Author Topic: Internal vs. External Mount Adaptation  (Read 456 times)

edwardsjethro

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Internal vs. External Mount Adaptation
« on: March 14, 2024, 09:31:49 »
Hi,
the Nikon-N 50mm f1.1 come in two flavours: internal/external mount.

Which one is easier to adapt on a modern Nikon Z? Is is possible to adapt it on a Leica M as well in your opinion?

By the way, I have successfully adapted the rangefinder lens Nikon 35mm f1.8 with a very cheap adapter. This one has an external mount, correct?

Thank you.

Birna Rørslett

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Re: Internal vs. External Mount Adaptation
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2024, 09:51:44 »
The 3.5cm f/1.8 W-Nikkor is easy as it has its own focusing helicoid, plus external mount. The situation is different for the 5m f/1.1 Nikkor-N if you have the version with internal mout. In the latter case you definitively need some kind of helicoid adapter in order to focus the lens -- at all. Thus, unless you have such adapter, I would forego the internal mount lenses, also included the much cheaper 5cm f/1.4 or f/2 models, and aim for the 5cm f/1.1 with external mount. Or search for any of these 5cm lenses with a Leica 39mm thread natively.

You can also hobble together your own focusing adapter if you have the S-mount bayonet (internal). Cheap Russian Contax-copies would be a source for that item.