T-Mount Adapter for a Mamiya M645J Camera

I am looking for a t-mount adapter for a Mamiya M645J camera. I have

a Celestron telescope that I would like to mount the camera to.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks....

This might not be possible. The normal T-mount adaptor is for 35mm and is physically too small to allow the coverage for a normal 6x4.5 lens and body. Check with Mamiya and Celestron; if they don't have anything, it isn't too hopeful. Seems like there is a guy in Europe, that makes some odd adaptors, but can't think of the name- starts with a Z....

Okay, did some scouting around at "Shutterbug.net", the magazine's website. Did a search for "adapters" and ran across the following (note: This is from 1998, addresses may have changed!):

 

Q. I would like to be able to use my Vivitar Series I Solid Cat 600mm f/8 telephoto lens with my newly acquired Mamiya 645 1000S. Is this possible? Do you know of anyone who makes a T-adapter to couple this optic with this camera? Am I going to experience problems (vignetting, focus, etc.) if I attempt this? Thanks for your response.

 

Jim Sniegowski

Lockport, IL

 

A. Since I was not positive on this inquiry, I posed it to my contact at Vivitar via e-mail. It took a follow-up message since the original never got through, thus the delay. He told me, as to the 600 cat, I don't believe I've ever seen T-mounts for the 645 system camera. Since the lens was originally intended for other types of applications as well as 35mm, it may just work if the reader can find or construct a suitable mount for it. It's a standard T-mount so it shouldn't be too difficult to do. The 600 was a great optic and I've heard that many of them wound up in tracking scope use as well. Sorry I haven't any info on using it with the medium format. I myself have its big brother, 800mm cat, and had never thought of using it in this way till now.. hmmmmm.. So, evidently, if you can obtain an adapter, this may be feasible and evidently there should not be any vignetting. For adapters you might want to try contacting these firms: The Camera People, PO Box 4538, Durango, CO 81302; (970) 884-6045 (they stock many sizes of filters and adapter rings), or Professional Camera Repair Service, Inc., 37 West 47th St., New York, NY 10036; (212) 382-0550. The latter specializes in making customized items for professionals. Hopefully one of them might be able to assist you in adapting your telephoto lens to the new camera format.

 

Robert E. Mayer

 

The "Z" guy I was thinking of, I also found- this is a 1997 address, try a web search for anything else on them:

 

Since there are no USA distributors of Zorkendorfer adapters you have to contact them at their German facility for information and prices on their unique products. Since most people who work there don't know spoken English, call only if you speak German, otherwise it's recommended that you write them. The address is: Zorkendorfer Film und Fototechnik, Gollierstrasse 70, 8000 München 2 Germany. Phone: 011-49-89-50 85 68 or Fax: 011-49-89- 50 44 05.

 

I don't know if this will help, but may give you some other places to look. Personally, I still think the thing would vignette- think you'd get a round image in the middle of your film, and might not could get the film plane close enough to focus. Hopefully, I'm wrong. Good luck!

And SRB trading in the UK, they will make any adaptor, not to expensive either. You might try just holding the camera up to the 'scope with a card disk to reduce flare just to see if it works before shelling out for adaptors.

 

I remember that as a kid (1970's) I made a telescope and did use a camera to take 'spy' pictures, the camera was a 2 1/4 square rangefinder. It did work.

 

Huw

Hello Mike,

 

As Huw mentioned, SRB do this type of thing.

 

I own a 645j, and i had my 35mm format Pentax 500mm lens adapted for use on the Mamiya by SRB. It is in effect a large T mount, and it works perfectly with no vignetting and maintaining infinity focus. I dont know if this would be the result with your telescope/camera combination, but i dought if there would be a problem in making an adapter to attatch the body to the telescope. My adapter cost me about £70 about twelve years ago.

 

All the best

Mike, just an afterthought,

 

I think Stephen is likely to be right, regarding vignetting in your situation. The only reason my Pentax lens was suitable for this type of thing, is because my lens has a small removable rear section which allows the front of the mamiya to be mounted further along the lens. Its possible that your focusing tube on your telescope may have to be shortened. Thats only a guess, and im not really qualified to give you technical info on your set up.

 

Best of luck

Mike,

 

www.buytelescopes.com Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird carries a T-mount for Mamiya 645. I just ordered one. Problem is, it is made to use on Takahashi Scopes. Another problem is that it's $245. (Gasp)

And if that's not bad enough, that still leaves you with the problem of the size of hole you have on the back of your scope.

 

Your original post does not state the type of Celestron telescope you have. Is it a refracter or SCT? I have a Celestron 8" SCT and the visual back has approximately a 2" orofice. My Tak takes a 4" ring.

 

Call Herb or Ray at Anacortes. They will likely have an answer. When you find out, let me know. I doubt I will be able to use my Mamiya on my SCT but I'd sure like to try

A bit more information on the "T-mount". I have a 500mm lens, a cheap telephoto, with T-mount. It appears that the outside of the barrel that threads into the T-mount adaptor is about 1-7/8" diameter, or around 47mm, so maybe 45 mm inside. I'm not sure of the actual negative dimensions of a 6x4.5, but exactly 60mm x 45mm would give you a 75mm diagonal. If you can visualize the light coming through that hole- with a very long focal length, it should be close to parallel, and if so, you would get a circular image about 45mm diameter. If the optics are aranged so the the light is spreading out at the T-mount, then you may have a full image. (For a 24mm x 36mm frame, the diagonal is 43mm, just less than the barrel size). Hope this helps, and I think you can see why I'm thinking vignetting will be the problem with the T-mount. If some bigger mount is available, or can be made, you may have no problem with this.

Its iffy.

 

Your camera's flange-to-film distance is 63.3 mm, the T-mount standard is 55.0. That's for the T-mount lens itself, not for the camera the T-mount goes in.

 

If your telescope focuses way through infinity when a 35mm camera is hung on it via a T-mount, you have a chance. If not, not.