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Thread: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

  1. #1

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    Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Yesterday, I received my second Minolta (Rokkor mount) to Leica (39mm screw mount) adapter made by Novoflex -- $20.

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    It was too good a deal to pass up. I already have an adapter -- which is unbranded (right). I think I got it at Cambridge Camera in NYC. It works fine but had a small light leak around the release button which I solved with a bit of black silicone sealant -- which you can see in the photo. The dimensions of the two adapters, such as width and depth are the same, but the Novoflex seems to be much better quality -- at least in appearance.

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    The Novoflex is tagged "LEIMIN" on the side -- Leica on the rear and Minolta on the front -- while the unbranded model is marked "MIN-LE" on the back.

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    I attach these to my 4x5 TOKO cameras with Leica to Copal #1 adapter -- in the front. Schneider, and others made these.

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    Then I throw on an appropriate Minolta macro or micro lens for the magnification I need -- which I will upload in the next post since I am limited to four photos per post.

  2. #2

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    OK, then I throw on an appropriate Minolta macro or micro lens for the magnification I need -- Here is a Minolta 12.5mm f2 on the left and a Minolta 25mm f2.5 on the right.

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    Minolta made three adapters for microscope lenses. The first is tagged "M", is flat, and was produced when Minolta sold Leitz Photar lenses for their cameras. The later ones are M-1 (right) and M-2 (left). The M-1 is basically the same as the M, while the M-2 has an extended, tapered cone, to allow light/flash to get in closer to the subject. Olympus made these types of adapters due to their extensive work in microscopy, other may have as well.

    You might think that you can't use a 35mm or microscope lens on a large format camera. Obviously, you can. Whether it fits your film will depend on your film format, the lens' coverage, and the amount of magnification. But even if it doesn't fill your format completely at a given magnification, you can always crop out the edges.

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    Enlarging lenses can be adapted as well -- REALLY cheap!!!

  3. #3
    Foamer
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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    These actually cover 4x5?


    Kent in SD
    In contento ed allegria
    Notte e di vogliam passar!

  4. #4

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by Two23 View Post
    These actually cover 4x5?


    Kent in SD
    You might think that you can't use a 35mm or microscope lens on a large format camera. Obviously, you can. Whether it fits your film will depend on your film format, the lens' coverage, and the amount of magnification. But even if it doesn't fill your format completely at a given magnification, you can always crop out the edges.

  5. #5

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Kent, it is a question of magnification. Coverage increases with magnification. Extension required to get the magnification increases with magnification, decreases with focal length.

    There's a world of high performance macro lenses out there, mainly from microscope manufacturers and from merchant lens maker's (think Nikon, Leitz and Zeiss) microscope divisions. The majority of these lenses, up to around 65 mm, are in RMS thread mount. 0.800"x36tpi. Nearly all are best shot wide open.

    Many were made to cover 4x5 at their recommended magnifications. The longer ones, e.g., 100/6.3 Zeiss BRD Luminar, 100/6.3 Reichert Neupolar, 90/6.3 CZJ Mikrotars, are usable at distance on small formats. My 100/6.3 Neupolar is surprisingly good, but only on 6x6, at distance.

    Joe neglected to mention that his two Minolta lenses, Leitz Photars in all but engraving, are in RMS thread. He also neglected to mention that some of the adapters he mentioned go from RMS to M39x1 (or perhaps 26tpi).

    Hint: if you can provide the extension, the 55/2.8 MicroNikkor reversed and shot at f/4 is the best inexpensive macro lens in its focal length range for 2x3 (from 2:1 up to 10:1) and 4x5 (from ~ 3.6:1 up to 10:1) that I've tested. Sharper than my 63/4.5 Luminar wide open. Users on the French LF forum say that the 55/3.5 MicroNikkor is a little better. My wife has one but I've never tried it in this application.

  6. #6

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Fromm View Post
    Joe neglected to mention that his two Minolta lenses, Leitz Photars in all but engraving, are in RMS thread. He also neglected to mention that some of the adapters he mentioned go from RMS to M39x1 (or perhaps 26tpi).
    Yes, the Minolta 25mm and 12.5mm -- and Photars -- have an RMS thread. Minolta adapters convert it to a Minolta Rokkor mount. But other camera manufacturers -- and others -- have made RMS adapters to Olympus, Nikon, Canon, Leica 39mm, and other mounts. These are easy to get. There are a TON of RMS lenses out there that can be used on LF cameras. But 12.5mm is about as close as I need to go.

  7. #7

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by xkaes View Post
    Yes, the Minolta 25mm and 12.5mm -- and Photars -- have an RMS thread. Minolta adapters convert it to a Minolta Rokkor mount. But other camera manufacturers -- and others -- have made RMS adapters to Olympus, Nikon, Canon, Leica 39mm, and other mounts. These are easy to get. There are a TON of RMS lenses out there that can be used on LF cameras. But 12.5mm is about as close as I need to go.
    The Schneider M Componon macro lenses all came in 39mm Leica thread.

  8. #8

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Many, but not all, of the Componon 28mm and 35mm enlarging lenses came in a 25mm x 0.5mm thread.

  9. #9

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by xkaes View Post
    Many, but not all, of the Componon 28mm and 35mm enlarging lenses came in a 25mm x 0.5mm thread.
    M Componon lenses were not enlarging lenses. They were macro lenses that basically replaced the Zeiss Luminars once they were discontinued.

  10. #10

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    Re: Small, but powerful -- micro LF lenses

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Salomon View Post
    M Componon lenses were not enlarging lenses.
    I never said they were, but since I referred to enlarging lenses earlier in this thread, I thought I would clarify.

    Schneider made a special M-Componon 28mm f4 lens designed for macro use. The main difference between it and the "regular" 28mm f4 Componon is that it came with a 29.5mm rear thread designed specifically to fit into a Copal #0 shutter – not an enlarger. Also, it has an odd f-stop ring running from 1 - 2 – 4 – 8 – 16, instead of the usual 4 – 5.6 – 8 – 11 – 16. These two differences can tell you if it is the regular Componon or the M-Componon, besides the fact that the M-Componon is clearly engraved "M-Componon". Some suggest that the M-Componon has a different optical design for better high magnification results, but if you look at the lens diagrams, you can see that the symmetrical design of each is the same.

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