Can anyone recommend a well made M42 adapter for Nikon camera?

10speeduk · Oct 26, 2013

Hi Guys,

I bought a Helios recently with a M42 thread for my Nikon.

I bought this adapter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macro-M42...ns_caps_hoods_adaptors_ET&hash=item3cc2039997

which works but when the lens is mounted on the camera there is a slight rotational play where the adaptor is slightly too small for the Nikon mount. This is mostly noticeable when focusing and it is ANNOYING!!! Can anyone recommend one that will fit like a nikon lens does? Its driving me crazy! I love the lens

Thanks

Paul

AgX · Oct 26, 2013

Both my Helios 44-2 lenses (different manufacturers) have a slight lateral/rotational (though not lenghtwise!) play between their helical barrel and their M42 mounting part.
Thus even with the best adapter a play is likely to remain with your lens.

But that lens has such a long throw (small helical pitch) than such play is insignificant in focusing.

Newt_on_Swings · Oct 26, 2013

Here is an interesting article written about a month back on lensrentals.com that examined adapters.

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2013/09/there-is-no-free-lunch-episode-763-lens-adapters

I have used a few adapters in the past, Nikon f to Canon Ef, m42 to nikon f, om to canon Ef, ltm to m. I bought the inexpensive ones off eBay, they worked ok, didn't really encounter any problems. Though I used them in a digital application with a crop camera (problems from these adapters might be hidden as a smaller center image circle would be used). Most common problem was usually difficulty of getting them off the lenses. The only adapters I currently use now are the ltm adapters, and they have worked very well on my 50mm and 28mm lenses.

AgX · Oct 26, 2013

I have not yet looked thoroughly into those graphics of that test (they are barely readible anyway), but I don't see how a non-optical adapter could significantly affect image quality in real life photography.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 26, 2013

10speeduk said:
Hi Guys,

I bought a Helios recently with a M42 thread for my Nikon.

I bought this adapter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Macro-M42...ns_caps_hoods_adaptors_ET&hash=item3cc2039997

which works but when the lens is mounted on the camera there is a slight rotational play where the adaptor is slightly too small for the Nikon mount. This is mostly noticeable when focusing and it is ANNOYING!!! Can anyone recommend one that will fit like a nikon lens does? Its driving me crazy! I love the lens

Thanks

Paul

How are you achieving infinity focus? The flange distance for m42 is 45.46mm, that for Nikon F is 46.50, meaning the lens will be 1.04mm too far from the film to focus at infinity. Or does the adapter have optics?

Edit - There are F mount Helios lenses available that will focus properly. - http://www.commiecameras.com/sov/35mmsinglelensreflexcameras/lenses/nikon.htm

BMbikerider · Oct 26, 2013

For an alternative adapter have a look at the website of SRB Griturn, based in Luton, Bedfordshire. They make almost any adapter you can mention or wish for. Common ones are not expensive but be-spoke ones can be pricy according to the complexity and if they need an optical element added to ensure you get infinity focus.

mgb74 · Oct 26, 2013

AgX said:
I have not yet looked thoroughly into those graphics of that test (they are barely readible anyway), but I don't see how a non-optical adapter could significantly affect image quality in real life photography.

I would think the degree to which an adapter might not be perfectly parallel to the film plane would have an impact. Whether it would be an issue in "real life", I don't know.

AgX · Oct 26, 2013

That for sure would have an impact if doing 2D reproduction work. But for the rest of photo work there rarely is a intended plane of focus that is parallel to to the film plane anyway.

ic-racer · Oct 27, 2013

The horizon at infinity requires the most critical lens to film alignment

AgX · Oct 27, 2013

But you got a huge DOF at infinity setting. That would come up for a play of a few 1/100mm.

polyglot · Oct 28, 2013

ic-racer said:
The horizon at infinity requires the most critical lens to film alignment

That adapter (nor any other M42/Nikon with no glass in it) isn't going to achieve infinity due to the difference in registration distances, unless the lens being used has been modified to allow focusing past the default infinity stops.

AgX · Oct 28, 2013

Pologlot, I guess that remark was a reply on my general statement on play at mounts.

polyglot · Oct 28, 2013

Yeah. And if you're using something other than Nikon, the mount flatness will definitely matter, especially laterally. You don't want to have the middle of the horizon sharp and both the edges soft from applying some front swing!

Steve Smith · Oct 29, 2013

E. von Hoegh said:
How are you achieving infinity focus? The flange distance for m42 is 45.46mm, that for Nikon F is 46.50, meaning the lens will be 1.04mm too far from the film to focus at infinity. Or does the adapter have optics?

I was wondering this too. I changed the lens mount on my Helios 44 to make it fit a Nikon.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Steve.

AgX · Oct 29, 2013

How did you fix that Nikon mount and distance ring to the Helios barrel? I guess you did not have the right threading to do so.

zanxion72 · Oct 30, 2013

Has anybody watched this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSgLbUUxNzE ?

It is about making it focus at infinity on an F mount using an M42 adapter without optical correction glass.

Steve Smith · Oct 30, 2013

AgX said:
How did you fix that Nikon mount and distance ring to the Helios barrel? I guess you did not have the right threading to do so.

The distance ring is from the Helios. Only the mount is Nikon (well, from a third party Nikon fit lens).

Removed the M42 mount, measured its thickness, removed a Nikon mount from a scrap lens and measured its thickness, made a spacer to make up the difference minus the difference between Nikon and Pentax flange distances, drilled holes in the Nikon mount to line up with the holes in the lens and screwed it all together.

When the lens barrel is set to infinity, it focuses at infinity.

EDIT - Just found my notes...

M42 mount = 6.6mm
F mount = 4mm

Difference = 2.6mm

M42 register = 45.46mm
F register = 46.5mm

Difference = 1.04mm

Spacer required = Mount difference - Register difference = 2.6 - 1.04 = 1.56mm

Steve.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 30, 2013

Steve Smith said:
The distance ring is from the Helios. Only the mount is Nikon (well, from a third party Nikon fit lens).

Removed the M42 mount, measured its thickness, removed a Nikon mount from a scrap lens and measured its thickness, made a spacer to make up the difference minus the difference between Nikon and Pentax flange distances, drilled holes in the Nikon mount to line up with the holes in the lens and screwed it all together.

When the lens barrel is set to infinity, it focuses at infinity.

EDIT - Just found my notes...

M42 mount = 6.6mm
F mount = 4mm

Difference = 2.6mm

M42 register = 45.46mm
F register = 46.5mm

Difference = 1.04mm

Spacer required = Mount difference - Register difference = 2.6 - 1.04 = 1.56mm

Steve.

Thanks Steve, I was thinking of making a bayonet for a Helios, now I know it will work.

AgX · Oct 31, 2013

Thank you Steve, I mixed up your Helios model with mine (type 2, non-automated) which has a screwed in mount, no mounting holes.

Steve Smith · Oct 31, 2013

AgX said:
Thank you Steve, I mixed up your Helios model with mine (type 2, non-automated) which has a screwed in mount, no mounting holes.

I have three (Possibly four) of thse lenses and the mount is different on all of them.

Steve.

Can anyone recommend a well made M42 adapter for Nikon camera?

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