russian lenses are well thought of, but I really don't want to throw money away that I could use for film, etc. Here's the link to the EBay. https://www.ebay.com/i/302496760596?chn=ps&dispItem=1

I may have answered my own question. Looking at the pictures furnished I don't see the lock "latching" the lens to the body. I think that the vendors may have adapted the lenses to the Nikon SLR mount. Not having a Nikon SLR for reference I would appreciate opinions from you good people.

I got an older but real Nikkor lens 85mm f/2 AIS(I think) for similar $.I think, these Russian lenses are very good, especially for the money but, if you want to be sure, go for older Nikkors instead.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

It looks like a standard Kiev mount J9 with the RF driver removed and the rear mount shortened, with the Soviet version of a T mount for Nikon grafted on.
Doing this on one actually occurred to me after I got the J9 for Kiev RF, it would be pretty simple to do, but I decided to wait for a Nikkor.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

It looks like a standard Kiev mount J9 with the RF driver removed and the rear mount shortened, with the Soviet version of a T mount for Nikon grafted on.
Doing this on one actually occurred to me after I got the J9 for Kiev RF, it would be pretty simple to do, but I decided to wait for a Nikkor.

smart move

 

[E. von Hoegh]

smart move

Agreed. But I do like the J9, yes the Nikkor is "better" but the Jupiter does a fine job. For 80 usd I'm very pleased indeed.