Contax to LTM adapter UPDATE

Many people here will remember emailing me, or posting messages, towards

the end of last year about our Contax to LTM adapter project. This update will

also be posted on the rangefinder forum, and hopefully the Beststuff forum.

<p>

 

The aim is to manufacture a short run of Contax to LTM adapters. By using

donor Kiev lens mounts we hope to keep machining - and hence costs - to a

minimum.<p>

 

This is just a short email to update everyone on:<p>

 

1: who's interested in subscribing<p>

2: funding! Whether we'll need any money, and if so when.<p>

3: Harry Geron's progress so far on fashioning a prototype<p>

4: Whether we can find an expert to work closely with a machinist, most

probably SK Grimes.<p>

 

Do feel free to email me with your thoughts. I intend to co-ordinate our efforts,

although we will need other technical experts. FYI, I'm in the UK.<p>

 

1: SUBSCRIBERS<p>

Those who've asked to be involved so far are as follows:

Chris Chen, Oscar Reina, Harry Geron, Paul Trynka, Carlin Meyer, Brian

Sweeney, David Berger, Andrew Lee, William Barnett-Lewis, Ashley

Edworthy, Anthony Oresteen, Sheldon Hambrick, Jim McBride, George

Verbryck, Johnson Cheung, Roger Michel, Leo Cristoffer, Bob Shell, Roberto

Carmeli, Joseph P Long, Parlin 44, André Chor. NB, I need an email address

for Leo Cristoffer, if anyone has one, please tell me.<p>

 

2: FUNDING<p>

Are present this is a feasibility exercise, so no funding is necessary. When

Harry has fashioned a mock-up for us to send to a machinist, we will then

make at least one prototype. Envisaged cost: $300-500. If this is the case, I

will ask everyone to contribute circa $25 towards running costs.<p>

 

Once we've successfully made a prototype(s) we will then do a small

production run. More about this later!<p>

 

3: PROGRESS SO FAR<p>

Harry has done some work on one Kiev lens mount, and has a second Kiev

mount to use if necessary. His most recent update:" I have all my materials

and have made some preliminary lathe operations but want to be more

precise. I think I can make a working model rather than a rough prototype."

<p>

 

4: SK GRIMES LIAISON<p>

SK Grimes reckon this project is within their capabilities, and agree that using

salvaged Kiev mounts will cut out the bulk of the machining. They also confirm

that a short production run, of 10-30 units, will cut down the unit costs

considerably.<p>

 

This is as far as we've got with them so far. If any of you know of a better

company with whom we should proceed, please make your suggestions now!

Whatever the company, we need someone who's technically literate to liaise

with them and Harry (even if this is by post). SK Grimes are in Rhode Island,

so ideally we need someone with technical knowledge, who's in that area.

Duties might include testing the prototype to see that it works.<p>

 

IF YOU THINK YOU CAN PERFORM THE TECHNICAL LIAISON AND HELP

MAKE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN, PLEASE EMAIL ME ASAP!<p>

 

Other points:

We want this adapter to work with both internal and external mount Contax

lenses, and this does look feasible. If the situation changes, I will update.

Secondly, if we get to the initial production run, we will need more Kiev

mounts. THis should be simple, as we've already had offers of around 10

spare mounts. I suspect that we might be better off using pre-1970s Kiev

mounts, as these are more accurately made. This type has the distance

markings engraved both at the side, and at the front, of the mount. Of course, if

you want a higher-class adaptor, you are also welcome to send a Contax

mount.

i have used grimes many times for custom machining projects and they have always come thru. they are first rate and continue to do great work even after stephen's death.

 

i am still in. the price sounds right.

Paul, could you post a link to the thread where the project was presented? I'm always interested in tinkering projects but I'm not enough into Contax lenses to understand which benefits exactly could be carved from these adapters (I suppose recycling lenses on a Leica RF - but would it also be attractive to participate for anybody not already owning tons of Contax compatible ones?) and which would be the practical downsides, compared to CV and L glass. Thanks.

