Heads-up: cheap option for 45/2 Planar conversion to M-mount?

[nathaniel_pearson]

Hey all,

 

KEH has an 'inoperative' 45mm f/2 G-Planar T*, listed in otherwise 'excellent'

condition, for $52.20 in their current As-Is section. I don't have the cash or the need

to try it, but it seems like a potentially perfect candidate for the Miyazaki conversion

process (listed at 50400 Yen on the Hayata site). Perhaps this could be a good,

reasonable route to a great M-mount standard lens for someone out there.

[eric friedemann]

I'm missing something. You suggest paying $52.20 for a 45mm f/2.0 G Planar in in as-is condition to spend $460 to convert the lens to an M mount? Why not buy a 40/1.4 Classic Nokton in a Leica M mount for $350 and get a new, faster lens? I've owned the 45mm f/2.0 G lens and it was swell, but I wouldn't pay $460 to convert one to another mount.

[nathaniel_pearson]

Eric, I love my 50/1.5 CV Nokton, and I wouldn't necessarily pay that much for an M-

G-Planar either -- but given the going rate for this particular conversion, if one were

looking for a lens to do it on, a $52.20 electronically dead, optically excellent one

would be a much more reasonable choice than most others. Just passing it along for

those who would be interested in such an option.

[roger_michel]

it would make a good investment. these conversions always sell for big $$$ on ebay. some people in leicaworld reealy love the unusual.

[richie chishty]

I can get a used 50mm Summicron for $484!

 

http://www.keh.com/shop/SHOWPRODUCT.CFM?CRID=11843759&SKID=LM0601000017606&SID=newused&BID=LM&CID=06&SOID=N&curpic=0&dpsp=0

[dan flanders]

For half the total cost you could obtain a Summicron C or one of its clones and it is likely that only nit-pickers could tell the difference in the images produced. The quasi-Zeiss lens, as excellent as it may be, converted to M would have only 'exotic' appeal to a 'working' photog. Having dabbled in fitting odd lenses to Leicas myself, it is an attractive hobby, but yields very little improvement (if any) for the necessary effort or expense. Why not wait for the new Zeiss M lenses?

[paul t]

all hail to Nathaniel and his Heads Ups. He helped me find a Summicron 35/2

for far less than they go for on ePay. Cheers, Nat - photos are looking great!

[nathaniel_pearson]

Glad to hear it, Paul! ;-D

[andrew robertson]

There's a guy in Japan who runs a company called MS-Optical, who will custom adapt lenses

into M mount. I think he charges about $500.

 

Still cheaper than a new Zeiss Planar 50.

 

I'd be more interested in having him adapt a 24mm f/1.9 from the Fuji Natura though.

[alan_wilder1]

When I personally tested the 45/2 G-Planar years ago, it's resolution figures blew away any lens in that focal range past or present. My comparisons include all Summicrons, the Asph. Summilux and surprisingly the ZM Planar. If you can adapt it to the M mount and get CRITICAL focus accuracy, it's probably worth $500-600 to do so. Another benefit is the 45mm (actually more like 47mm) focal lenght is a better match for the 50nn M frame lines anyway.

[eric friedemann]

"I'd be more interested in having him adapt a 24mm f/1.9 from the Fuji Natura though."

 

 

Into what?

[joseph_wang3]

I would not convert.

 

45 2 has a stunningly good resolution from f2.8 and up, f2 is difficult to test due to

the inaccurate focusing of the G2 at f2 but from the MTF figures it is not as good as

ZM 50 2 and Summicron 50 2.

 

Bokehwise, ZM50 2 is nicest, followed by Sum 50 2. The worst bokeh is 45 2. This

45 2 is also quite astigmatic.

 

ZM50 2 is so much better, why bother the conversion ?

[__jon__]

>Hairy Geron , aug 23, 2005; 01:55 p.m.

 

>Why not wait for the new Zeiss M lenses?

 

Why not actually read the post? He was just passing it on... hello?

[nathaniel_pearson]

Andrew, I second the idea of a 24mm f/~2.0 in M. Per prior discussion of the new ZI

lens line, I think a 25/2 would, along with their heralded flagship 15/2.8, been a

'killer app' lens. That said, I haven't seen any scans from the Natura-S that actually

impress me -- I hope that's just for lack of a larger sample of scans, though...

[andrew robertson]

M mount or screw mount, I don't care which.

[andrew robertson]

I don't have a scanner, but I recently shot a roll of Velvia in the Natura, and it came out

just beautifully. I was up in the mountains in the daytime, so I would imagine that it was

stopped down quite a bit. In darker situations I have only shot Natura 1600 color print

film, which is pretty ugly compared slow film, but certainly serviceable.

 

I have some camera porn from Japan that includes a Leica book with tests of a number of

lenses MS Optical has adapted from Japanese P&S cameras into M mount, including Nikon

and Super EBC Fujinon 28mm f/3.5 lenses, and a Canon 40mm f/1.9. There's a

photograph of custom adapted lenses including the Contax G series Biogon 21 and Planar

35, other Zeiss Planar 45 and 50mm lenses, and Tessar 35mm f/3.5 lenses.