Strange lens

shicks5319 · Feb 7, 2007

Yesterday, while down at our local camera store shopping for a strap for my new M3, I was shown a lens that is susposed to be compatible (according to the guy behind the counter) with my M3.

This is a COSMICAR 1:3.5 135MM lens made by the Ichizuka Opt. Co. It has a screw mount, but I was told a baynet adaptor could be obtained. It's about the right size and appears to be a very well made lens.

Does anyone know about this lens? Are these guys for real?

Thanks for your comments.

David H. Bebbington · Feb 7, 2007

I had never heard the name in my life, but brief research reveals that the company is now owned by Pentax and makes video camera lenses. If the 135 lens you have seen is in good shape, there's no reason why it shouldn't be usable, you need to factor in $50 for an adapter of course, so the lens itself needs to be fairly cheap ($60 to 70?). If the lens needs weird-sized filters, this might be a factor against as well.

shicks5319 · Feb 7, 2007

Adaptor

David H. Bebbington said:
I had never heard the name in my life, but brief research reveals that the company is now owned by Pentax and makes video camera lenses. If the 135 lens you have seen is in good shape, there's no reason why it shouldn't be usable, you need to factor in $50 for an adapter of course, so the lens itself needs to be fairly cheap ($60 to 70?). If the lens needs weird-sized filters, this might be a factor against as well.

David,

Do you know where adaptors can be obtained? I brought the lens home (they gave it to me for $30). I thought it was worth a try, the glass appears to be in fine shape, the focus seems smooth and the appature appears to work.

Tom Hoskinson · Feb 7, 2007

You can find 39mm thread to Leica M bayonet adapters at Stephen Gandy's CameraQuest

http://www.cameraquest.com/

You also can often find them on eBay.

Dan Fromm · Feb 7, 2007

If it is in M39x1 (actually x 26 tpi but everyone says x1) with the right back focus for an LTM body, then you need a female LTM-to-male M adapter. These things exist and can even be found.

If it is in T-mount (M42x0.75) you'll want a female T mount-to-male M bayonet adapter. If such things exist, they're uncommon. Female T mount-to-male M39x1 are much less uncommon, but not exactly abundant. Given one of them, you'll also need the female M39x1-to-male M bayonet adapter mentioned above.

None of these adapters gives RF coupling, so you'll have to focus by guess or tape measure and trust the lens' focused distance scale.

If the lens is in Praktica/Pentax mount (M42x1), you're probably cooked.

David H. Bebbington · Feb 7, 2007

Following Tom's link it appears that this supplier charges $55 for an adapter (the lens will then most definitely couple with the rangefinder of your M3). Genuine Leitz/Leica adapters are harder to find (only available second-hand) and will cost the same if not more.

Best regards,

David

shicks5319 · Feb 7, 2007

Images

Here are some images of the lens. Since I really did NOT quite understand what Dan was trying to tell me about T-mount v.s. 1X 39mm.

Maybe the pics will help zero in on just what this lens is.

David H. Bebbington · Feb 7, 2007

Your lens appears to have a screw thread at the rear. If this measures 39 mm across, you're home free (apart from needing a Leica screw-to-bayonet adapter). The T-mount system was mainly for old SLR lenses (and is now mainly for telescopes and similar devices), you could interchange an adapter at the rear of the lesn and fit it to numerous different SLRs. I have never seen a T-mount lens for Leica, they may exist, if they did they wouldn't couple with the rangefinder, but I am sure what you have is a Leica screw-thread (or Leica Thread Mount LTM) lens which will be fine for the M3 with an adapter as mentioned above.

shicks5319 · Feb 7, 2007

adapter

Well I sent the pictures over to Stephen Gandy's CameraQuest.

We'll see what they say.

Thanks for everybody's help. I love this site.

Dan Fromm · Feb 7, 2007

David, FYI t-mount lenses aren't for any camera in particular, they're for all 35 mm cameras with register shorter than 55 mm, the native t-mount register. There are indeed t-mount to LTM (as in Leica thread mount, not as in Zenit SLR) body adapters, I have two of them.

To my inexperienced eye the lens looks like a t-mount, doesn't seem to have an RF cam at the rear. Oh, well.

Cheers,

Dan

shicks5319 · Feb 7, 2007

The End

Dan might be right here.

This is what Stephen Cane says:

"it's a cheap Japanese lens for SLRs
not RF probably a T mount on the back
forget putting it on your M3."

Oh, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Thanks to all who pitched in here.

Dan Fromm · Feb 7, 2007

Well, as I said, if it is a t-mount lens putting it on your M will take two adapters. A mythical t-mount-to-LTM adapter, of which I have two, neither for sale, and a somewhat less mythical LTM to M adapter. And then guess focus.

David H. Bebbington · Feb 7, 2007

Too bad your lens turned out to be M42, as you were told it would fit your Leica, I presume you will get your money back.
If you are looking for a cheap but good 135 lens, I have had good results from a Jupiter 11, which looks like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jupiter-11-4-...ryZ30063QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This came in 3 fittings, M42 for Pentax-type screw-thread SLRs, M39 for screw-thread Zenith SLRs (no good for Leica) and M39 for LTM. I had one of these in the 1960s and bought another a few years ago - both were good.

Incidentally Dan is quite right to say that T-mount lenses will fit anything and that it is the mount which is specific to one brand of camera. As Dan says, T-mounts for Leica do exist (but are very rare) but do not give rangefinder coupling, which you can (just) do without with a wide-angle lens but not a 135.

Regards,

David

shicks5319 · Feb 7, 2007

Thanks David

David H. Bebbington said:
Too bad your lens turned out to be M42, as you were told it would fit your Leica, I presume you will get your money back.
If you are looking for a cheap but good 135 lens, I have had good results from a Jupiter 11, which looks like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jupiter-11-4-...ryZ30063QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This came in 3 fittings, M42 for Pentax-type screw-thread SLRs, M39 for screw-thread Zenith SLRs (no good for Leica) and M39 for LTM. I had one of these in the 1960s and bought another a few years ago - both were good.

Incidentally Dan is quite right to say that T-mount lenses will fit anything and that it is the mount which is specific to one brand of camera. As Dan says, T-mounts for Leica do exist (but are very rare) but do not give rangefinder coupling, which you can (just) do without with a wide-angle lens but not a 135.

Regards,

David

Yeah Thanks, David.

I have a 50mm lens (came with the camera) and just picked up a 90mm from KEH. So I'll play with those for a while, save my pennies, and may look at the Jupiter down the road.

DBP · Feb 8, 2007

David H. Bebbington said:
Too bad your lens turned out to be M42, as you were told it would fit your Leica, I presume you will get your money back.
If you are looking for a cheap but good 135 lens, I have had good results from a Jupiter 11, which looks like this:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jupiter-11-4-...ryZ30063QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This came in 3 fittings, M42 for Pentax-type screw-thread SLRs, M39 for screw-thread Zenith SLRs (no good for Leica) and M39 for LTM. I had one of these in the 1960s and bought another a few years ago - both were good.

At least five fittings, you are forgetting Contax mount for the Kiev rangefinders and the unique Kiev 10 mount. Alfred Klomp says it was also available in Exakta mount. Nice lens.

Strange lens

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