Lutz, the idea is essentially to build an adapter which functions like the Cooke

& perkins ones (more info <a href="http://www.cameraquest.com/

adapter.htm" >from cameraquest</a>). Essentially, it will only be of real use if

you already have Contax lenses - of course, if we can manufacture cheaply, it

might be worth going out and buying a Contax-mount Sonnar 50/1.5, as these

sell for a lot less than LTM ones. And of course those old Sonnars will never

be replicated, as they were very expensive to produce. Many people, like me,

happen to own them, and it might be more cost-effective to buy a sub$200

adapter than to buy a Summicron/Summilux. In addition, Jupiter lenses in

Kiev mount are thought to be better made than those in LTM. <p>

Roger, if you've already dealt with SK Grimes on some projects, does that

mean you might be able to do the technical liaison with them??!?

Paul,

I don't see me name in the list of interested people.

Raid, you're on my update list now, as are John Haeger,

Zhao Lin and 'Ben' from the UK. And I have Leo Christoffer's email now. That

makes 26 'subscribers' so far. <p>

This is like publishing in the 18th century! Are there any members of the

aristocracy who would like to shell up $$$ and we will dedicate the results to

their honour?

Paul, I'll step up with $25 too!

Is this the right time to grab as many Contax mount Soonar lenses as possible before the adapter is made and before prices of Conatx mount lenses will increase? Maybe not.

Dare I ask which Contax mount you're talking about? SLR? Old Contax RF?

Never mind. Looks like you're talking about Contax RF lenses on Leica LTM body.

At what price do you think you will sell this adapter? I too am interested---depending on price.

add me to the list,

Alan Chin, New York, rat101 at aol dot com

There was a time when Zeiss Contax lenses were much better than Leica

factory offerings. That day is long past. It just doesn't make any sense to

spend any time, energy, or money to adapt them. It is a really dumb idea.

You're on there Alan. Gary, target price is $200 or less. That will make the

total price of my Carl Zeiss Sonnar 50/1.5 for Leica around $246. We'll let Bill

continue to pay far more than that for vintage Summicrons/Summiluxes, if

that's what he's happy with!

New info just in from the ever-helpful Taffer at the Rangefinder forum. Oleg is

supplying Kiev lens mounts for $5 (if this project takes off, we might have to

ask people to supply their own Kiev mounts). <p>

THe bulk of the cost of the Orion etc adapters, is machining the parts that we

will be using from the Kiev. Hopefully the mounts will therefore not need a

huge amount of machining, and this will keep costs down. But of course we

will have to wait and see.<p>

I would also point out to Bill that this adapter is only useful to people who like

classic Sonnar lenses, and have some already. The classic 50 Sonnar has a

lot of fans - it was a very expensive lens to produce, which is why Zeiss

stopped using that configuration and why the new designs are apparently not

a classic Sonnar . A 50s Sonnar holds its own in many respects with

contemporary lenses, so for those who already own one, being able to use it

on an M7, or an M3, or an RD1 for an outlay of hopefully less than $200

makes total sense.

I'm interested in chipping in, and although I'm a little afraid of what I'm about to write, I

could possibly serve as a liason to SK Grimes, as I live in Rhode Island (about 20 minutes

from them). Hopefully I can handle the technical side well enough. Sounds like fun!

Add me to the list please TAN. Thanks.

It's real good to see more people joining both here and in the RFF, hope the same is happening in the BestStuff forum :)

 

I'm not sure but I guess we can end having enough Kiev mounts between the ones some people already have (as mounts or as parts Kievs) and getting the rest from sellers like Oleg, Alex-Photo, Fedka, etc. We're lucky that so many Kiev cameras were produced.

 

Oscar / Taffer

Paul, this is a brilliant project.

Is it possible to make the Voigtlander Nokton lens fit the LTM?

I presume you would need a Prominent S adaptor first. And perhaps it might

be at the mercy of the tolerances of two adapters combined, but it could well

work. <p>

We now have 35 interested subscribers.

Add me to your list as well, Paul. Thanks!

Please add me to the list of interested buyers.

Please add me to the list too. I'm very interested in such an adaptor. Thanks!

 

-Christopher