M39 spacer info needed

Arvee · Apr 9, 2008

I purchased a used enlarger lens that came with an M39-M39 spacer/adapter with about 8mm of extension that allows me to extend the standard M39 enlarging lenses out about 8mm closer to the baseboard.

I would like to find another but I am having no luck. Not sure I am defining the part properly. Sorta like a 8mm M39 extension tube? I see Leica/others make sets but I am looking for the shortest one.

My Schneider lenses don't have enough thread to properly attach a jam nut. I can get about a 1/4 turn using my Omega lens boards.

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

Fred

Arvee · Apr 9, 2008

What a great community! A member has spent a bit of time researching a possible solution for me and has come up with an adapter ring to solve my problem. It will be on its way to me shortly!

Thanks, Jon! Thanks, APUG!

Fred

pschauss · Apr 11, 2008

I bought a set of 39mm macro rings, originally intended for Leica or FSU Leica copies. They are readily available from a number of the regular FSU sellers on Ebay. As an added bonus, mine came with a set of tables which for adjusting the exposure and scale focus when taking macro photos with a rangefinder camera.

ignatiu5 · Apr 11, 2008

Fred Aspen said:
What a great community! A member has spent a bit of time researching a possible solution for me and has come up with an adapter ring to solve my problem. It will be on its way to me shortly!

Thanks, Jon! Thanks, APUG!

Fred

Fred, if you don't mind, would you please post your solution? I'm having the same "too short a thread" issue trying to mate an older El-Nikkor 75/4 to an Omega twist-lock lensboard (for a B22XL enlarger). I was planning on getting a Schneider to solve the problem, but if the Schneider is similarly too short...

Thanks,
ignatiu5

Ronald Moravec · Apr 12, 2008

The solution is to thin the lens board.

Or epoxy the jam nut to the outside of the lens board. Then you have screw threads.

If you are nervous, three self tapping sheet metal screws spaced around the jam nut will make it never come off. Drill a smaller hole first the same size as the inner diameter of the threads. A proper drill and tap is even better if you have the tools.

ignatiu5 · Apr 12, 2008

Ronald Moravec said:
The solution is to thin the lens board.

Or epoxy the jam nut to the outside of the lens board. Then you have screw threads.

If you are nervous, three self tapping sheet metal screws spaced around the jam nut will make it never come off. Drill a smaller hole first the same size as the inner diameter of the threads. A proper drill and tap is even better if you have the tools.

Thank you for that response Ronald. The guys at my local photography shop and I discussed having a recessed step machined from the lensboard to fit the jam nut. We came to the conclusion that it might be easier to look for a different lens. My newer El-Nikkor 50/2.8 has threads that are more than adequate for that lensboard style, so I'm guessing (hoping?) that a newer version of an El-Nikkor 75 or 80mm will be similar. If all else fails, I might try the reversed jam nut option.

I appreciate your reply.

ignatiu5

Arvee · Apr 12, 2008

Ignatiu5,

An APUGer sent me a 10mm extension tube/ring that has M39 m/f threads and the male threads go into the lens board and it has female threads available for any M39 lens. It accomplishes the same thing as Ronald described except it can be easily removed by unscrewing the adapter.

After the fact, I discovered some jam nuts I have that have a skirt and three holes drilled into the skirt. I could also have drilled/tapped three holes on the lens board and permanently mounted the jam nut on the outside and had threads available but, again, the original board is now modified.

There are a number of solutions to 'skin the cat' but I'll stick with the jam nut mounted adapter for now.

PS. I have no problems with my 'N' series 50/80 El-Nikkors on the board.

ignatiu5 · Apr 12, 2008

Fred Aspen said:
Ignatiu5,

An APUGer sent me a 10mm extension tube/ring that has M39 m/f threads and the male threads go into the lens board and it has female threads available for any M39 lens. It accomplishes the same thing as Ronald described except it can be easily removed by unscrewing the adapter.

After the fact, I discovered some jam nuts I have that have a skirt and three holes drilled into the skirt. I could also have drilled/tapped three holes on the lens board and permanently mounted the jam nut on the outside and had threads available but, again, the original board is now modified.

There are a number of solutions to 'skin the cat' but I'll stick with the jam nut mounted adapter for now.

PS. I have no problems with my 'N' series 50/80 El-Nikkors on the board.

Fred,

Thanks for the reply. After reading pschauss' response above, I found a few M39 extension ring sets on thebay, but ended up buying an 80/5.6 El-Nikkor N. My 50/2.8 N works fine, and I've read good things about the 80mm here on APUG, so it seemed like the easiest solution for me. When it gets here, I can start making prints from my (new for me) Bronica 645. Very exciting!

M39 spacer info needed

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