nathaniel_pearson Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Being intrigued by the <a href="http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/web/ ?wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2&wb_url=http://www.hayatacamera.co.jp/services/ miyazaki.html" target="_blank">Hayata lab</a> website, I wrote to them (in English) to ask about maybe converting my 57mm/1.2 Hexanon AR to a Leica mount. I've received an automated reply in Japanese, which proved resistant to cogent machine translation! Nothing further, so I'm hoping that someone here can help by either: <p><p> 1) translating my query to them into Japanese, and helping interpret the reply. <p> and/or <p> 2) suggesting another technician for quality lens mount conversion. <p><p> I realize that it's far cheaper to just go with a Konica body for the Hexanon, but sadly those bodies tend to be quite loud, meaning even more compromises than are typical when carrying around an SLR as an extra body for shooting candids in low light. <p><p> The best option, as others have suggested, would be for Konica-Minolta to release an integral vibration-reduction digital body with a wide gape and short register to accept all kinds of lenses (perhaps including LTM/M-mount ones). The new Olympus digital SLR is also a tempting outlet with its short register, but I haven't seen stellar reviews on its image quality. So I'm not holding my breath on these fronts. <p><p> Can anyone help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Obviously, it would cost more than buying a Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 lens! It looks like he does short runs, limited editions, rather than one-offs. Focus appears to be on lenses that have a "following" in Japan. Yours does appear to be a highly regarded lens, but it may be so valuable that not many people want it converted. There may be technical challenges with this particular lens. The size of the Leica mount may impinge on the optical path from the rear element of the lens. Konica SLR bayonet mount is generously sized, and they may have taken advantage of this in the lens design. Also, the size of the rear lens cell could demand a rather large focusing mount. Also, having an oddball 57mm focal length would require designing a custom focusing helix for this lens. It sure would be easier if it was a 50mm. As is, he clearly doesn't custom make the focusing mount and cam helical for the exact focal length of each lens, instead he manually fine-tunes the shape of the cam. That's not a robust strategy on a LTM, since the body flanges don't index all lenses at exactly the same rotation. (That's why he asks you to send your body flange.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathaniel_pearson Posted March 21, 2005 Author Share Posted March 21, 2005 Yep, I wondered about the odd-ball focal length issue. The element bulk issue may be less pressing, as Konica did indeed release a 60mm/1.2 in either 'KM' or LTM which some claim to be a simple reissue of the 57mm/1.2. The 60/1.2 is, of course, -very- rare and pricy. Having shot two rolls with the slightly more common, similarly costly 50/1.2 KM (which has the same 62mm front thread as the 57/1.2 AR), I salivate at the thought of putting such lovely Konica glass on my M3 again. Perhaps if the 55mm Industars really are 55mm (instead of 50 or 53, as seems likely), a cam from that lens could be adapted(?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger_michel Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 if you are willing to pay, sk grimes in rhode island USA will do the conversion for you. estimated cost -- $500-$700. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtk Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Actually I HAVE seen "stellar reviews" on the Oly EVolt's optics...but I don't want a camera with undersized sensor and only 8MP because I think we'll soon see "affordable" 12MP with 1:1 sensors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathaniel_pearson Posted March 21, 2005 Author Share Posted March 21, 2005 John, could you point the way to said review(s)? If the Oly is indeed a good performer, maybe I'll lobby Steve Gandy to add an AR model to his line of film SLR- to-Oly 4/3 adapters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg_erker Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Mr. Grimes died last year I believe. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg_erker Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Maybe I mis-remembered that. skgrimes.com is operational so he/they may still be an option. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eliot_rosen1 Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Konica issued a 60/1.2 in Leica SM (there was no M version) some years back (1999 or so). They made 800 of them, all sold in the Japan, I believe, except for the occasional one that turns up in the USA. It may have been a simiar design to an earlier model, but with current multicoating. It was sold with a lens pouch, 60 mm finder, lenshood and caps, and UVa filter. I haven't seen much written about its performance, probably because not too many people have had a chance to test it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Leica also made a few thousand? mulitcoated LTM lenses for the Japan market. KB camera sold these on Ebay new once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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