Nikon L35AF lens hacked to Leica Thread Mount

02Pilot · May 13, 2015

I finally got together a project I'd been contemplating for some time, converting the Sonnar-formula 35/2.8 lens from a Nikon L35AF into a Leica Thread Mount. It took quite a while to fine-tune, but overall it came together without too many major complications, all things considered.

And a couple samples, just to show that it works (both taken with the Leica IIIc shown above):

The whole sordid story can be read here: https://filmosaur.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/lens-hacking-made-easy-not/

gzinsel · May 13, 2015

Nice job. I wish i had your machining capability. Totally awesome

AgX · May 13, 2015

How does a 35mm lens behave in a barrel for a 50mm lens?

02Pilot · May 13, 2015

gzinsel said:
Nice job. I wish i had your machining capability. Totally awesome

Thanks. No actual machining, though. Some cutting and a little grinding and filing, but that's it. All done with hand tools except for a Dremel.

AgX said:
How does a 35mm lens behave in a barrel for a 50mm lens?

In what sense?

frank · May 13, 2015

Damn, I just gave away one of those Nikon cameras with that lens the other day.

AgX · May 13, 2015

AgX said:
How does a 35mm lens behave in a barrel for a 50mm lens?

I had the focusing in mind. Scale and rangefinder.
But am just re-thinking the issue...

02Pilot · May 13, 2015

The RF coupling is way off, so it's scale focus only, but I pretty much knew that going in. My blog post has more details, but essentially I just figured out where 1, 2, and 3 meters were and marked the rim at those points, as well as infinity, but the lock more of less takes care of that anyway.

AgX · May 13, 2015

Well, you had a useless Elmar barrel, and a fine 35mm lens for cheap. Combining them yielded a wide angle lens of high speed for next to nothing.
With even the aperture working.

https://filmosaur.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/lens-hacking-made-easy-not/

IloveTLRs · May 14, 2015

A Nikindustar 35? Very nice

02Pilot · May 14, 2015

IloveTLRs said:
A Nikindustar 35? Very nice

You know, I'd been wondering what to call this thing, but "Nikondustar" might be perfect....

trythis · May 14, 2015

Nikdustar

Typos made on a tiny phone...

McFortner · May 14, 2015

Nikostar

trythis · May 14, 2015

Nikster? Ntar?

Typos made on a tiny phone...

McFortner · May 15, 2015

Indukon?

darkosaric · May 15, 2015

35mm f2.8 is summaron, so this one can be called "02Pilot sonnar nikkoron - special edition" .
How difficult and expensive was to make it? When I see the prices of 35mm leica lenses - maybe this could be good business move for you? I would consider buying one.

02Pilot · May 15, 2015

Thanks for all the name suggestions. The frustrating part is that, even if/when I decided on one, I don't have the extremely fine motor skills to paint or engrave it on the lens....

darkosaric said:
35mm f2.8 is summaron, so this one can be called "02Pilot sonnar nikkoron - special edition" .
How difficult and expensive was to make it? When I see the prices of 35mm leica lenses - maybe this could be good business move for you? I would consider buying one.

It wasn't expensive at all: free I-50 donor body, under $20 for the L35AF lens donor, maybe another $20 tops for miscellaneous bits. Took a lot of time, though additional examples would go more quickly. The problems are basically 1) that I don't really have the time to go chasing the necessary donor parts, which aren't expensive but are in irregular supply, and 2) while it works fine for me, I'm not satisfied that the quality of construction would be acceptable to paying customers. If you want a reasonably-priced LTM 35/2.8, you're probably better off getting a Jupiter-12.

However, darkosaric, if you still have that Praktica M-60 you were selling a few weeks back, I had some bad thoughts about buying it and taking the lens out to make a fixed-focus LTM pancake lens out of it....

Richard S. (rich815) · May 15, 2015

Very cool! BTW I have an old uncoated 35/3.5 Elmar that I simply love. Terrific performer. Cost me much more than this did you!

Richard S. (rich815) · May 15, 2015

02Pilot said:
However, darkosaric, if you still have that Praktica M-60 you were selling a few weeks back, I had some bad thoughts about buying it and taking the lens out to make a fixed-focus LTM pancake lens out of it....

Yes! Do this!

darkosaric · May 15, 2015

02Pilot said:
However, darkosaric, if you still have that Praktica M-60 you were selling a few weeks back, I had some bad thoughts about buying it and taking the lens out to make a fixed-focus LTM pancake lens out of it....

Yes I have it, but without film and cover - camera only. It is yours for 1 plus shipping (6). PM me if you are interested.

02Pilot · May 15, 2015

OK, I've sent the money to Darko for the Praktica M60, so with any luck I'll have another hacked lens story to tell in a month or two.

Richard S. (rich815) · May 15, 2015

Terrific. Please document with more detailed pictures I'd love to see the process.

darkosaric · May 15, 2015

Shipping tomorrow M-60 and additional 2 surprise packets for apug benefit !

02Pilot · May 18, 2015

A few samples from its first proper outing yesterday.

TheToadMen · May 18, 2015

02Pilot said:
A few samples from its first proper outing yesterday.

That must have been a fun day!

You could enter this image in the ongoing MSA "Geometry" challenge. See:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Richard S. (rich815) · May 18, 2015

Terrific images! If you ever, ever chose to sell that lens I'd like first crack please!

Nikon L35AF lens hacked to Leica Thread Mount

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