Super Takumar on Nikon F?

Thwyllo · Apr 7, 2023

Looked but can't find... Does anyone know if a Super Takumar 55mm f1.8 in 42mm can use a glass-less M42 to Nikon F mount and focus to infinity without modifications? I know that Helios lenses invariably don't but I'm not sure if the ST has different proportions??

Thanks for reading!

Nitroplait · Apr 7, 2023

You need glass in between to focus to infinity.

juan · Apr 7, 2023

I don’t have that particular lens, but none of my M42 lenses with plain adapter focus at infinity on my Nikon.

Thwyllo · Apr 7, 2023

That's a b*tch, I hate Nikon sometimes. Those glass elements typically act like a 1.2 teleconvertor too, not to mention the optical compromise.

I assume the answer is different for Canon EF since I see a lot of glass-less M42-EF adaptors?

M-88 · Apr 7, 2023

Thwyllo said:
I assume the answer is different for Canon EF since I see a lot of glass-less M42-EF adaptors?

That is correct. Flange focal distance of Canon EF mount is 44 mm, while m42 flange is 45.46 mm. So making an adapter without lens element is possible. Whereas in case of Nikon, flange is 46.5 mm, so it's physically impossible to make an adapter with infinity focus which would not employ a glass piece.

Thwyllo · Apr 7, 2023

M-88 said:
That is correct. Flange focal distance of Canon EF mount is 44 mm, while m42 flange is 45.46 mm. So making an adapter without lens element is possible. Whereas in case of Nikon, flange is 46.5 mm, so it's physically impossible to make an adapter with infinity focus which would not employ a glass piece.

That's what I thought. Thanks for the confirmation!

Nitroplait · Apr 7, 2023

Thwyllo said:
That's a b*tch, I hate Nikon sometimes.

F-mount bodies as a platform for adapted lenses; yes, but reversed if you want to adapt Nikon lenses to other platforms.

Anyway, In the digital realm, Nikon Z is an amazing platform for even the most impossible film lenses, such as the Voigtlander 12mm.

Thwyllo · Apr 7, 2023

Nitroplait said:
Anyway, In the digital realm, Nikon Z is an amazing platform for even the most impossible film lenses, such as the Voigtlander 12mm.

Trouble with going Nikon mirrorless is a whole new world of GAS pain

I have a Nikon D750 which is my only full frame DSLR but several Nikon and Canon APS-C, so I might drag one of the Canons out. Then again I have several Olympus OM1 & 2 bodies I could play with ....but I'm not sure they won't need a glass adaptor as well, assuming I can find one. Won't hurt to look will it? Oh go on then ...

M-88 · Apr 7, 2023

Thwyllo said:
I have several Olympus OM1 & 2 bodies I could play with ....but I'm not sure they won't need a glass adaptor as well, assuming I can find one.

I have bad news once again: flange distance of Olympus OM bodies is 46.00 mm. Deeper than Nikon. Sure, OM system is overall compact, but these are "deep" cameras, probably due to the fact that they have shutter ring around the lens mount.

Thwyllo · Apr 7, 2023

Not my day is it...

faberryman · Apr 7, 2023

I am curious why you would want to use a 55mm f:/1.8 Super Takumar lens on a Nikon. Why not just use a Nikon lens?

Thwyllo · Apr 7, 2023

faberryman said:
I am curious why you would want to use a 55mm f:/1.8 Super Takumar lens on a Nikon. Why not just use a Nikon lens?

I already have a bucket full of Nikkors but was curious to try out the ST because of it's reputation.

Bill Burk · Apr 7, 2023

I was going to suggest just using the f/stop appropriate for the hyperfocal distance to infinity but a quick check proves 1mm takes the focus to 7 feet and even at f/16 you only get to about 12 feet.

Good for portraits though.

Paul Howell · Apr 7, 2023

Thwyllo said:
I already have a bucket full of Nikkors but was curious to try out the ST because of it's reputation.

I have both Nikkors and Super Tacs, shooting black and white I see no difference between the 2, with color there may be some small differences in the way in which color is rendered, if you had a color chart you might tell one lens from the other.

reddesert · Apr 7, 2023

All M42 bodies and lenses should have the same flange-film distance, and given the Helios does not focus to infinity with an adapter to Nikon F mount, no other typical M42 lens will either.

There are lots and lots of M42-mount bodies out there, so if you wanted to try a Super Takumar the easiest route would be to get a working M42 camera body (eg Spotmatic, Mamiya TL/DTL/etc, Yashica TL/etc). You can also mount most M42 lenses on a Pentax K or Yashica/Contax bayonet mount camera with an inexpensive adapter (just a metal ring with no glass). You don't get open aperture metering, but the M42 bodies didn't have that either.

Kino · Apr 7, 2023

There IS an open aperture M42 camera, but it is relatively unknown; the Chinon CE II Memotron;

Chinon CE II Memotron (1976)

What is it? This is a Chinon CE II Memotron 35mm SLR camera from 1976. This model was one of the very last 35mm cameras released by any company to still us

mikeeckman.com

I have one and it's a tank of a camera.

Thwyllo · Apr 7, 2023

I have a couple of Chinons somewhere but can't recall what models...I must dig them out. I'd also forgotten Pentax was a glass-less adaptor option too; good tip.

I just like putting oddball things together...I'm currently waiting for my wife to get back from the UK with a glass-less adaptor I ordered that will let me use the lenses from my Bronica SQ AI on my Nikon SLR/DSLRs.

grain elevator · Apr 7, 2023

reddesert said:
You can also mount most M42 lenses on a Pentax K or Yashica/Contax bayonet mount camera with an inexpensive adapter (just a metal ring with no glass). You don't get open aperture metering, but the M42 bodies didn't have that either.

True that, but the bigger problem than metering is focusing. You don't get automatic diaphragm either. Most if not all M42 lenses do have a tab or something on the lens to stop it down, so it's less if an issue compared to other lenses one might use with an adapter, but still quite slow.

Super Takumar on Nikon F?

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