Thoughts about converting a camera lens' mount from MA to MD

<p>I have lots of manual focus camera gear, and i use it ,I love my Rokkor glass and especially my Minolta Bodies. I do not even own an auto focus film body. I love shooting with my vivitar 17-28mm zoom often , but at 4.0 to start its quite slow, i was thinking of getting a 17mm 3.5 prime but that's only a little faster . Also the Minolta 17mm prime is 4.0 too and very hard to come by. An I started to also wish that more wider angle lenses were made for the old MD mount back in tha day too, like they did for other camera mounts. I also know that recently Samyang came out with a 14mm manual focus lens for today's digital cameras, claiming they cover FF too . I wish they made one in M42 mount fo that it can be adapted and used on the many old and defunct Film camera systems like my Minolta.<br /> Recently I was looking at a 13mm lens that claimed to cover frame on film camera but it was Minolta MA or SOny alpha mount as it is now known. <br /> When i looked at the photos it dawned on me that if one could replace the mount it could be used on an MD body easily . Even tho in stop-down mode albeit the aperture ring would turn the usual direction.<br /> the mount would only have to project an additional .5mm as that is the difference between the MA and MD register distances. <br /> If i could get an MD to M42 adapter to replace the existing mount i would have an extremely wide angle lens. Yea i know It would be easier to get a Maxxium body, but I would also be easier to get one additional lens in my bag rather than make room for another camera body.</p>

<p>So does anyone have any thoughts on this? I'm just spit-balling here.</p><div></div>

<p>Considered a Zenitar 16/2.8 fisheye? I believe these are available in M42.</p>

<p>Yes I have Andrew. They are actually available with changeable mounts , similar to a Tmount Thank you for asking. This is not a fisheye lens I'm looking at, but if i were to ever get a Fish eye lens for my Minolta i would prefer it to be a 7.5mm.</p>

<p>If you want to play lens repairman/modifier I suppose it could be interesting, maybe fun. But wouldn't it be easier just to buy a body that fits the lens you want? I'm not a Minolta user but I presume that there are cameras that hit the sweet spot between being new enough to use a lens in the current mount but old enough to be 1)film and 2)affordable.</p>

<p>SO you suggest i buy a whole new system because i want one particular lens , or are you saying that when i go out shooting that in addition to my usually camera and all my lenses i take along another whole camera and lens for certain shots i want to use a 14mm lens for , and that i hope i find enough shots for that lens to use up the whole roll so i can develop it sooner rather than much later.<br>

That to me does not seem like a good or easy idea, Nor would it be easier on my shoulder, lol.<br>

I already carry 2 bodies with me sometimes. For Sometimes I need a different film speed and some times i want one for color and one for B&W.<br>

I swear, Olympus should have produced and sold <a href="http://www.olympus-global.com/en/corc/history/lecture/lecture2/part8.html">Maitani's MDN </a>(the maitani modular system) 35mm camera, I probably would have invested in that system instead of Minolta MD way back when, before i acquired so many lenses </p>

<p>This is very possible. But, would it be economically feasible? Having the lens professionally modified would take some time and therefore be rather expensive. I know this first hand as I have a lathe and I buy surplus lenses and the like and modify adapters. It can seriously take hours.<br /> BUT, what you can do is just start tinkering (it's where the crack-like addiction begins). <br>

OK, I just did an image search on that Samyang 14/2.8. Looks very do-able. I'd look for a really thin MD mount adapter. It can be for anything at all, IIRC, the MD to M42 adapter is rather thing as the two are the same if not real close. Once you get that MD-M42 adapter and the lens: 1) remove the Samyang rear mount, 2) test fit the MD-M42 on the Samyang with the likes of electrical tape (it works and its removable) to see if you can still achieve infinity focus, 3) if it does work then you will have to drill in counter-sunk holes into the MD-M42 adapter and then mount it. <br>

<br />I have performed these steps before. The hard part is #3. I usually start with a small drill bit the width of the screw thread, then, very carefully and by hand, take a larger bit and counter sink. As of late, I have been using a hand-vice and an end mill bit (which is square and not tapered) to make my counter sinks. </p>