The Df Revival

[Erik Lund]

Seems like I will have to bring the tools... 

[rosko]

Seems like I will have to bring the tools... 

Yes, please, Doctor !


Below, I mated the Helios 58mm f/2 (zeiss biotar copy) via M42 adapter to the df for flowers shots (and mushrooms as well)...

This lens gives a slight swirling bokeh to some pictures.

[rosko]

...And mushrooms.

[Jakov Minić]

Francis, these are my kind of photos, I love them!

[Björn Carlén]

Below, I mated the Helios 58mm f/2 (zeiss biotar copy) via M42 adapter to the df for flowers shots (and mushrooms as well)...

This lens gives a slight swirling bokeh to some pictures.

Did you use extension tubes also?

[rosko]

Thank you Jakov ! I am glad you love them.

Did you use extension tubes also?

No extension tube, but  the mount adapter M42 to F mount is itself an extension since the lens is kept away from the body.

Even if you hold the lens against the body mount, you don't get sharp infinity. (infinity is blurry at full aperture)

By the way,  I can't get infinity with this lens on the Sony Next nether, which I thought it was designated to accept any M42 mount lenses.

However, if I slow down its aperture, eventually I can hardly see infinity, which means the M42/Sony adapter is 1 or 2mm too thick.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

You might have the T/T2 adapter instead of the M42? It's a tad longer.

[rosko]

You might have the T/T2 adapter instead of the M42? It's a tad longer.

You are just right, Bjørn !

It's the T2 adapter I use for the Df.
 
I didn't know the difference, but as the threads fit M42, I started to use it.

I'm going to order a M42 ring now.

Cheers, Francis.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

You aren't the first to be confused by T2 vs M42 and unfortunately, likely not the last one either.

[JJChan]

Great photos Francis - also my kind of shot.

I've got the tiniest M42 to Nikon F adaptors I could get hold of but never could focus any further than about 4m. It was one of the reasons which 'helped' convince me to try the A7II.
I've got a FOTGA M42 adaptor for the Sony but it may be a touch too short as the infinity focus is a fair way from the infinity stop on the lens. I've got a Novoflex coming soon which may allow hard stop infinity to be at infinity.

Here's Pentax SMC 50mm1.4 M42 on Df. Although I'm having a lot of fun with the Sony, my heart belongs to Df...

[Bjørn Rørslett]

True M42 lenses are not expected to go to infinity on any Nikon (D)SLR. Their register distance is 1 mm short of the Nikon F mount. You sometimes see adapters with a "correction" lens built-in to restore infinity. Usually these optics are awful and should be shunned.

[Thomas Stellwag]

M42 and T2 have different thread pitch, so i wonder how hard your threads fitted   
 
there are many modification instructions floating in the web about getting infinity for a Helios on Nikon,
i have never had one of these modified lenses in my hands, so i cannot comment on them

[rosko]

Great photos Francis - also my kind of shot.

Thanks for commenting.

The Sony nex 5 is indeed a good camera, but so difficult too use for me, as the ergonomics/interface are so different. I actually bought it to minimize any vibrations due to the mirror in close-up work.

Electronic shutter helps too in this matter. And the pivoting screen is really useful for mushrooms shots.

Despite these advantages, I am still somehow reluctant to use it.

M42 and T2 have different thread pitch, so i wonder how hard your threads fitted   

Not hard at all, just a very light play which disappears when you tighten the lens.

[Björn Carlén]

You might have the T/T2 adapter instead of the M42? It's a tad longer.

What's a T or T2 adapter?
It's for telescopes?

[pluton]

T-Mount or T2 was an early interchangable mount system to connect lenses to different camera bodies.
Wiki here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-mount