Soligor 2.8/35. What mount is it?

<p><img src="/bboard/www.flickr.com/photos/deafburglar/15847646810/" alt="" />Hi all!<br>

This weird Soligor lens arrived today in the mail by mistake (the wrong item was posted to me). I have no idea what mount it is and if it could be adapted for use on my M42 cameras. Some sort of adapter was snugly fitted at the back with the use of carefully placed electrical tape. The "adapter itself has three screw holes that are semi-destroyed. The lens itself seems to have preset aperture control. I don't know if the rear detachable part is really an adapter or just the rear part of the lens that has broken off. Without the electrical tape there, it is very loose when placed at the back, perhaps the missing screws held it firmly in place? The lens itself is strongly reminiscent of the Super Takumar 3.5/35 I have in M42 mount, both size- and design-wise. I have come to an arrangement with the seller to simply keep the lens for free, so I was wondering if it could be easily fixed or if I could just get another adapter for it. </p><div></div>

<p>It looks like an Exakta T-mount, but there are a lot of lenses with three-segmented flanges. The 3 holes may have been for set screws to hold the mount to the lens.</p>

<p>The mount looks like an old T mount. You can get lots of t-mount adapters dirt cheap - like $5-6; you will have to be patient though to find the right one - although I do see some M42 ones right now on the big auction site for $6-10.</p>

<p>The ring with the groove on the lens should also come off. It would have 42mm threads, but at 0.75 mm pitch. Might take some penetrating oil on the threads to get it loose, aluminum can seize and gall over time.<br>

However, T2 mounts all have the system of set-screws and the inner ring, although the outside diameter of the inner ring isn't standardized. If you find a T2 mount for your camera with the right inner diameter, you can mount it on the existing ring.<br>

(The ring and set-screws allow fine tuning the lens so that the focus and f-stop index marks are "up" when mounted on the camera.)</p>

<p>John Shriver: Nothing else can be removed from the lens body, unless you use a lens spanner which will also remove the rear element. Something seems to be missing between the lens proper and the mount part, hence the electrical tape to keep the latter snugly into place. It's a pity cause it looks like a good lens and mechanically everything seems to work well despite its age.</p>

<p>OK, according to this site (http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-99.html) this is an Exakta mount adapter, so Dennis W. is right! Having solved that, it's quite obvious that either there's something missing between the lens proper and the adapter, or the three missing screws held it firmly in place, at the same time allowing fine tuning it's position on the camera so that the markings are visible from above (this seems unlikely, as it could be theoretically possible for the lens to simply fall off the camera if the screws got too loose). In any case, the condition of the screw holes makes it unlikely for new screws to fit.</p>

<p>That tapered aluminum ring on the back of the lens is definitely part of a "T" mount. It is supposed to screw off with the mount. If it is stuck (a good chance that it is) you could drill 2 small holes 180 degrees apart in it and use a pin spanner to try to remove it. As mentioned, T mounts are plentiful and if you can get that stuck ring off with no damage you should be able to find the proper adapter for it for your SLR.</p>

<p>OK, I managed to unscrew the tapered part and it turns out the lens is truly a T2 Soligor screw mount lens for which, as luck would have it, I already have a M42 adapter from an old Prinz Galaxy lens, so it looks like the little Soligor is good to go again! Thanks everyone for contributing!</p>

<p>I had a Soligor 28mm T mount lens back around 1978. Absolutely the worst lens I've ever used. Elements must have been made out of Coke bottle bottoms. I hope your 35mm is better!</p>

<p>Anthony Oresteen: It's a freebie anyway and it also served to educate me on Soligor T-mount lenses, so I guess it was worth it. I already own and use a Flektogon 2.4/35 and a Super Takumar 3.5/35 and it's pretty likely this Soligor won't even come close to their performance (esp. the Tak). The lens I originally ordered (and got this one instead) is a 2.8/105 Soligor which has a good reputation and cost me very little. I just hope the seller keeps his word and send it at no extra charge. </p>

<p>Christos,</p>

<p>I found a test of the T-4 Soligor lenses in the Jan. 1969 issue of Camera 35 magazine. Your 35mm may be a keeper. I would certainly give it a try.</p>

<p>Here is page 1 of the test.</p>

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<p>Here is page 2 of the test.</p>

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<p>I have a similar lens to the one here, a T-2 preset Soligor, my recollection (not at home) is that it's a 35/3.5. It came originally with an Exakta mount. It's very small, and rather nicely made, but not optically much, as I recall. I don't even recall where it came from, probably a freebie or close to it. </p>

<p>I also have a later Soligor T-4 automatic lens, a 75-260 zoom. Hefty and well built, with a good tripod mount, it's decently sharp, or at least it shows signs of once having been, but mine was badly dropped and has pretty serious chromatic aberration. Way back in the day, though, this must have been a pretty impressive lens. </p>

<p>Most of the OEM lenses for Miranda were Soligors, some labeled Miranda and some Soligor, and the best of those were often quite nice. </p>

<p>To avoid seizing of threads of aluminium parts, you should first clean the threads (particles may also cause seizing) and grease the threads very with a very thin layer of vaseline or silicone based grease (in case of the latter, be careful - silicone is hard to remove from glass surfaces, a microfiber cloth will work). Also do not tighten the threads too hard. </p>