Author Topic: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?  (Read 7784 times)

Michael Erlewine

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Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« on: September 11, 2015, 14:15:36 »
The thinnest extension I have is the K-1 ring (5.8 mm). Is there anything thinner? Or, what are the physical constraints? I would like to find a thinner (or have one made) ring to use with WA lenses. Any ideas?
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Roland Vink

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2015, 21:30:03 »
The K1 ring is the thinnest extension ring that I know of. It's probably close to the thinnest extension that is physically possible with the Nikon mount - after all, the bayonet mount on the lens must be either fully connected to the camera (zero extension) or fully outside (probably 5mm extension at least). Anything shorter would be partially inserted into the camera mount but unable to lock in place.

Bjørn Rørslett

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2015, 21:38:08 »
The K-1 is about the thinnest you can have and still make it an extension ring, i.e. with bayonets on either side. The K-1 on a 20/3.5 will produce around 1:3 which is about as far into the subject you would like to go.

Anything thinner means you have to take off the mount of your designated WA and either shim it or remove the near-focus stop, or both. Most of the wide angles focus on their own to something like 1:5 to 1:8 (for modern lenses, older designs went normally only to 1:10). The new 20/1.8 Nikkor does a little better to about 1:4.

Somewhere between 1:2 and 1:4 should be within reach by the shimming technique, but to what purpose? Most likely one would increase lens aberrations, introduce spherical and chromatic aberrations, and reduce image contrast.

Also take into consideration that working distance (front of lens to subject) will be very short, or even negative meaning focus gets inside the lens assembly. The latter occurs if you combine 20/1.8 + K-1, by the way.

There was recently some publicity about a generic 15 mm lens from China, cannot recall the maker's name, but the lens allegedly went to 1:1 life-size;  however, at this magnification, working distance was reduced to a few mm.

Michael Erlewine

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2015, 08:32:55 »
 Bjørn Rørslett: Can I mount the K1-Ring on an autofocus lens? I am confused about that. It does not seem to want to go and I don't like to force it. I hear you on the lack of need, but I always try to try everything. How does one use a relay lens and can you give me an example of a combination or where I can read about this, please?
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stenrasmussen

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2015, 08:42:10 »
How about shimming the bayonet on the lens itself?
Tedious of course...

Erik Lund

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2015, 10:37:22 »
K1 fits all af lenses,,, removing the filter on 16mm full frame fish eye gives a little closer focus.
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Michael Erlewine

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2015, 11:55:56 »
How about shimming the bayonet on the lens itself?
Tedious of course...

How does one shim a lens?
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Michael Erlewine

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2015, 11:57:50 »
K1 fits all af lenses,,, removing the filter on 16mm full frame fish eye gives a little closer focus.

Appreciated!
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Erik Lund

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2015, 13:37:40 »
How does one shim a lens?
many lenses already have shims to adjust infinity focus so you just add more shims. Others have just an locking of the helicoil and you miss use that to add extension. Both makes you loose infity...
Erik Lund

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2015, 14:53:17 »
Shimming might be indeed the best solution, as focusing range for such lenses is very small.
Removing the lens mount and adding (a) shim(s) shoudl be done by an experienced person
such as our Eric Lund here ;-)
formerly known as kds315

Thomas Stellwag

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2015, 15:48:16 »
if you can live with 1mm "shimming", and want no aligning problems, just take a Leitax mount for Leica/Nikon, it is 1mm thicker than the std Nikon mount
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Michael Erlewine

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2015, 14:48:58 »
if you can live with 1mm "shimming", and want no aligning problems, just take a Leitax mount for Leica/Nikon, it is 1mm thicker than the std Nikon mount

I am not trying to adapt Leica or other lenses. How does one shim a standard lens? I have never done that?
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Erik Lund

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2015, 15:02:04 »
I am not trying to adapt Leica or other lenses. How does one shim a standard lens? I have never done that?
Leitax mounts are Nikon F mounts for Leica R lenses, but if you use it for a Nikon lens you automatically add 1mm extension. Very simple way of shimming
Erik Lund

Jan Anne

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2015, 15:06:03 »
Never shimmed a lens before (but did change mounts) but I assume it involves removing the lens mount and sandwiching a thin layer of material when re-mounting the mount, this way the lens is a little further away from the sensor plane than intended hence mimicking a very thin extension ring.
Cheers,
Jan Anne

pluton

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Re: Thinnest Extension for Nikon F-Mount?
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2015, 20:27:17 »
Never shimmed a lens before (but did change mounts) but I assume it involves removing the lens mount and sandwiching a thin layer of material when re-mounting the mount, this way the lens is a little further away from the sensor plane than intended hence mimicking a very thin extension ring.
Longer screws may be required.
Keith B., Santa Monica, CA, USA