NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Kim Pilegaard on April 29, 2021, 19:37:50
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My first long lens was a Novoflex follow focus 400mm f/5.6 - a simple doublet achromat, which I bought used in 1968. I have never parted with it, but it has got some newer siblings.
The picture below is taken handheld with with my Z7 II and the latest follow focus grip (Pigriff D), the T-Noflexar 400mm f/5.6 (a three-element design), supplemented with the Novoflex 1.5x Tele-Extender @ 1/320s, f/8. This tele-extender was introduced with the small follow-focus Noflexar 200mm f/3.8. The 1.5x tele-extender seems to perform quite well with the T-Noflexar also.
The lens elements of the 1.5 tele-extender can easily be removed and thus it can serve as an extension ring. I do not know of other tele-converters with this extra feature.
The advantages of the Z7 II (and some other Z-models) for manual lenses like this, are the ability to zoom in the viewfinder, the focus peaking, and the in-body stabilisation.
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A crop of the picture above
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Quite a remarkable result, Kim! The simplistic optical design seems to cope with the demanding high MP machine quite well.
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I Can only agree, Wonderful image rendering!
Simplicity for optics sometimes works wonders ;D
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Beautiful shot.
Yes, great advantage on the Z6/Z7 for older lenses with useful focus-aids and IBIS
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Must say, i'm really impressed with the quality that Novoflex can present!
This made me search for possibly acquiring one my self...
This raise two questions.
No 1: What adaptor do i need, for a D200 F-mount?
And
No 2: Any idea what Novoflex this is:
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qMUAAOSwMAlhq5wN/s-l1600.jpg)
I know it's mounted with a FD adaptor.
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This looks like the 280mm lens head.
Don't know the exact designation for the F-mount adapter, but it should be easy to get second-hand or perhaps even new from Novoflex.
Off topic: your externally linked image would not load directly, unless I asked for it to be displayed in a new tab. No idea why.
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A quick 'net search says it should be 'NIKA'. Which apparently still is in production.
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This looks like the 280mm lens head.
Don't know the exact designation for the F-mount adapter, but it should be easy to get second-hand or perhaps even new from Novoflex.
Off topic: your externally linked image would not load directly, unless I asked for it to be displayed in a new tab. No idea why.
Thank You, for Your time Birna!
Hmm weird, about loading difficulties... Might be something about eBays hosting?
Here, with Firefox, there's no problems.
As for Your answer, to the adaptor question. Does You remember if it's a M42? Or possibly Novoflex's own Bayonet?
I have never had the chance to play with a Novoflex. Or other focal lengts, larger than 200mm. (This due to budget issues. But that's a whole other story)
So aside from going fully manual, coming closer to the wildlife, has been a dream for loong time...
Also, i want to come back to the time, where it wasn't just point and shoot...
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A quick 'net search says it should be 'NIKA'. Which apparently still is in production.
Thank You once more Birna! You've been a great help!
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It is difficult to see exactly, but is the FD ring attached to the lens via a bayonet ring (Novoflex A bayonet)? Otherwise you might have an older model, where the NIKA does not fit.
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Hmm weird, about loading difficulties... Might be something about eBays hosting?
Here, with Firefox, there's no problems.
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Firefox on Linux Min 19.3. The image loads on the Windows boxes though.
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The lens elements of the 1.5 tele-extender can easily be removed and thus it can serve as an extension ring. I do not know of other tele-converters with this extra feature.
Excellent rendering Kim!
So in total is 600mm?
I ve got a Russian teleconverter 1.4x for Nikon F mount with this option it’s very convenient, two in one :)
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Excellent rendering Kim!
So in total is 600mm?
I ve got a Russian teleconverter 1.4x for Nikon F mount with this option it’s very convenient, two in one :)
Yes, the resulting focal length with the teleconverter is 600mm.
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I looked again at the picture and compared to my own 40cm Novoflex with pistol grip. The setup reminds me of the oldest type of the "Schnell-schuss" systems that ended in a Leica threead, so one then would need a NIKLEI adapter (which is the one I have on my lens).
I still believe the lens head is the 280mm, as the front bezel of the 400 flares visibly out from the overall barrel.
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Firefox on Linux Min 19.3. The image loads on the Windows boxes though.
Tried on a SuseLEAP with Firefox, and Win10 Pro with Firefox. Both works...
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Pretty darn sharp for such an old and simple lens!
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I looked again at the picture and compared to my own 40cm Novoflex with pistol grip. The setup reminds me of the oldest type of the "Schnell-schuss" systems that ended in a Leica threead, so one then would need a NIKLEI adapter (which is the one I have on my lens).
I still believe the lens head is the 280mm, as the front bezel of the 400 flares visibly out from the overall barrel.
I think it is the 300mm f/5.6 lens head, very similar to the 280mm but the tubes between focus system and lens show only the scalloped ring, not the additional knurled ring I see on the 280mm variant.
The focus system indeed appears to be the original Pi(stolen)Griff aka PiGriff aka pistol grip, not the later PiGriff systems (C and D) that use the Novoflex A mount.
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Vivitar made a 2x macro focusing teleconverter with a helicoid, which is of high optical quality. I did some tests and it compared favorably to the TC-201. They are often found on eBay in a variety of mount.